The history exhibition, juried by Kevin Tully, was in the online gallery from December 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026. The juror selected seventy-seven images from nineteen artists for the exhibition. Louise Sayers’ After the rains received the Juror’s Award. Vicki Reed’s image Spring Break Memories received the Director’s Award.
“Seen/Unseen” by Lisa Tyson Ennis | Awards Collective GalleryTalk
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received either a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Lisa Tyson Ennis’ image Seen/Unseen received the Directors’ Award in the water exhibition juried by Catherine Couturier. Lisa’s exhibition Seen/Unseen is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
My work is a collection of moments of questioning, of attempting to look beneath what is seen to the unseen.
I wonder at the complexity, mystery, beauty and indifference of our world and am trying to make sense of it by looking closely, working slowly, giving attention.
Water is a shapeshifting symbol that reappears often in my work. Alone at the waters edge, I go to a place that feels closest to my animal self – a place I can not properly describe with the words we have. A place of both peace and tension, fear and wonder where deeper questions surface. Spiritual in the way I can be so. Closer to the more than human world. The Sea, the birthplace of all life. Being in this semi-meditative state is integral to the way I work and the work that I make.
Lisa Tyson Ennis
December, 2025
Bio
What is seen and not seen – the truths that lie beneath the surface – these are important concepts in Lisa Tyson Ennis’ slow, meditative, process driven work.
She explores many different historical photographic processes in her work including tintype, wet plate collodion, cyanotype and film in her traditional wet darkroom and has recently introduced digital tools into her art making as well.
She has a BA in Art History from the University of Delaware. Her photographic skills are primarily self taught but have been greatly advanced by targeted process workshops with both Maine Media and Santa Fe Photographic Workshops.
Lisa’s photographs reside in many private collections including Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Tides Institute, Delaware Art Museum, and Portland Museum of Art, Biggs Museum of American Art and has been included in more than 75 solo and group exhibitions.
She lives on the coast of Maine with her husband John and their beloved pets.
website: lisatysonennis.com
instagram: @lisatysonennis
“Ice and Sand” by Glen Serbin | Awards Collective GalleryTalk
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artists who have received either a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Glen Serbin’s image Dune Study received the Juror’s Award in the elsewhere exhibition juried by Kevin Tully. Glen’s exhibition Ice and Sand is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
“Photography has been a lifelong pursuit for me—a way of seeing and connecting with the world. My work focuses on uncovering the forms, shadows, and intricate patterns that nature reveals through its constant shaping and reshaping.
Over the past two years, I have concentrated on documenting the compositions embedded in glaciers and sand dunes across the globe. Though ice and sand are vastly different elements, both serve as canvases for the forces of wind and weather, which carve out strikingly similar rhythms of line, structure, and pattern.
In September 2024, the Lucie Foundation sponsored an exhibition of my series Fire and Ice at their gallery in Budapest, Hungary. The exhibition later traveled to Athens, Greece, in June 2025. At the conclusion of the Athens showing, select images were donated to Greenpeace in Budapest in support of their fundraising efforts.
I work exclusively in black and white to strip away the distraction of color, allowing viewers to experience the sheer intricacy of these environments—shapes, textures, and tonal subtleties illuminated by natural light. The influence of German photographer Karl Blossfeldt and American landscape photographer Ansel Adams is deeply present in my vision. Like them, I am compelled by the way light defines a subject’s form, atmosphere, and presence.
For decades, I worked as an editor and publisher in both commercial and fine art photography. Today, I am fully committed to my practice as a fine art photographer, with a devotion to monochrome landscapes and still life subjects.”
Glen Servin
December, 2025
Bio
Photography has been at the center my professional and creative life for almost half a century.
I am inspired by the work of German photographer Karl Blossfeldt and influenced by the American landscape photographer Ansel Adams. For me, it is essential to relay how an artist sees and uses light-it is what interests me the most about any photo. I am always interested in the quality of light that defines the shape, feel and detail of each subject.
From 1977-2018, I was the founder, publisher and editor of Photographer’s Forum magazine. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. has acknowledged Photographer’s Forum magazine’s importance by archiving all issues from November 1978-November 2018. The University of Missouri, School of Media Arts and Journalism library has archived all editions of Photographer’s Forum magazine.
