“ARBOUR ARDOUR - for the love of trees” : New photographic works on aluminum by Mary Jo Bedford

Doc Ross says of her work, “In this body of work, as with much of her oeuvre,Mary Jo has utilized a pictorialist style to convey her emotional responses to nature. That response is in part drawn from her well of past experiences of life, death and renewal.”

These new works printed on aluminum are made using a Fresnel Zone Plate lens that lends a glowing ghostly effect to the image. She has chosen to print onto gold or silver brushed aluminum in order to further enhance the glow that is within the images. This glow she says, “is evidence of the beating heart of the woodland; the ancient knowledge shared by trees”.

Since childhood she has felt a kinship with the trees and forest, and significant events in her life have been associated with trees, including the deaths of her father and her mother.

In this exhibition she has continued her practice of “editing directly from life” eschewing the artificiality of digital manipulation. She believes the Fresnel lens, “while distorting reality,
does not distract from the moment. Instead, it amplifies the aura that evidences the heartbeat of the woodland”.

About the artist;

• Mary Jo has previously exhibited solo in Sydney, Australia, Christchurch, Marlborough Sounds and Lyttelton.
• Mary Jo is a well published and multi-award winning photographer from British Columbia; now a permanent resident of New Zealand.
• Mary Jo has a B.S. in Design as well as a Diploma in Photojournalism (hons.).
• Mary Jo is a well respected tutor of art photography at the University of Canterbury U.C. Opportunity program and University of Auckland Centre for Continuing Education, as well as in various locations around New Zealand.

“ARBOUR ARDOUR - for the love of trees” runs from the 10 February - 5 March, 2010.

The opening for the show will be on 10 February at 5:30 pm where the artist will be available to meet the public. All are welcome.

Pre-opening interviews are available by calling Mary Jo at 03 328 7118