June 12, 2010 through July 07, 2010
John Wimberley - Manifestations:
This exciting exhibition by John Wimberley at LightBox Photographic Gallery in Astoria, Oregon, consists of photographs made during a three-decade period. The emphasis is on photographs that were sur-prises, or manifestations, rather than work that was planned or anticipated in any way. It consists of 25 black and white, gelatin/silver prints that were hand printed by John Wimberley in his traditional wet darkroom. John Wimberley was born in Bermuda during 1945 and currently lives in southern Oregon. During 1966 he made his first photographs on the flight decks of aircraft carriers upon which he served dur-ing the Viet Nam war. John had his first one-man show in 1973 at CameraWork Gallery in Saratoga, California, which was owned by Astoria resident Dwight Caswell. Although John was completely self-taught, Artweek Magazine noted: “The first thing that one is made aware of is that the photographer, John Wimberley, is a craftsman of the highest order. His prints are not merely technically correct, but wonderfully alive.” Unhappy with commercially available photographic chemistry, John performed years of research that resulted in two pyro-gallol film developers that are still sold by The Photographer’s Formulary. His work initiated the current renaissance of the use of pyrogallol, and he became a sought-after expert in black and white film develop-ment chemistry and techniques. Since then John has achieved world-wide recognition as one of contempo-rary photography’s finest technicians. During the 1970’s and 1980’s John’s emphasis was on the landscape. He continually sought out places that conveyed spiritual power, returning for more than 25 years to certain locations. In 1981, he made a series of photographs of a woman underwater, which resulted in Descending Angel. The year 1983 brought the first of two, two-man exhibitions with Ansel Adams. A deep interest in First-Nation cultures led John to begin photographing American Indian petroglyphs during 1999 in the Great Basin region of the United States, resulting in his award-winning book Evidence of Magic. Now, with more than 44 years in photography, John’s critically acclaimed work has been honored with over 70 major exhibitions and has been extensively published and collected around the world. His work is represented in more than 500 public and private collections, including many major museums. As The Her-ald of Monterey, California wrote: “Wimberley’s undisputed technical mastery of photographing and printing in black and white is but the springboard for visual poetry of spiritual realms. What remains unnoticed by most, as seen through Wimberley’s eyes, becomes a powerful, mysterious invitation.” Now, with more than 44 years in photography, John’s critically acclaimed work has been honored with more than major 70 exhibitions and has been extensively published around the world. His work is represented in more than 500 public and private collections, including many major museums. As The Herald of Monterey, California wrote: “Wimberley’s undisputed technical mas-tery of photographing and printing in black and white is but the springboard for visual poetry of spiritual realms. What remains unnoticed by most, as seen through Wimberley’s eyes, becomes a powerful, mysterious invitation.”
Selected Major Exhibitions
2010 LightBox Photographic Gallery, Astoria Oregon
Point Light Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Joel B. Garzoli Fine Art, San Francisco, California
2009 Benham Gallery, Seattle, Washington
Viewpoint Gallery, Sacramento, California
PhotoCentral, Hayward, California
Rogue Gallery, Medford, Oregon
2008 The Creativity Center, Bainbridge Island, Washington
422 Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona
2007 Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
CameraWork Gallery, Portland, Oregon
Paul Paletti Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky
2006 Soulcatcher Studio, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2005 John Cleary Gallery, Houston, Texas
2002 Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite, California
2001 David Ashcraft Gallery, Oakhurst, California
2000 Lightworks Gallery, Sacramento, California
1998 Ansel Adams Gallery, Pebble Beach, California
1997 Mumm Gallery, Napa Valley, California
1995 Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, Monterey, California
Julia’s Gallery of Photography, Lexington, Kentucky
1994 Shapiro Gallery, San Francisco, California
1992 The Silver Image Gallery, Seattle, Washington
1991 Seipp Gallery, Palo Alto, California
1990 Shapiro Gallery, San Francisco, California
Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, Georgia
1988 Galerie Zur Stockeregg, Zurich, Switzerland
1987 J. J. Brookings Gallery, San Jose, California
1986 De Anza College, Cupertino, California
1985 The Photographer’s Gallery, Palo Alto, California
Galerie Tabula, Tubingen, Germany
1984 Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
1983 Fitzgerald Gallery, San Francisco, California
University of Alabama, University, Alabama
Photography West Gallery, Carmel, California
Mancini Gallery, Houston, Texas
The Photographer’s Gallery, Palo Alto, California
Boston Visual Artist’s Union, Boston, Massachusetts
Museum of Contemporary Arts, Houston, Texas
1982 Collector’s Gallery, Pacific Grove, California
Utah State University, Logan, Utah
1981 Markham Gallery, San Jose, California
Pacific Light Gallery, Santa Cruz, California
1980 Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho
Markham Gallery, San Jose, California
Collector’s Gallery, Pacific Grove, California
1979 Studio/Performance Gallery, Palo Alto, California
Image Photo, New York, New York
University of Arizona, Tempe, Arizona
Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon
1978 Stanford University, Stanford, California
Palo Alto Cultural Center, Palo Alto, California
Darkroom Workshop/Gallery, Berkeley, California
Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon
1977 Shado’ Gallery, Oregon City, Oregon
1974 New Roses Gallery, Palo Alto, California
1973 Camerawork Gallery, Saratoga, California
1970 Friends of Photography, Carmel, California