© Geordie Wood.

“On the sidelines of formal photography projects over the years, I bide my time making portraits of friends, neighbors and those close to me. The images serve as a visual sketchbook, a diary of quiet moments and sometimes as a surprising frame for the portfolio. Above, my friend Pam takes a break from the monotony of a long morning watching slide shows at a banal hotel in Newport, RI (2007).” – Geordie Wood.

© David Fahey, Courtesy of Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles and Hasted Kraeutler, NY

Some well-known photo gallery owners got their start as photographers, and now they are taking their turn in the spotlight as part of an exhibition called Don’t Quit Your Day Job. The show is a lighthearted indulgence in the fantasy of “what might have been” had the gallery owners decided to pursue careers as photographers instead. Some of those participating have continued to practice photography on the side, while others put down their cameras years ago, and never looked back. Hasted Kraeutler is hosting the exhibition. While some of the photographs are on loan for exhibition only, most are for sale. The proceeds will be donated to Lotus House Women’s Shelter, located in one of Miami’s poorest neighborhoods.

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© Jane Fulton Alt

“Burn No. 49” from Jane Fulton Alt’s series on controlled brush fires. She was “drawn to the ephemeral quality of the moment when life and death are not contradictory but are perceived as a single process to be embraced as a whole.”

Alt’s images, along with those of other artists featured in The Curator 2011 online gallery, are currently on display in the Milk Gallery in New York City. The opening reception will be held this Thursday, July 14th at 7:00 PM. Visit the RSVP page for details.

© Shane Deruise.

“Fireflies” is from Shane Deruise’s latest personal project which he describes as “an exploration into the adventure and wonderment we all felt as a child, but somehow lost along the way.”  Inspired by his own memories growing up in a small coastal town, “we are all searching for ways to recapture that faint feeling of the vast and unending world of our childhood. In some small way, developing this new work for my portfolio has opened my eyes to the way the world use to feel in my heart.”

All photos © Bruce Martin. Above:Xtacumbilxunan Cave, Campeche 1994.

Bruce Martin started his project about the Maya culture titled, Look Close See Far, in 1987. Using historical documents, academic research, and current events in conjunction with a large format field camera, a tape recorder and countless hours of time in the field, Martin has created an image archive depicting a range of landscapes and attitudes in an attempt to make a distinctive portrait of this unique culture.

Martin tells us, “these cave photographs are part of a larger group of photographs on the Maya Indians and region of Central America, an area both beautiful and complex in its nature. It is a place where the delicate balance between society and the environment dominates life and challenges one’s view of reality. In the Maya Communities of Central America today, the erosion of their worldview and harmony in life is a daily struggle. With the rapid development of recent years, many contrasting and often violent viewpoints have been introduced, so that the Maya, their environment and way of life are being overwhelmed. Surviving these disruptive influences and maintaining their cultural dignity is the challenge for an uncertain future that the Maya now face.”

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