ARTIST’S  STATEMENT

Most artists and photographers who catalog their images categorize them by subject matter.     I have found this to be unworkable and frustrating.     the problem for me is that there are too many categories with too few images in some and too many in others;  and that most of my images fit more than one category.    So I have established only four,  general categories defining the function of the images:

Pictorial --  These are images in which the subject matter is the most important.    Here are the sort of images that are interesting, familiar, pleasing, comfortable -- calendar art, if you will.    I enjoy finding these images.

Intimacies --  Portraits, human and animal  activity. and static compositions that hint at the people that may be associated with them.     I stumble across these occasionally.

Discoveries -- My main interest is in design, and I look for subject matter where the design elements are more important than the subject matter.      These design elements then become the subject, forming sub-categories where the images can complement each other -- sometimes incongruously.      I look for natural, accidental and designed arrangements, and, usually, natural objects that are interestingly designed in themselves.

Transformations -- sometimes straight photography cannot record the image in my mind, cannot convey the point of the image.      I employ various digital modifications to enhance the subject matter.    I try to make these modifications appropriate to the content;  screaming colors are used logically and , usually, sparingly.

I love playing with my images and may generate a number of versions of one image.    Because I am unable to decide which version I want to keep, you may find several versions of an image in the transitions gallery.      I’ll let you decide.     

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

BIO

David Bentley has been involved in photography since the age of eleven.    he gained experience as a lab technician in a local portrait studio, and learned halhtone platemaking at the local newspaper, while still in high school.    He attended the Columbus College of Art and Design, majoring in graphic design, for two years.    He received a BFA in Art Education after transferring  to Ohio University; he has an M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh.    Although never a professional photographer, photography has always played a role in his other  work.    He taught Art to grades seven through twelve at Alcona, Michigan, including units on photography.    At the Community College of Allegheny County, he developed slide show for instruction and recruitment, provided photographs for the catalog, designed a catalog cover and newspaper ads, while overseeing the AV department.     at the Beaver Castle Girl Scout Council, he designed the camp brochures; wrote, produced, and photographed  a recruitment slide show, narrated by Adam  Lynch.   In charge of public relations his stories and photographs ran in the local papers.    Working in real estate in 1979 was not a good choice, and he spent the rest of his working career as a self employed paperhanger.

he has exhibited in local and regional shows and has had several one man shows.    One hundred and eighty some of his glass photographs can be seen in a book by Earl and JoAnne Autenrieth titled The Co-operative Flint Glass Company of Beaver Falls PA.

All images on this site

David Bentley 2009