In 2018 my publishing company was sold. I am now dedicated, full-time, to fine art photography, and as such, devoted to monochrome images of landscape and still life.
website: serbin.com
instagram: @glen.serbin
“portal” juried by Ann Jastrab | GalleryTalk
The portal exhibition, juried by Ann Jastrab, was in the online gallery from November 21, 2025 to January 1, 2026. The juror selected forty seven images from thirty four artist for the exhibition. Kari Bishop’s Eighth Door received the Juror’s Award. Jessica Wascak’s image Points of Light: “Veil” received the Director’s Award. (pardon the geographical misstep…Buenos Aires is in Argentina)
Juror’s Statement
These photographers…they took me on a journey, to places, through spaces, across borders and distances and landscapes, some familiar, some foreign, some mysterious, some unbelievable. And I went willingly.
To be with the juror award winner, Kari Bishop, is to know magic and breathe water. Her image, Eighth Door, really took the idea of “portal” to a new realm for me. The suspense of what will happen next and where her subject will go after they break through to the other side is everything for me. And really, all the images selected for this exhibition have that mystery and wonder, the question of what next, where next, what happened and what will happen…? It’s how the images can make us feel full of uncertainty and expectation at the same time, that is what makes them extraordinary. To be put on edge and then to be fulfilled. To be curious and trepidatious simultaneously. To be scared and also excited. And ultimately to be thrilled at the sight of something, some view, some discovery, some moment, that moment often akin to a miracle.
It wasn’t easy to whittle down the work, so many beautifully seen photographs, so many choices of how to put a show together. But one thing that all these pictures did was to remind me of one of my favorite quotes by Constantin Brancusi:
“To see far is one thing, going there is another.”
And these photographers went there.
Thank you for sharing your work with me and taking me with you.
Ann Jastrab
November, 2025
Something I would like to talk about: Story Structure
Something we talk about a lot in reviews is how to create a cohesive, compelling body of work. There are many facets and answers to this question, but one I think doesn’t get talked about is the use of basic story structure.
The visual representation of basic story structure is a lopsided pyramid set in a plain. The elements are: exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement. Many bodies of work that have a strong narrative, a story to tell, can typically be made to follow this form.
Why is this beneficial? I think there are two primary reasons. One is that the viewer has been, unconsciously, bombarded with television shows, movies, songs, short stories and novels that follow this form. It is subconsciously recognized.
Second, if the photographer is conscious of attempting to create or curate in this manner, there can be a tighter, more cohesive relationship between the images, thereby telling the story with more clarity.
Having just been jurors of Critical Mass we saw numerous entries that could have benefited from thinking in these terms, especially since they only had ten images to get their creative concepts across.
The video below is great. Vonnegut expertly and humorously gets the point across, in his way.
Kurt Vonnegut, Shape of Stories
Kevin Tully,
November, 2025
“Sixth Street Bridge” by Linda Posnick | Awards Collective GalleryTalk
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received either a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Linda Posnick’s image Last Days Of The Sixth Street Bridge 2015 received the Directors’ Award in the town & county exhibition juried by Michael Kirchoff. Linda’s exhibition Sixth Street Bridge is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
To me, photography is both art and storytelling-it’s about deciding how to present a moment, whether through raw documentation or a more stylized artistic approach. My 6th Street Bridge series, for example, merges both worlds. While some may define style as a signature aesthetic, I see my style as ever-evolving—driven by the subject, the light, and the vision I have for the final image. Living in Los Angeles, a city steeped in cinematic history, constantly inspires my work. Art is everywhere here—it’s in the architecture, the streets, the energy—and it always challenges me to see and capture the world in new ways.
At first, my connection to the 6th Street Bridge was purely cinematic—I knew it from films and TV. But as I watched the original structure fade away, I felt a deep sense of loss, wishing I had captured more of its energy before it was gone. The new bridge brought mixed emotions—apprehension about change, yet excitement for its rebirth.
Photographing this transformation became more than a project; it pushed my creativity in unexpected ways. It challenged me to see composition and storytelling differently, bridging my past with new artistic possibilities. This series isn’t just about a structure—it’s about finding beauty in transition and embracing new perspectives.
Linda Posnick
November, 2025
Bio
Born and raised in Los Angeles in the 1960s to a biracial family, my creative path was shaped early on by a household filled with books, art, science, and music. My first encounter with photography came at age 13 when my parents enrolled me in a class at Barnsdall Park. From that moment, I was hooked, I dreamed of becoming a Rock ‘n’ Roll photographer, capturing the energy of live concerts for music magazines and tour books. Over time, my influences expanded beyond music to include art, fashion, architecture, and design, with inspiration drawn from icons like George Hurrell, Irving Penn, Herb Ritts, Lillian Bassman, Man Ray, Salvador Dalí, Basquiat, and many more.
