The unique: alternative processes exhibition, juried by DorRae Stevens, Kevin Tully and Amanda Smith, was in the online gallery from April 1 to May 31, 2025. It was also exhibited at Creek Road Homestead Studio from May 3 to May 31, 2025. The jurors selected thirty six images from thirty one artists for the exhibition. Pat Brown’s hand-sewn exposed binding book Man With Nature and God received the Juror’s Award. Chris Losee’s cyanotype on glass plate image Reflection received the Director’s Award.
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Bob Tully’s image The Bu received the Juror’s Award in the light exhibition juried by Laurie Klein. Bob’s exhibition Low Falls was featured from April 1 to April 30, 2025 and is discussed in our GalleryTalk with Bob.
Artist Statement
In the golden light of the late 1960s and early 70s, nestled deep in the woods near Woodstock, there existed a sanctuary—a place where water met rock, where bodies met earth, and where souls met freedom. This hidden swimming hole Low Falls, fed by a cascading waterfall, was more than just a place to cool off; it was a sacred space where the counterculture spirit flourished, where clothing was optional but authenticity was not.
My work seeks to capture the essence of that era—an untamed, unfiltered celebration of nature, community, and self-expression. Through my lens, I document the fluid connection between human and landscape, the way sun-kissed skin blends with dappled light on water, and the way laughter echoes through the trees like an ancient hymn to the wild. These photographs are not just images; they are echoes of an ethos, a time when we shed societal constraints as easily as we shed our clothes, immersing ourselves in something purer, something real.
To stand at the edge of that waterfall, to witness bodies suspended in motion, caught between earth and sky, is to understand the fleeting, beautiful impermanence of life. My work is an invitation—to remember, to dream, to step back into a time when we belonged to the land, and it belonged to us.
Bob Tully
April, 2025
Bio
I was born in the South Bronx and experienced my early life in the many diverse neighborhoods of New York City. My introduction to the imaginal world of photography materialized in a unique place and time. I witnessed my first photo print slowly appearing in the swirling liquid filled developing pan on a combat base during the Vietnam War. I was so thrilled I immediately knew what I wanted to pursue when I returned back home. I attended the New York Institute of Photography where the majority of the instructors were working professionals. I relocated to California and entered the City College of San Francisco which had an excellent two year photography program. I managed a community rental photo lab underneath North Beach Camera which catered to the local photographers of North Beach. Shortly after I was very fortunate to have a photography studio downtown San Francisco. I then became interested in video and attended the College of Marin to study television production. Again I relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the Entertainment Industry. I was extremely fortunate to be member of five Emmy Award wining camera crews. Before retiring I return to school and attended Santa Monica College to refresh and learn the contemporary techniques of digital world of photography.
The botanical exhibition, juried by Lee Anne White, was in the online gallery from March 14 to April 24, 2025. Lee Anne selected forty seven images from forty two artists for the exhibition. Kathleen Furey’s image The Introduction received the Juror’s Award. Honey J Walker’s image Dance of the Water Lilies received the Director’s Award.
Juror’s Statement
Plants are such fascinating subjects. Not only are they beautiful, they may also be fragrant, edible, medicinal or otherwise useful. They create habitats for other plants and creatures, and we build our own homes from trees, as well. They are constantly changing through the days, seasons and years—providing an ever changing view, all while helping us to more openly embrace the natural cycles of life. Whether growing in the wild, a designed landscape or pocket garden, plants help create a strong sense of place. And plants help us to connect both to the natural world and to each other.
The photographers in this show have exhibited a strong sense of curiosity about the botanical world, conveyed a passion for plants and demonstrated unbounded creativity. Haunting is a word that frequently came to mind as I looked over the selections. Some, such as Kathleen Furey’s The Introduction (Juror’s Award), which not only conveys the exquisite nature of dahlia flowers, but imbues them with emotion through gesture and lighting, were hauntingly beautiful. Others were haunting in a more mysterious way and left me wanting to know and see more.
