Through November 14
Soft Water Studios
515 22nd St S
Thu-Fri 11-5
Free
Photographer Jim Swallow, who is creating portraits of MUSE award winners
St. Petersburg photographer Jim Swallow was awarded a 2020 Individual Artist Grant from the City of St. Petersburg Office of Cultural Affairs and the St. Pete Arts Alliance. The exhibit he created is currently on view at Soft Water Studios in the Warehouse Arts District. A closing ceremony with the artist will be held on Saturday, November 14 during Second Saturday ArtWalk.
Jim Swallow uses the lens and magic of stereoscopic 3D photography to allow you to meet 20 nationally and internationally known artists working in St. Petersburg, in their studios.
“It really is a wonderful exhibit – we want to encourage people to see it,” says John Collins, executive director of the SPAA. “I think it is one of the best shows the Arts Alliance has helped foster, just one of the best that even families can safely enjoy and actually experience an arts installation.”
Featured artists include Jim Swallow, Cheryl Anne Day Swallow, D YaeL Kelley, Rebecca Skelton, Demeree Barth, Carrie Jadus, Dee Perconti, Kayla Harbeitner, Charlie Parker, Josh Poll, Mark Aeling, Duncan McClellan, Kyu Yamamoto, Teresa Sullivan, Benjamin Mallett, David Bradford, Brian Ransom, Kevin Brady and Rachel Stewart. Their artwork is on display, as well as Jim Swallow’s view of their studio.
Jim’s body of work involves an age-old technique almost as old as photography. To create stereographs, Jim uses two cameras synced together. The cameras are placed the same distance apart as the human eye, to create a 3D image.
Stereography has been around since the 1850s and Jim wanted to give it a contemporary approach. He presents each portrait in an antique viewer, just as in the old days. His grant funds were used to build frames for these images.
After the images are printed they are viewed with antique stereographs, many of which were made in the 19th century. By bringing the stereoscope to your eyes you are blocking out all other elements around you, and having a virtual view into the reality of the artist’s studio.
