New Topographics

erikaneola — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:17:21 +0000

Perhaps it’s the spring weather and all of it’s inviting and overcast glory, but I can’t get those New Topographers out of my mind. Clearly, they are a big influence on my most mind-numbing work but one day I aspire to inspire as they do. These images are rocking my photo mind in all their banal beauty: (all photographs are copyright their respective photographers)

Lewis Baltz, “South Corner, Riccar America Company, 3184 Pullman, Costa Mesa,” from the series “New Industrial Parks,” 1974

Lewis Baltz, Untitled 1971

Bernd and Hilla Becher, From “Typologies of Industrial Buildings”

My next Amazon Purchase!

Homestead Opening February 20th

erikaneola — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:33:24 +0000

I will be one of 8 artists featured in the next opening for Homestead Gallery. Homestead is run by three CIA alumni who currently reside in NYC and have a traveling gallery that shows in different spaces every exhibition. If you are in NYC it would be great to see you there!

NAHAH Press Release:

Homestead is proud to present its third exhibition, Not a House, a Home. The opening will showcase the work of eight artists living on the east coast who draw inspiration from domestic places, objects, and relationships within the home. The work spans various media, including photography, painting, metalwork, and sculpture. We are proud to present the work of Valerie Molnar, Chris Vesper, Naomi Miller, Aliyah Gold, Cozette Phillips, Erika Neola, Joelle Jensen, and Karin Yamamoto.

Please join us in Bed-stuy, Brooklyn on February 20, 2010 from 6-9PM to celebrate the artists’ work as well as Homestead’s third opening. You can reach 626 Monroe Street by taking the J to Kosciuszko Street. You can also reach this destination by taking the A or C to Utica Avenue. Monroe Street is between Stuyvesant Avenue and Malcom X Boulevard. If there is no one to greet you at the door please call Andrea at (314) 800-7788 or Leah at (216) 789-2689, or hit buzzer #6. We can’t wait to see you on the 20th!

Opening: Saturday, February 20, 2010 6-9pm

626 Monroe St., Buzzer 6, Brooklyn NY 11221

annual homage to dad

erikaneola — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:10:32 +0000

January 27th was my father’s birthday. Like every year since his passing I feel the need to share a little something. Last time I was at my mother’s house I ransacked our old family photos and came across some real beauties! I have been working on a series based on some of these images, under Origins on my website. Here are a few beautiful photos pertaining to my father, Peter Neola.

Happy Birthday, Dad. I miss you, always.

Dad’s Office, dated December 1978

Dad in our backyard. LOOK AT THOSE SHORT-SHORTS!!! This photo is undated but is definitely from the late 1970′s.

new news

erikaneola — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:43:18 +0000

A few new things for a new year:

TODAY’S ISSUE – great archive of inspirational photography!

http://todaysissue.org

A XX, 1924 by Moholy-Nagy

Bauhaus exhibition at MOMA featuring amazing work by one of my favorite artists, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy:

View the Bauhaus Exhibition site – closes January 25, 2010

Rachel and Friends, Alex Prager 2009

Alex Prager at Yancey Richardson – Week-end Series

Trying Them On, Curated by The Humble Arts Foundation’s Jon Feinstein – at Hendershot Gallery

For those in Chicago, Golden Age is moving! Visit them online here: http://www.shopgoldenage.com/

Irving Penn, 1917-2009

erikaneola — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:58:24 +0000

Irving Penn has passed away at the age of 92. From what I hear he was still working! Incredible.

Here is a great article in The Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/arts/design/08penn.html?_r=1&ref=arts

Penn made quite an impact on fashion photography throughout his long career. He made classic portraits of artists, but by far I enjoyed his still life work the best. Simple. Well-lit. Stunning. Clear. Beautiful. Here are some great images I found online. All images copyright Irving Penn. RIP.

INDEXHIBIT (will blow your mind)

erikaneola — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:07:55 +0000

Thank the internet gods for the folks over at Indexhibit.org. I have completed almost my entire web update in ONE DAY! It’s not even done and it looks loads better than it ever has.

