Carol Isaak
Artist Statement:
“I do something with my photos everyday. I make new images, perhaps fine tune and print, perhaps connect old and new images. It is central to what I do. I have limitations, of course. I do not make landscapes, but often make pictures of individuals. I had a Bauhaus-trained teacher who sensitized me to composition and layering. You will find evidence of that in my work.
I have a book in process about Portland's Lan Su Chinese Garden. 108 pages, 75 images, available in the new year.”
Artist Bio:
“I call myself an ‘opportunistic photographer,’ an adventurer. As a docent at The Portland Art Museum, I was exposed to a wide range of Asian art. I was especially attracted to the large GuanYin, The Goddess of Mercy. I visited her on my off-hours, and one day she confronted me: Where is your own work?
And from that day forward, I hesitantly reopened my old camera and began once again. My art education was at The Cooper Union (BA) in NYC where I lived for a significant time. I had been a Portland Art Museum docent/educator for twenty years, specializing in photography, Asian and contemporary art. I am an inveterate traveler and collector of Meiji-era Japanese prints My affinity towards Asian subject matter has led to extensive work that has been showcased in 5 separate Chinese festivals.
Some of my work has been featured in China Photo and has also been acquired by the Lishui Museum in China. A collection of Chinese images was exhibited at Camerawork Gallery and the gallery of the University of Oregon Law School, which also owns and displays 3 very large images. Private collectors also own my images. have participated in solo exhibits and group exhibits for many years. I have participated in the Northwest Drawers often and with pleasure.”