Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Sage and Sky

Sage and Sky, pinhole photograph by Laura Brent, 2013
Summer is a time for traveling, and long road trips are the perfect opportunity for uninterrupted thoughts. The southwest is the perfect location for these wanderings, with its brilliant light and expansive air. I feel refreshed and energized having recently returned from those magic desert places. The ideas, mulled over with the miles, have incubated and are ready to come forth through new works.

Road Trip, pinhole photograph by Laura Brent, 2013
 The journey is long, an unending path. The quest - for beauty - in the eye, the mind, and the heart.

American Beauty, pinhole photograph by Laura Brent, 2013
 "To calculate on the unforeseen is perhaps exactly the paradoxical operation that life most requires of us."
"...one does not get lost but loses oneself, with the implication that it is a conscious choice, a chosen surrender, a psychic state achievable through geography"
          - Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost

Tommy Knocker Trail, pinhole photograph by Laura Brent, 2013



Why wander? Will the destination offer up a respite? What discovery will come from an aimless ambling? Looking for the happy happenstance, the quirky coincidence, the surprise prize. What spirits are leading the way? How well do you know them? If you are aware, you can almost see them. And remember, at the end, we all become the dirt of the roads, forever left in the rear-view mirror of life. I plan on leaving something behind.




Friday, June 14, 2013

Transfer of spaces, objects, ideas,


Laura Brent, untitled photo-gram,2011














A time of change brings with it a great opportunity to move in a new direction, and with a stronger intent. The work that will come from this transition will be interesting to see, I am excited to witness its unfolding. The new location adds the ability to work without distraction or intrusion. The security that comes from this will bring an adventurous spirit to the creative work. The timing of this beginning, its happening in company with my audience during the studio tour, will forge a deeper connection with the work. My dedication to 'getting it right' is bolstered in these actions.

With these ideas I forge ahead into the next big event, the Fort Collins Lincoln Center annual Studio Tour. I participated in the tour many years ago, when it was organized by the art museum, and it was not a great experience for me. It was not a particularly high point of my career. I was still learning. This year, already, has been a great experience. Partnering with Jennifer Davey has kept my spirits up, and we encourage and challenge each other to make it an enriching event for our audience. We are offering a special chance for collectors to forge a deeper connection with artists, an opportunity to witness the creative processes. We want to draw the viewer into our experiences. We will each offer something for the visitor to do, a chance to be an artist with us, and create something unique to themselves.
The studio tour is June 22 and 23, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm each day.
The exhibition featuring one work from every participating artist, opens June 14th with a reception from 5-7 pm at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center Gallery. The exhibition continues through June 29th. Gallery hours are Tuesday - Friday, 10-6 and Saturdays 12-6. There will be extended gallery hours during the tour, June 22 and June 23, 10-6.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

...a reflective look back.

American Beauty
Valhall Arts has come a long way in its last 5 years of existence. Like a toddler, there were the awkward moments, and mistakes, but overall it has been a fun and successful run. The growth of my photography has only begun, and I feel like a child exploring, as I make my way forward in my practice.

With the probability that the current situation is coming to an end, this month I offer a Retrospective, opening Friday May 3rd, 6-9 pm. The exhibit offers a look back at past exhibitions, and the opportunity to see the progression of my work. The gallery began with straighforward photographic exhibitions, showing the work I did while talking classes at Front Range Community College. I had good luck with the fact that the local educational institution was home to some world class instructors, and my passion for photography and the arts was ignited.

Even as I opened my first few shows, I knew I would grow tired of the standard presentation of photographs presented under glass with white mats in black or white frames. From the very beginning I was more interested in experimenting with the medium, expanding the ideas of what a photograph could look like and how a photography exhibition could be presented. I was interested in engaging my audience, really inspiring them to interact with the art works, bringing in relational aesthetics, and other contemporary practices into my projects.

Come see the transitions and changes that occurred over the five plus years at Valhall Arts.
More details and images can be found on my website, http://www.valhallarts.com.

Thanks! Hope to see you at the receptions May 3rd and June 7th,
                                                                                         ~Laura Brent




Thursday, February 28, 2013

"...a direction of quiet solitude..."

This month I am pleased to be featuring a guest artist at the gallery, my friend, teacher and inspiration, Jen Davey.
Veil, 48"x48", oil and chalk on panel, 2012

Quiet: paintings by Jennifer Davey
Opens Friday March 1, 2013, 6-9 pm
Exhibition continues through March 25.
Visit the website to learn more. www.valhallarts.comwww.valhallarts.com

Monday, January 21, 2013

New Pinhole Project

Laura Brent; pinhole photograph, silver gelatin contact print


I have started a new pinhole project, re-visiting an old series I shot back in 2008, "Toyland", combining it now with the pinhole camera. Using vintage toys, dollhouses, and handmade dioramas, I create small stages, positioning my 'models', evoking a possibly frightening narrative. The imagery is a bit reminiscent of film noir, and the viewer must look closely to determine what they are seeing. The objects pictured are easily confused with reality. The small size of the camera allows me to obtain a vantage point unlike any from the previous project. Often I am shooting blind, placing the camera into the scene, at a location that I am unable to witness with my own eye. The project will debut at Valhall Arts February 1, 2013. Stay tuned for more details.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

New site for my pinhole photographs

Sunrise Over Hernandez, Laura Brent

As a way to streamline the viewing of my pinhole photographs, I have created a new website.
Visit laurabrent.org to see them in all their glory.  Please take a look and let me know what you think.