Kailua Village Artists
May 2023 at the Gallery
Volume 14, Issue 5
Featured Artist:
Kathleen Carr
Watching gallery visitors as they approach Kathleen Carr’s display is often a replay of my own initial reaction to her work, which was to pause, stare, crinkle my brow, stare some more, and finally ask, “What medium is that?” While falling under the broad category of Photography, many of Carr’s images are unique in ways that enhance her subject, and fascinate, and inevitably lead curious minds to wonder about how in the world she did it. What is predictable, is that the end results are astounding and lend a spiritual dimension to her images.
In her own words: I have always been interested in conveying more than the literal interpretation of what I photograph, whether it be my experience of the subject when I am fully present, or where it leads me creatively. I have worked with a variety of techniques and alternative processes, including include black and white photography, infrared photography, and polaroid manipulations. Nowadays, the digital darkroom allows for even more exploration.
During my Featured Artist month at the gallery, I have chosen a selection of Polaroid images to share. For many years I experimented with alternative uses for Polaroid films, taught workshops in these processes, wrote two books, Polaroid Transfers and Polaroid Manipulations (Amphoto Books 1997 and 2002), and was a Polaroid Creative Uses Consultant. Even though Polaroid no longer makes these films, people still seem to love the images, and continue to buy limited edition prints. Each original was unique, so I had my favorites scanned as digital files so that I could continue to make archival prints.
As a refresher, the Polaroid Corporation started making and selling instant cameras and film in 1948. All the chemicals to develop an image were stored in the film itself and the camera activated these chemical reactions, resulting in physical photographs within minutes, right before your eyes. The particular size and frame of those Polaroid instants became iconic over the next few decades.
NEWSFLASH!!
kva Gallery takes silver in the 2023
hawaii magazine
reader's choice awards
Best Art Gallery
1. Volcano Art Center Gallery
2. Kailua Village Artists Gallery
Art Journeys with Tamisha Lee:
KVA Gallery History
Frequently, when patrons first enter our gallery, the person or party is asked if they have ever been in before. This gives us an opportunity to explain that we are an artist collective or cooperative gallery. KVA gallery is owned and operated by its member artists (currently ten of us). So, whenever you come in, you are actually speaking with one of our artists and gallery owners. Sometimes, in between assisting patrons, we work on parts and pieces of our own art while at the gallery.
We are the oldest artist collective in the state of Hawaii. Established in 1987, we are 36 years old this year. In our history, there were times when we were a larger group with multiple galleries across the Kona area, with between 25 and 30 member artists. Some of you might recall seeing us in the King Kamehameha Hotel, the Lanihau Center and the now gone Keauhou Beach Hotel.
Like many other "non-essential" businesses, KVA was closed for several months during the pandemic. All of Alii Drive was like a ghost town for many, many months and recovery was slow. Many businesses did not just temporarily close; they vacated. KVA is proud to be amongst the survivors. We were tenacious and we are STILL HERE!
We lost a few artists; but we also added some new ones. Each member artist must be voted in by the rest of the group. As a collective group of artists, we strive to represent a broad spectrum of quality local art across different media. We also want artists willing and able to contribute to day-to-day gallery operations, business and administrative matters, and promotional undertakings, not just for themselves, but for the entire group.
The navigation bar in the header above will allow you to explore more about who we are currently and what we are about - as an artists cooperative and as talented and remarkable individuals.
Of course, 37 years would not be possible without ART PATRONS. So thank you to the Fates that brought us together and thank YOU for supporting KVA for 37 years and counting.
Guest Artist: Gigi Goochey
Quiet and contemplative, Gigi Goochey emits as much tranquility from her person as from her jewelry. Asked to describe what she does, she says that she "collects things and makes things," which is, of course, an overt simplification of this artist and her jewelry.
Gigi was raised in the way of native American Lakota, which included beading and embroidery since she was a child. It also included a particular relationship with nature, which is so much a part of her, she doesn't even think to mention it. Only that most of her inspiration comes while swimming in the ocean or hiking in the mountains.
To compliment that, she has a long-time relationship with a stone cutter in India and most of her pieces are made from natural materials - shells, pearls, and tiny stones polished to preserve and respect their natural beauty rather than cut and shaped to become haute couture.
Gigi claims that making jewelry is therapy; though I suspect the wearer benefits at least as much as the artist. Gigi 's art jewelry emanates tranquility and calm spiritual energy. Her tiny bits of nature wrapped in fine gold-filled or sterling silver wire and woven into a frame of similar metal is somewhat reminiscent of native American beadwork and yet one-of-a-kind. Whether she imbues energy into her jewelry or whether she simply refuses to oppress what is naturally there, these works of art are beautiful and just a bit magical.
I have always been interested in conveying more than the literal interpretation of what I photograph.
For each of these Polaroid image transfers, Kathleen exposed a 35mm slide onto a large sheet of Polaroid peel-apart film, and used the negative part of the film to “transfer” the image onto another surface. The image transfer could then be manipulated by rubbing, scratching, and hand coloring. The results had a painterly quality, sometimes with partially rendered images.
For this emulsion transfer, the same film and equipment was used, but the positive paper print was put into hot water to separate the transparent image layer from the paper backing. This “emulsion” could be placed onto virtually any surface including, three-dimensional forms. It could be sculpted, stretched and torn into different shapes, then hand colored. The creative possibilities were endless for making powerful, singular images.
These Polaroid SX-70 manipulations were created by exposing an image onto a different Polaroid film. The film emulsion remained pliable for a number of hours, which allowed the image to be manipulated by using different tools, such as crochet hooks, wooden ceramic tools, pens, burnishing tools, etc. A variety of effects could be achieved, transforming the images so that the distinction between photographs and paintings blurred.
Kathleen received a BFA (cum laude) in Photography from Ohio University in 1970, and then studied extensively with Minor White and worked for Aperture, a renowned photography quarterly. She was staff photographer at the Findhorn community in Scotland, and at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. Kathleen received a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in 1991. Her award-winning work has been exhibited internationally, purchased for private collections, and has appeared in numerous books and periodicals, including her five published books.
Kathleen is president and a founding member of SOKO (South Kona Artists Collective), who host an annual Artists Open Studio Tour during the last weekend in February. She is also a member of the art group, West Hawaii Artists Tribe (WHAT).
Kathleen Carr will be at KVA Gallery on May 1 (Monday), May 9 (Tuesday), and May 30 (Tuesday).
May New Art At The Gallery
