July 2011

Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville in Greenville, SC, Offers Works by Brian Kelley

The Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville in Greenville, SC, will present the exhibit, Polaroid Transfers, featuring works by guest artist Brian Kelley, on view from July 1 - 31, 2011. A reception will be held on July 1, from 6-9pm.

Visual interpretations of surroundings have been essential elements of expression throughout Kelley’s life. His interest in art surfaced at a very young age, yielding another channel for communication. Through the lens of introversion, he became an observer of life.

Kelley says, “I often watch interactions among people, appreciate the forms created by nature, or study the light as it moves through the day. These observations were first recorded through drawing, which quickly led to painting, and the sculpture. However, photography has received the majority of my efforts.”

Kelley enjoys working in many processes of photography such as: silver gelatin, gum dichromate, cyanotypes, hand tinting, digital and Polaroid transfers. Being a student of art most of his life has trained his eye, giving him the confidence to trust his instincts. With sensitivity to light and texture, Kelley’s work appreciates the classic and respects the contemporary both in process and subject matter. The images he produces document moments in time, with a cross between fine art and documentary perspectives.

This exhibit will display Kelley’s exploration of the Polaroid transfer process. Transfers are created through an unorthodox use of the film. These images were made with Polaroid film type 669. The Polaroid is exposed through the use of a color slide and enlarging printer. The process of Polaroid transfers consists of two parts, the image transfer and the emulsion transfer.

The image transfer involves removing the exposed negative from the undeveloped positive. The negative image side is then placed onto a chosen surface (paper, canvas, glass, wood, etc.) with pressing motion. The backing is then carefully removed from the surface leaving a positive image.

Emulsion transfers are created by using a fully developed Polaroid positive. The photograph is immersed into hot water until the surface begins to blister. The image is then removed into cold water, where the thin gelatinous surface is removed from the paper backing. The image layer is then cleaned and transferred to the chosen surface. During this step, the image can be distorted through stretching, tearing, overlapping or other methods.

Polaroid has recently stopped the production of their film to make way for the digital realm of photography. This has very much hindered the possibility for the future production of Polaroid transfers, and is forcing the process into a past photographic procedure.

The Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville is a co-operative gallery located in the heart of Greenville. Over twenty local artists are represented in the gallery along with various mediums including acrylic, mixed media, oil and watercolor paintings, jewelry, glass, woodwork and sculpture. One or more of the artists is in the gallery at all times, demonstrating throughout the day and always ready to discuss their art with visitors.

For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 864/239-3882 or visit (www.artistsguildgalleryofgreenville.com).

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