It was an honor and pleasure to serve as the juror of Botanical—to spend extended time immersed in photographs of my favorite subject. That said, making selections was not an easy task. The depth of quality submissions was impressive. I was not able include all of those deserving of inclusion. The photographs in this exhibition not only met all of the standard criteria, they excelled in some unique way. Some were bold and eye-catching; others more subtle, with an emotional tug. Some expressed the complex and often chaotic nature of the landscape; others focused on simplicity and conveying the personality of a single plant. Some were as true to life as a photograph can be; others pushed the boundaries of reality in creative ways. Some were almost scientific in nature; while others were more metaphorical. Digital, film and alternative photographic processes are all represented here.
Anyone can make a photograph of a beautiful plant. To make a beautiful and meaningful photograph of a plant is a different task altogether—requiring keen observation, an artistic eye, a good dose of creativity and a passion for plants. Congratulations to all selected for this exhibition.
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. Eduardo Fujii’s image The Weight of My Sins received the Director’s Award in the “story” exhibition juried by Kevin Tully. Eduardo’s exhibition The Uncertain Nature of Reality is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
For my series The Uncertain Nature of Reality, I explore the logic-defying concepts of quantum mechanics with a loose artistic interpretation instead of scientific accuracy. I have always been interested in science and in particular quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that makes us question fundamental concepts of the world we live in. How sure are we that our perceived reality is actually there? Quantum mechanics, which attempts to model nature at the sub-atomic level, postulates that there is a cause-effect relationship between reality and conscious observation. Because of that, it drew criticism from various scientists, including Albert Einstein, who disliked the “spooky” nature of the theory. My creation process starts with a concept that I have to understand well before attempting to represent. That may require days of reading and research. The more I dig, the more intriguing the theory becomes. The implementation of concepts consists of digitally composing and collaging images of ballet dancers in rehearsal with a variety of textures and painted layers. Concepts include results of experiments that cannot be explained by classical physics lead scientists to theorize that time is not unidirectional. The future can influence actions in the past. Quantum tunneling, superposition, and entanglement are other fascinating concepts of quantum mechanics that defy logic and make us question if this is actually science fiction.
The relevance of this topic today is the fact that we are just a few years away from the next significant technological leap, the advent of quantum computers, which are believed to be able to solve problems too complex for today’s classical computers and to allow machines to outsmart the human brain in a few years. Tech giants such as Google and IBM and top universities have already developed quantum computer prototypes and expect to achieve “quantum supremacy”, a term coined by American theoretical physicist John Preskill to refer to the speedup advantage over classical computers, in the next five years.
In general, I like to capture whatever catches my eye at the moment, from landscapes and seascapes to people on the street and ballet dancers, from wildlife to architecture and still life. What my different bodies of work have in common, however, is my approach to art as an image maker. I prefer to build images instead of documenting what I see, most probably thanks to my background in painting. I approach the building process in layers, adding or subtracting elements and styles as needed. I create collages by superimposing different images and playing with blending modes. It is a fun experience to be surprised by unexpected results, the same way darkroom artists get when making mistakes with varying combinations of photo chemicals. I am keen on using textures extensively to obtain a romantic, painterly effect. My images rarely come straight from the camera. I need to leave part of myself on each image I make by manipulating them and embuing them with my most inner feelings. I always search for beauty in nature, people, and the ordinary things that often go unnoticed or overlooked due to our busy lives.
When I look at a photograph, what stands out to me is its power to stir up emotions. That’s the most important thing. That emotional connection draws people in, whether it’s happiness, calm, warmth, or even fear. It’s the reason they might want to own a print or share it with others. I also appreciate the idea of aesthetics and how I can find and showcase beauty in unexpected places. That makes a photo go from a captured moment to a work of art. Of course, technical things like lighting, composition, and color matter too, but they’re just tools to help create that emotional connection. For me, this blend of emotion and aesthetics shows my photography as an art form, not just a technical skill.
Eduardo Fujii
March, 2025
Bio
Eduardo Fujii is a self-taught fine art photographer based in Monterey, California. At an early age he demonstrated great interest in the arts but it wasn’t until late 2006, however, that he turned to photography as a form of artistic expression. His photography offers hints of the influence of music and painting on his artistic style.