Please check out their website at: indexhibit.org

Download their free software.
Donate MONEY – trust me, it’s for a good cause.
Customize your css and change entire galleries at once.

Sleep better at night.

Please send me feedback about the new look.

New Holland Images

erikaneola — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:20:47 +0000

Recent shots from my ongoing Holland Series – about Holland, Michigan and my family that resides there.

Tulip Festival, May 2009

Marching Band, May 2009

Windmill Island, May 2009

Grandma’s Grave Marker, May 2009

Still Life Champions

erikaneola — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:34:57 +0000

I generally find still lifes to be the most appealing photographs. Some of the female photographers I admire, Laura Letinsky and Sharon Core, are champions of the still life. Both of these artists are directly referencing 17th/18th century still life painting in their work: Letinsky replicates the foreshortening and spatial feel of old still life paintings while Core’s latest works are recreations of Raphaelle Peale paintings.

I also enjoy the art of the “accidental still life”. These are images that are seemingly candid shots, usually in someone’s home or of one’s personal effects, but are more than likely arranged just as meticulously as the work of Letinsky and Core. One of the best still life creators of this nature is Wolfgang Tillmans. It is safe to say that any student of photography in the last 10 years is familiar with Tillmans’ work and style (most of us are guilty of replicating his shots as well as his salon style of arranging works). Tillmans not only makes ordinary objects into works of art but also personifies them as well. Magnificent.

Here are some images from these artists whose works are a continuing inspiration to me. All following images are property of the creating artists and are only being used for praise and reference purposes.

Laura Letinsky, From the Hardly More Than Ever series

Laura Letinsky, From the To Say It Isn’t So series

Letinsky’s latest work utilizes disposable products and is fairly monochromatic, a change from her pastel and painterly earlier works.

Sharon Core: Early American, Cut Melon (Raphaelle Peale), 2007

I tried finding one of Peale’s paintings online to see how close Core had matched. The only one I found was the following:

Raphaelle Peale, Still Life with Cake, 1822

Sharon Core: Early American, Still Life with Cake (Raphaelle Peale), 2008

Core doesn’t match the painting exactly, but her photograph adds a haunting amount of depth and clarity to the objects. Astounding.

Wolfgang Tillmans, Stipped, 2003

Tillmans tends to personify clothing in his still lifes, perhaps because they are the outer skin of a person. These skins, or empty shells, always look defeated.

Wolfgang Tillmans, Still Lifes

I love how he can always manage to make things look happenstance even if they are not. And perhaps they really are. Either way, beautiful images abound.

New Photography Sites of Interest

erikaneola — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:55:07 +0000

Recent finds, check ‘em out:

Feature Shoot – Feature Shoot is run by photographer and photo editor, Alison Zavos, and showcases work from up-and-coming photographers alongside work from established photographers, both commercial and fine-art. Submit your work here!

Women in Photography – Not new to me, but new to Humble Arts! The WIP Site features the work of some AMAZING female photographers. WIPNYC recently teamed up with HAFNY. What could be better? Submit your work here!

NYMPHOTO – A collective of female photographers has a great blog and a great roster of talented women. Check out their site. NOW!

We’re Good Together – A Blog featuring inspiring photography, by Christopher from Melbourne, Australia.

Perhaps I will be inspired to blog more often about work I like so that others can discover it too.

Marcy Robinson: half frame

erikaneola — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:34:45 +0000

I am incredibly privileged to know a very talented photographer named Marcy Robinson. We started working together about 8 months ago and soon after I found out she has a book published of her photographs called Half-Frame. It was published by SteidlDangin (Box’s book company with Steidl), and is a beautiful collection of images.

When I first saw the book I was so inspired, not only because the images are beautiful, but because I felt as though I could relate to all of the images in the book: I felt as if I had or would have taken them. All of them. It is incredibly motivating to see work that is thoughtful and magnificent in such a precious volume, particularly if it in some way (however small) reminds one of their own work. Perhaps one day I will also be the creator of such a beautiful book of photographs.