afdojo

I’m a photographer, writer, illustrator and printmaker currently living in Santa Fe, NM.

https://www.dojopico.org/

Much of my work focuses on the miracle of daily life -- how we make our way in the world, safely and sanely. Remarkably, we often do so with kindness, humor, creativity, wisdom, friendship and teamwork. I want to better understand the unique worlds that people create for themselves; to explore the paths they follow or trails they blaze; to record the footprints and artifacts they leave behind. I wonder if they like their job, where they're going, who cares if they're sick, what makes them happy, is their family safe, what do they regret, what do they show and hide?

My favorite photographers, Henri-Cartier Bresson, Steve McCurry and Elliott Erwitt, created intimate, quirky and sometimes disturbing images of daily lives that usually offered more questions than answers. For me, a successful photograph grabs the viewer with a compelling image and story and leaves them wanting to know more. Bresson said “Taking photographs is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis.” That's what I'm trying to do.

Following a career in high-tech, I've focused my creative energies on photography, printmaking, writing and illustration. Most of what I know comes from collaboration with fellow artists, teachers and mentors (Arthur Meyerson, Nick Johnson, Jay Maisel, Karin Rosenthal, Arno Minkkinen and Billie Mandle).

→ Danforth Art Museum, Framingham, MA

→ Numerous Private Collections

→ Davis Orton Gallery (12/4-12/27). My book "This Is Not a Sawtooth Hanger" was selected by jurors Paula Tognarelli and Karen Davis for inclusion in Davis Orton Gallery’s 11th Annual Photobook Show! Since the gallery is closed due to the pandemic, the "show" will be featured on their website. It will then "move" to the Griffin Museum of Photography sometime this winter.

→ Don't Take Pictures (11/25-2/23/2021). The image "Plasterwork" from my "Hands" series was selected for the "A Show of Hands" international juried exhibition. Juried by Kat Kiernan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Don't Take Pictures magazine.

→ Griffin Museum of Photography (12/8 - 1/5/2021, Winchester, MA). A Ziatype print of "Emily's Studio" from my "Seven Artists and a Toothbrush Factory" series was selected for the "Winter Solstice" exhibition.

→ Griffin Museum of Photography. (5/8-7/17, Winchester, MA). One of my "Cloudscape" images was selected for the "Corona: It's All About the Light” online exhibition. Juried by Paula Tognarelli, director of the Griffin Museum of Photography.

→ N.Y. Photo Curator (2/26-3/20). Three of my images (Doppelgänger, Lonesome Notes and Night School) were selected for the "Self-conscious" international juried exhibition. Juried by Frances Jakubek, Director of Exhibitions at Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York City.

→ Gallery Photozozo (1/1-12/31). The image of the boy and girl sitting on bleachers from my "Street" series was awarded 3rd place in the "People" category as one of 26 winning submissions (from over 1,500 by 350 photographers) for the 19th annual New Mexico Magazine Photo Contest. The Photozozo Gallery will exhibit and sell the winning images for all of 2020.