Drawing on his background in painting and classical music, Eduardo creates artworks full of romanticism and symbolism. He approaches a variety of subjects, all having one characteristic in common. They are usually examples of what too often goes unnoticed. By applying a poetic style, he creates intense self-expressive images luring viewers to slow down and take the time to appreciate often-missed beauty in their busy lives. With an almost self-portraiture approach, Eduardo unveils the mysteries of nature. By means of conceptual collages and cinematic effects, he challenges long-held assumptions of what photography means to us. Rather than presenting stark reality, he prefers to fabricate an illusion to let viewers explore their imagination limits.
Eduardo’s work never comes directly from the camera in a recognizable form. It appears as lyric compositions in which dream and reality meet, past and present have no meaning, and the stories he tells are left unfinished. Imagination and self-inspection always play a key role. He creates work through personal therapeutic processes that imprint inner unresolved feelings into abstract representations of reality.
His artworks have colored the cover of Shadow & Light Magazine and the walls of galleries in Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove in California, Fort Collins, Colorado, and Johnson City, Texas. He also received various awards from B&W Magazine, Color Magazine, PX3 Prix de la Photographie, Professional Photographer Magazine, Monochrome Awards, and the International Color Awards. In 2017, Eduardo was awarded Photographer of the Year at the 12th Annual Black and White Spider Awards. In the fall of 2023 Eduardo participated in the ”Sacred Encounters” exhibition at the Monterey Museum of Art. A complete list of exhibitions and awards can be found on his website in About Me.
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Stephanie Duprie Routh’s image Phoenix #33: Gaga Floating in the Metaverse received the Juror’s Award in the open | unmoored exhibition juried by Debra Klomp Ching. Stephanie’s exhibition Phoenix Rising was featured from March 1 to March 31, 2025 and is discussed in our GalleryTalk with Stephanie.
Artist Statement
Phoenix Rising metaphorically illustrates the many transformations a woman may go through in her lifetime as she adapts to roles both expected of and desired by her. At a young age, I intuitively learned to re-invent myself. Expectations of others and my own beliefs shaped the person I am today. As I travel through different phases of my life, I morph into what is needed. I can be a provider, artist, lover, caretaker, —almost sub-consciously.
For the project Phoenix Rising, I create an image and then intervene with the physicality of the print. I re-photograph the new incarnation. This new re-seeing magnifies the underlying principle found in all my creative endeavors: Same, but different. The images are made all over the world. The initial image, representing the past carried forward, travels elsewhere to represent our journey in life. The print is modified as a testament to women’s adaptability. The rephotographed image is not a replicate but a new work with a different narrative. It may represent a memory, a current state of being, or a wish for the future. The altered second image, representing the expanded self, is left where photographed. Maybe it is found and kept or perhaps discarded. This is a metaphorical bridge illustrating real-life experiences. The undetermined endpoint of the images relates to the many unknown versions I may become of myself. The destination is irrelevant; rather the occurring transformation is the primary focus. This multi-faceted project showcases the re-shaping of women’s personalities as a journey.
Regardless of my path or the role I embody, the bedrock of my personality remains constant: I am the same but an altered version of myself. I carry my past into the present and continually expand who I am. Using other women as stand-ins for myself, the images are phoenixes just like all women are the epitome of the mother of re-invention. We rise, burn to ash, reinvent, rise again, and repeat.
Stephanie Duprie Routh
March, 2025
Bio
Stephanie Duprie Routh, based in Austin, Texas, is an artist who uses photography for narrative storytelling and conceptual art. Her personal work explores ideas of womanhood, the essence of place, and the transitory states of simply being human. As an artist, she uses the visual language of photography to tell stories through layers and interventions, creating new ways of seeing and considering self.
Routh’s award-winning work has been exhibited in the United States, Japan, Italy, Spain, and India, both in galleries and juried shows. She has been published by the RAW Magazine, FRAMES Magazine, PDN Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, Dodho Magazine, The Austin Chronicle, and by several independent photo reviews. She sits on discussion panels and has had interviews by art curators. Her monograph Where the Ocean Drinks the Sky has sold out two editions and is found in hotel rooms. Routh’s second book Daydream in Memories of Youth debuted in 2024 is also installed in hotels.
