Kim Weston has been a fine
art photographer for 30 years specializing in large format
photography. His main body of work consists of silver contact prints
made from 8x10 negatives. In addition to the 8x10 format he prints in
11x14 and 16x20 sizes.
Kim also photographs with a Mamiya 67 that he inherited from his
father Cole Weston. He prints in Platinum and lately he has added
paint to his photographs.
Kim is a third-generation member of one of the most important and
creative families in photography. He learned his craft assisting his
father Cole in the darkroom making gallery prints from his grandfather
Edward's original negatives. Kim also worked for many years as an
assistant to his uncle Brett, whose bold, abstract photographs rank as
some of the finest examples of modern photographic art.
“For many years I worked with my father, Cole Weston, helping him
print, mount and spot his father, Edward Weston's, negatives. I also
spent 15 years working very closely with my uncle, Brett. Through
these great opportunities I learned a very valuable lesson about art.
We all take from our artistic endeavors what we as individuals need,
to make the process unique and fulfilling to ourselves. After spending
countless hours and producing thousands of images in both my fathers'
and Brett's darkrooms, I needed to prove that the image was not the
most important part of the process, that the process itself held the
rewards I was looking for. So for ten years I made only one print of
each image, and mounted the negative on the back. The great thing
about this thing we call art is that it has no rules. I wouldn't have
it any other way.”
For the past six years, Kim and his wife Gina have been sharing their
passion, artistry and unique photographic vision with a select group
of participants at several workshops held at Wildcat Hill, Edward
Weston's former home in the Carmel Highlands. Each workshop combines
practical, hands-on instruction in camera and darkroom technique with
informal lectures and field trips that immerse participants in the
history of the Weston family's contributions to fine art photography.
Now expanding their horizons to Scotland and Oaxaca Mexico.
The Weston Photographic Workshops are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to embrace your own creative spirit. Each workshop is open to
photographers at all levels of experience. The only requirement is a
love for the beauty and expressive potential of the photographic
image.
"What I've learned as an artist and photographer is we all take from
our artistic endeavors what we as individuals need to make the process
unique and fulfilling to ourselves," says Kim. "I'm always learning
from my students, and hope they take away a renewed passion and
interest in photography as an art and lifestyle."
Artist statement
"I make pictures which are meant to be direct and truthful.
I do not explain or rationalize this work or my passion for it.
I leave it to the viewer to find the surprises.
I hope the work generates feelings; otherwise I have failed".
The Work
"The photographic process is an internal part of my life. It is the
process of camera, vision and execution. All steps to a statement
either capturing in its whole a (vision) or an interpretation of a
feeling hopefully interpreted by the viewer. But through the whole
process the finished product must be an immaculate rendition of the
vision, the surface is of paramount importance. Which is something I
do well and have for 30 years plus. My painted photographs have given
me a release from surface importance and visual certainty. I can take
my image and tweak it to another dimension which if I think about it
was my original direction and interpretation of the subject to begin
with".
Kim Weston
Weston Photography
Gallery -
For 7 years Gina and Kim Weston have been selling photographs by Kim,
Edward, Brett and Cole Weston on their website www.kimweston.com.
Weston Photography also
has a small private gallery located at Wildcat Hill, Carmel Highlands
Ca. Call 831-624-8111 for an appointment to visit and view some work.
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