Photograffia is an art form pioneered in the 1800’s emerging from the invention of the camera. In the early days of photography the exposure times for black and white photographs were long and often resulted in closed eyes in portraits. Touch-ups and tinting were common place ways to introduce life-like results.
Bokeh is a shallow focus technique used to blur an image in the background while highlighting the forefront.
These two techniques are used in an on-going exhibit at the reading Room Cafe.
Linda Gordon and her daughter Caprina Valentine will be displaying their individual photographic-inspired art for the month of February. Gordon includes some paintings as well.
Gordon is a long-time resident and known for her paintings. The photographic-inspired works are new.
“I remember coming to Sooke to spend summers at the family cabin since my youth,” said Gordon. “Since living full-time in Sooke, from 1979 onwards, I have been continuing my love of photography and painting. My early paintings were in oil, but I enjoy the bold colours that acrylics provide, and have done my more recent works in a combination of acrylics, metal foil and jewels. The pieces that will be shown at the Reading Room Cafe will be photograffia studded with jewels, foil and 3D carvings with paint and encrustations flowing out to include the frame.”
Gordon’s work has been seen at the Sooke Fine Arts Shows, the Sooke Community Arts Council show and most recently at the Metchosin Art Gallery Massively Mini Art Show.
Valentine was raised in Sooke and attended Edward Milne community school.
“She’s pretty much a graphic designer,” said Gordon.
Valentine studied arts and photography at UVic and has had her photographs displayed in shows in Victoria, Metchosin, the Sooke Fine Arts show, as well as published in Photolife magazine and Monday Magazine. Her photographs are up close and personal. She frames her images in a graphic way taking them to pure line and form, especially in the architectural ones. (www.caprinavalentine.com).