Her work is held in the permanent collections of The Wittliff Collections, CENTER Image Library and Archive, Texas A&M University, Concordia University, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, The Loren at Lady Bird Lake, and with private collectors. Routh’s work has been recognized by many organizations including awards via Paris Photo Prize, Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, IPA Awards and LensCulture. In 2024, she was nominated to apply for a Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
She travels worldwide for assignments, commissions, and personal projects.
The “art + science” exhibition, juried by Linda Alterwitz, was in the online gallery from February 1 to March 31, 2025. Linda selected thirty nine images from sixteen artists for the exhibition. Eric Zeigler and Aaron Ellison’s image “Polypores, Allerton Park and Retreat Center, Monticello, Illinos – Infrared Light, 2024” received the Juror’s Award. Tim Christensen’s image “Rosalia lameerei” received the Director’s Award.
Juror’s Statement
I would like to thank all of you who submitted to A Smith’s Art + Science Call for Entry. Recently, there have been more and more collaborations between artists and scientists—a natural outcome since both disciplines are interwoven through our everyday experiences. The chosen projects featured in this exhibition address this symbiosis with perspectives that range from personal to global, tranquility to tragedy, as well as from fascination and intrigue.
Trauma, healing and regrowth are central themes repeated throughout the selected images. Recent memories of medical trauma and the global pandemic are made visible in Paul Delpani’s Pandemic Series, offering a visually alluring translation of the DNA/RNA structure of pandemic viruses using microscopic photography.
Elizabeth Kayl’s image of a silhouetted, leafless tree standing alone in a dry field includes dust particles from the film. With the current and ongoing fire crises, the dust feels reminiscent of fire ash floating in the air. Along with an eerie and ambiguous layer of light, this photograph provokes an awareness to climate change and the current environmental challenges.
Laura Bennett creates cyanotypes over botanical prints in her series Garden Apparitions. Her imaginative photographs of women and botany present a playful and contemporary nod toward Anna Atkin’s botanical cyanotypes, especially as it relates to technological experimentation and artistic expression.
Eric Zeigler and Aaron Elison’s black and white infrared photograph presents the remains of a hollowed-out tree stump. The death of this tree is juxtaposed with new life. Not only will the process of its decomposition generate nutrients for the soil, but also fungi grow on its outer bark, offering hope for healing and regrowth.
When artistic and scientific investigations are successfully integrated, it inspires a clarity of vision. Together, these photographs present a unique perspective of the interconnectedness within our world that is bound together by art and science.
The “expressionism” exhibition, juried by Doug Chinnery, was in the online gallery from January 31 to March 13, 2025. Doug selected forty seven images from twenty four artists for the exhibition. Michael Pointer’s image “Blue Cow With Sun” received the Juror’s Award. Ali Hasbach’s image “Cat’s Chateau” received the Director’s Award.
Juror’s Statement
Expressionistic photography transcends the mere recording of the visible world, seeking instead to evoke the emotions, moods, and inner visions of both artist and viewer. At its core, it is a dialogue between light, shadow, texture, and the photographer’s personal lens—a medium for expressing the intangible. This approach to image-making shifts focus from the subject itself to the emotions it stirs, transforming the everyday into something profound and deeply personal.
Unlike traditional photography, which often prioritises clarity and representation, expressionistic photography embraces ambiguity and abstraction. It thrives in distortions, vibrant contrasts, unconventional compositions, and even imperfections. Each image becomes a portal to a realm where boundaries blur—between reality and imagination, between the photographer’s intent and the viewer’s interpretation.
This collection celebrates the rich possibilities of this genre. Through these curated works, you will encounter not just the world as it is seen but as it is felt. Each photograph invites you to pause, reflect, and connect emotionally, engaging in a sensory exploration of light, colour, and form.
I applaud the artists featured in this book. It is not merely an exhibition of photographs but a testament to the boundless potential of photography as a vehicle for emotional and artistic expression. Welcome to a journey beyond the visible.
