Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople, Inc.
Resume:
Born in Cicero. Grew up just a bit further west of Chicago. Graduated from Southern Methodist University (1972 – History & English) and from Brooks Institute of Photography (1974 - Photographic Illustration). Large camera studio work in Chicago (yes, they do make 16” x 20" cameras and film) until 1976 when I moved to North Central Wisconsin. Madison WI based since 1982.
Artist Statement:
My interest in the visual arts began in grade school when my mother became the “Art Lady” – rotating around area grade schools teaching Art History. Much of her preparation study rubbed off. My plan was to be a lawyer, hence the English and History double majors, but my favorite course in college was Art History. Everything changed when as a senior I took 2 Photography courses and fell in love with the magic of the darkroom. My passion since then has been nature photography. I subsequently went to Brooks Institute in California. My long experience and appreciation of large format cameras; 4x 5, 8x10 and 16x 20 through studio work in Chicago, has led to the continuing creation of 2 collections I call “Flora at f/64” and “Harvest at f/64”. I use an 8x10 Deardorff camera and transparency film to capture the fascinating intricate beauty of flowers and other flora. Georgia O’Keefe meets Ansel Adams – that stylistic encounter best describes this work. Having studied under Yosef Karsh at Brooks and through producing fine portraits for decades, I’ve come to regard my art as portraiture of the natural world. The resulting printed pieces offer rich color, razor sharp detail and depth not seen in the usual fuzzy flourish of most flora photography. Along with my other collections, “Other Nature” and “Other Worldly”, captured with various small film and digital cameras, the resulting imagery transforms the subject into stunning studies of form, line, light and color, bringing a fresh perspective to the commonplace. I’ve named my website primelight.org because I strive to capture the natural world in its prime. My goal is to give a new perspective on the familiar, making the commonplace marvelous. My desire is not to see different things, but to see things differently.
I personally carry out all processes in the creation of this work. Original capture with 8x10 or high end digital cameras, archival pigment ink printing on 100% cotton rag fine art paper or fine art canvas and conservation matting and framing.
Jon Walton
4717 Bronner Road ~ Middleton, WI ~ 53562 ~ (608)-575-5538
email: jonwalton77@gmail.com website: www.primelight.org