A pivotal moment in my career came when I had the opportunity to work with the legendary Herb Ritts for 14 years—first as an assistant, then as his behind-the-scenes photographer. Watching Herb work taught me invaluable lessons: the power of lighting, composition, and aesthetics, but most importantly, how to connect with subjects to capture truly compelling images. My career has taken me from shooting Victoria’s Secret campaigns, movie posters, billboards to working on commercial sets with Michael Bay, Ava DuVernay, and Herb Ritts.
website: lindaposnickphoto.com
instagram: @linda_posnick_photography_1
“Days Between Stations” by Thomas Burke | Awards Collective GalleryTalk
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received either a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Thomas Burke’s image Shinagawa Aquarium received the Juror’s Award in the water exhibition juried by Catherine Couturier. Thomas’ exhibition Days Between Stations is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
“I didn’t start this series with any plan or concept, just started seeing some common themes in the photos and kept going with it – images with formal compositions but a messy process, avoiding elements that give away location, trying to remove context around images, using rain/snow to eliminate backgrounds and simplify visuals.
I took the name from a book by Steve Erickson. I really liked the atmosphere he created of a world that is gradually slowing down – sand blows in from the desert and blocks the highways out of LA – the world that had been so closely tied together begins to move apart.”
Thomas Burke
November, 2025
Bio
Thomas Burke is a retired office worker and 20+ year resident of Japan. Tom has been interested in photography for as long as he can remember. He took many classes at School of Visual Arts in New York City back in the 90’s in black and white photography and darkroom. He also attended workshops at Maine Media, as well as workshops with Keith Carter and Todd Hido. Tom currently splits his time between Tokyo and the countryside where he and his wife manage a small organic farm.
instagram: @shatneresque
“the imperfect lens” juried by Amanda Smith | GalleryTalk
the imperfect lens exhibition, juried by Amanda Smith, was in the online gallery from October 1 to November 30, 2025. The juror selected forty three images from twenty artist for the exhibition. Renee S Elkin’s Meditation received the Juror’s Award. James Rohan’s image Suspension Tower, Brooklyn Bridge received the Director’s Award.
Juror’s Statement
For years, my personal cameras of choice were those with either plastic lenses or pinholes, simple light boxes that dissolve the rigid boundaries created by f-stops and film speeds. With those in hand, the world becomes a playground of possibility. There is no technical chatter to distract, only the pure act of searching for wonder and magic to place before the lens, and the quiet thrill of pressing the shutter.
The images I selected for this exhibition all capture magical moments—moments that only a plastic or pinhole lens can truly reveal. Renee Elkin’s image, Meditation, which received my Juror’s Award, depicts a little boy sitting beneath a mysterious tree. The scene instantly reminded me of the Lost Boys from Peter Pan, always watching and waiting for Peter to return. The sense of wonder and anticipation in the photograph, combined with the unique qualities of the lens, creates an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and enchanting.
Michael Trupiano’s stunning image, Black Swans, captures two swans swimming together. The elegant curve of their necks to the ever so slight ripples in the water create a scene of serene beauty. This harmonious composition exemplifies pure perfection, embodying the quiet magic that defines the exhibition.
Awed into silence, an image by Kristie Cornell, beautifully captures the haunting majesty of a cypress tree deep within Louisiana swamps. From the vantage point of her kayak, Kristie used a home-made 8×10 pinhole camera, carefully mounted on a tripod submerged into the water, to create this magical image. The result is a scene that invites viewers into a world of quite wonder and reflection.
Thank you to all the artist who shared their magical images with me. Each photograph brought a unique sense of wonder and creativity to this exhibition, and I am truly grateful for your inspiring contributions.
Amanda Smith
October, 2025
“black/white” juried by Michael Kirchoff | GalleryTalk
The black/white exhibition juried by Michael Kirchoff, was in the online gallery from October 10 to November 20, 2025. The juror selected forty seven images from thirty three artist for the exhibition. Edward L Rubin’s Hands received the Juror’s Award. Robin Olive Reich’s image Mabel Looking for Me Through the Bedroom Window received the Director’s Award.