The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions. Sophie Pimpinella’s image “Burst“ received the Juror’s Award in the “portal” exhibition juried by Crista Dix. Sophie’s exhibition “So Bright, It Got Dark” was featured from February 1 to February 28, 2025 and is discussed in our GalleryTalk with Sophie.
Artist Statement
Through an intersection of light and softness, ‘So Bright, It Got Dark’ explores the atmospherics and abstract conditions of memory, recollection, and perception. These photographs reveal glimpses of the ephemeral moments between dreaming and waking that seem to have no footing in reality. The obscured is perhaps closer to the emotional or poetic truth. A persistent mundanity overwhelms a great deal of life, yet that becomes blurred as our memory reorders and reinterprets. The images expose this and the fragmented conceptualization we all have of our time on this planet. Considering life to be a more circular expression of time, the project has led me to analyze my understanding and personal experiences with death, loss, loneliness, and existentialism. Persisting thematic imagery surrounding nature, softness, water, and the body can be noticed, representative of the nuanced deepness of human existence and its inherent impermanence.
Sophie Pimpinella
January, 2025
Bio
Sophie Pimpinella (b. 1999) is an artist and educator from Richmond, Virginia. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with Photography and Art Education BFAs in 2023. Her work is rooted in experimentation, with a focus on blending perceived realities through the physical properties of analogue film. Persistent themes throughout her work include the body, nature, water, softness, memory, and existentialism.
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. Sveta Butko’s image “Alona“ received the Director’s Award in the “portraits” exhibition juried by Donna Garcia. Sveta’s exhibition “Old Masters” is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
I called my project “Old Masters”. It is inspired by symbolism and atmosphere that I find in the portraits by great painter from the past. Their color palette, their feeling of light and expression, and all those details like flaked paint and dust – everything inspires me. I try to express the connection between past and present, between nostalgia and today’s feelings, between my subject and me. It is about identity, not only my subject’s by also my own. This is photography that is also a fine art, photography that is also a painting, reality that is also a fantasy.
Sveta Butko
January, 2025
Bio
My name is Sveta Butko and I’m a self-taught professional child and family photographer based in Israel.
In late 2016 I gave up my career as an architect and got carried away with photography. My education for a PhD degree in visual arts (architecture) and working as an architect for a few years gave me invaluable knowledge and experience that accompanying me in my photography career.
Soon my images started to grab the attention of photographers around the world, and photography schools invited me to give lectures and workshops. Since then, my professional photographer career has begun.
Now my works are published both in local and international press, shown on book covers of the bestselling authors, exhibited at local and international fairs, featured in Vogue Italia, Canon Russia and Lens Magazine.
I’ve been invited to judge international photo contests and held more than 60 local and international workshops and lectures. My students win international photo awards. I organized a charitable photo forum and participated in charity photography projects for raising awareness about special needs and diseases.
I believe that photography has an amazing power of ability to change the world. The expression of tender, deep, innocent feelings can give people relief and hope.
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 Caldwell’s image “The Potter“ received the Director’s Award in the “light” exhibition juried by Laurie Klein. Linda’s exhibition “Knot Reality” is discussed in this GalleryTalk.
Artist Statement
This ever changing world impels me to find some embellishment, something tangible, to give definition to the undefined reality around me.
Combining my love of thread and needle with my unique photographic vision creates an alternative perspective and a sense of wonder as though I were a child again – stitching in possibilities to mend and change today’s new reality.
The finished pieces remind us that we all have the creative power to change what is around us.
Linda Caldwell
January, 2025
Bio
Although I have dabbled with a camera most of my life, it was in the 90’s that I began to pursue photography seriously only to have life and work intervene. But in 2007 the urge to explore photography resurfaced and it has been my main creative outlet ever since.
The phrase ‘what if?’ is at the core of my practice allowing me to constantly embrace – and discard – new ideas and techniques through experimentation and learning. Having lived in many countries and been exposed to different ideas and cultures over the years has also influenced my art, especially since I have been firmly rooted in Turkey for so many years.
Over the years I have participated in group exhibitions in the US, France, and Turkey, winning juror’s awards and honorable mentions. My solo exhibit, Luminosity, was held in Istanbul in 2018.
