Since 2015, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance has been partnering with the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs to establish an Individual Artist Grant Program. This year, these grants were supplemented with private donations to provide financial assistance to 20 St. Petersburg artists for projects that support public engagement of their work in visual arts, dance, music, digital arts and theater.
“AWARD STORIES” will catch you up on where these artists are now!
2020 Vision – Focusing on 3D Art
Through October 31 at Soft Water Studios
Opening reception October 10 from 5:05 pm to 8:08 pm
The 3D photography of Jim Swallow uses the lens and magic of stereoscopic photography to allow you to meet 20 nationally and internationally known artists from St. Petersburg, in their studios.
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.
Jim’s grant proposal was to photograph St. Petersburg artists who create three-dimensional art. He created 3D photographic images of these artists working in their studio, as he observed the art process.
Jim’s body of work involves an age-old technique almost as old as photography. 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.
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.
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.
The show will be up until October 31 at Soft Water Studios in the Warehouse Arts District, 515 22nd Street South. The exhibit is free and open to the public, providing a safe, socially-distanced opportunity to experience this unique art in person.
This show is made possible in part with an Individual Artist Grant from the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance.
For more information, visit jimswallow.com.