Juror’s Statement
This call was quite broad in terms of subject matter or substance of the photographs. The great thing is that, being an all black and white call, I really get to look deeply at the content and composition of what shows up. None of that pesky color hogwash to distract and trip me up. The amount of creativity that somebody can achieve with a monochrome photograph is astounding. A full range of tones and deep blacks gets me every time. Don’t get me wrong, I do love color images as well, but the black and white work still reigns supreme in my world.
Themes of solitude and reflection often emerge as key elements in what I might include in an exhibition or sequence of images. The photographs that create mystery and drama, while asking questions rather than providing answers, are something I wish to bring to the table. Most of the time, I feel like we live in a world (these days) that won’t give us what we want out of it. So, we are left to search and ask how we might get from point A to point B in only the best way possible. I believe it’s the curious ones who put in the effort to get there, knowing that the answers might never come, but still finding a way of enjoying the ride while it’s happening. Looking through photographs like this provides just that, much the same as making them. We make and engage with image-making because we enjoy it and have something to say with the results we’ve achieved.
I believe that the makers are the ones who create the most engaging conversations. And this goes for all mediums, not simply photography. The never-say-die crowd is the one I watch and listen to, and everyone who submitted to this call can call themselves part of that group. Every step forward you take with whatever it is that you create is paramount in fulfilling oneself, and I, for one, appreciate the walk you walk.
Persevere.
Michael Kirchoff
September, 2025
“Photoexpressionism” by Michael Pointer | Awards Collective GalleryTalk
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received either a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Michael Pointer’s image Blue Cow with Sun received the Juror’s Award in the expressionism exhibition juried by Doug Chinnery. Michael’s exhibition Photoexpressionism is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
“My work explores the deep and evolving relationship between photography and painting. Rooted in a lifelong practice of drawing and painting under the tutelage of my artist father, I came to photography with a painter’s sensibility. The darkroom became my studio, photo paper my canvas, and chemistry my paint. What I call Photoexpressionism emerged from this crossing of mediums influenced by abstract expressionism.
In this collection of work, I begin with an image that anchors reality and holds the truth of the moment. From there, I expand upon the metaphor through abstraction, gesture, and direct engagement with materials. Unlike the immaculate, technically precise black and white prints being produced pre-digital which I found sterile and derivative, my process embraces spontaneity and imperfection. I splash, drag, and layer photographic chemistry much as I would paint, inserting myself directly into the mechanical process. Each piece is analog and unique; I rarely use acquired images, working instead with my own photographs as raw material.
My influences are painters who pushed boundaries—Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg, and John Marin in particular. From Motherwell, I learned the courage of pouring one’s heart onto a surface; from Rauschenberg, the freedom to play with arrangement and collision; from Marin, the restless openness to possibility. Their examples affirmed my desire to work, as Rauschenberg said, “in the gap between art and life.”
Sometimes a poem serves as my entry point, it becomes a written sketch of emotion that guides the making without dictating imagery. The resulting works are not illustrations of words but carry a parallel resonance. In the act of making, I move away from the mechanical precision of photography and toward the expressive immediacy of painting.
Ultimately, I want viewers to experience not just the image but the surface itself, to sense the hand of the artist alive in the chemistry, the gesture, the accident. I have labored to challenge the boundaries of photography, expanding its metaphoric possibilities, and claiming space for the expressive, painterly mark within it.”
Michael Pointer
October, 2025
Bio
I am a fourth generation artist. I received my first camera at age nine and began formal art training at the Wichita Art Association and the Wichita Art Museum. At age 12 I also began to work in the darkroom under the tutelage of my father, Ed Pointer, a painter with an interest in photography. I grew up making art. In 1969 I had photography selected for the National Scholastic Art Awards exhibit in Wichita, Kansas.
I spent ten years on active duty in the United States Air Force. During this period I won several command awards for photography and for charcoal drawings. After a solo photography exhibit in Wichita, Kansas in 2000 I was invited to become a Lecturer in Photography at Wichita State University School of Art and Design and taught there for three years.
In 2009 I moved to Kabul, Afghanistan with the Afghanistan Dental Relief Project. While there I set up a dental laboratory to support a free dental clinic in southwest Kabul and taught Dental Technology to a group of young Afghan women and men. I also participated in taking dental treatment into imprisoned Afghan women and their children. Additionally, I became acquainted with Center for Contemporary Arts Afghanistan (CCAA) where I lectured on my photography and became a member of their advisory board. CCAA teaches contemporary art forms to young Afghan women.