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Photo festival attracts artists nationwide

Artist Donald Lawrence displays two of his home made underwater pinhole cameras at the W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery The Camera Frontera festival of contemporary photography started Saturday, featuring artists from across Canada.

Artist Donald Lawrence displays two of his home made underwater pinhole cameras at the W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery


The Camera Frontera festival of contemporary photography started Saturday, featuring artists from across Canada.

The Joan Ferneyhough Gallery, the W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery and the White Water Gallery organized the festival.

Heather Saunders, director of the White Water Gallery, explained that planning for the festival started last fall, and since then has had an “overwhelming response.”

“The festival was spread by word of mouth,” Saunders said.

“And word of the festival spread quite far.”

She said that organizers had more entries then the festival venues would allow, so six judges were chosen to pick the most fitting artists for the event.

Saunders explained that after it was decided who would enter the festival, the organizers decided to “pair up” artists whose work showed similar characteristics.

“It’s neat that they work alone, but share similar qualities,” Saunders said.

The festival will run throughout the month of May with exhibits being displayed at ten downtown businesses. Artists from North Bay include John Baker, Paul Chivers, Andy Davies, Daniel Elzinga, Ed Eng, David Lewis, Carol Condé, Liz Lott and Ursula Stange.

Artist from Toronto include Karl Beverage, Adam Lodzinski, Kelly McCray and Ingrid Saaliste. While artists from outside of Ontario consist of Nicole Bélanger (Cumberland, BC), Vivian Tors (Ottawa), Arnold Zageris (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec) and Donald Lawrence from Kamloops BC.

Donald Lawrence’s works were comprised of his sketches that represent his trips to various places in the world and underwater pictures taken from his homemade pinhole cameras.

Lawrence explained that each pinhole camera takes anywhere from two weeks to a month to build and cost up to $400.

“They are made from the everyday world of plumbing parts to the exotic world of yachting parts,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence’s favourite pinhole picture that he took is titled “Starfish in Tidal Surge.” He explained that it was the first pinhole picture that he took using his underwater camera. It took him 30 more attempts at the underwater pinhole photography before he got another usable picture.

He explained that after a few years of perfecting his technique, he could now get usable pictures in about 5 attempts. Lawrence determines how he will take his pictures by the amount of available light and through trial and error. For each picture, the camera is lowered into water by a rope, and a separate line controls the shutter.

“Unlike most cameras you don’t look through them.”

Venues for the event are:

The Swiss Pastry Chef - 126 Main St. East.
White Water Gallery - 147 Worthington St. East.
Trattoria Malka - 179 Main St. East.
W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery - 150 Main St. East.
Joan Ferneyhough Gallery157 First Ave. East.
Jaeger Meisters - 130 Main St. West.
Atmosphere Design Group Inc - 154 Oak St. West.
Dent's Camera Centre - 168 Oak St. West.
Michelle's Frame Maker & Gallery - 168 Main St. West.
C&C Properties' Downtown Walkway, second floor.

For more information visit: www.kennedygallery.org/camerafrontera