jd

 Josh Downey Photos

Josh Downey

P.O. Box 391

McHenry, IL 60050

JDowney@JoshDowneyPhotos.com

A portion of purchases will proudly be donated to Girls Education and Mentoring Services to help promote awareness about the human trafficking that takes place right here in the United States. You can find out more about GEMS in the orders and influences section of my site.

Artist’s Statement

 

I feel that art should be taken out of context. Someone looking at art should not be thinking about  actually being at an exhibit, or what the artist is portraying within a series. Art is to be taken as an experience, something that each and every person should feel differently about. Each piece of art should be viewed individually before placed in a series and viewed. Once each piece is taken individually it should then be viewed as a whole with the other pieces from an artist.

 

When I look at “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper I see a bar open late at night. The people there have no exit from the building. It is as though they are stuck in the same place night after night with no escape. There are no on-lookers because they are the people that nobody wants to see or hear from. The customers even refuse to interact with each other, as they are spaced apart and not talking. Others see the painting and think so many different thoughts about it. This is my personal experience to “Nighthawks” and I don’t expect anyone else to have the same experience to it. Once viewed with Hopper’s other pieces the concept for “Nighthawks” becomes more intriguing. Much of his work was done as pieces that show what once was booming and is now a vast space waiting for it’s heyday once more.

Publications and Achievements

Monmouth College, 2007: Student Exhibition; Honorable Mention, Multiple Artists

Western Illinois University, 2007: The Photograph as an Art Object; Exhibitor, Multiple Artists

The Courier, 2007: Photo of the Week, Volume 119, Issue 10

Johnsburg Public Library, 2007: Every Picture Tells A Story Art Competition, Honorable Mention

The House Café, April 22nd, 2009: Solo Show

Girls Education and Mentoring Services, Fall 2009: Two pieces at auction for charitable use

Affair of the Arts: November 15th, 2009

Gallery 64: April 1st through July 31st, 2010

Photography is a way of manipulation. The photographer has control over a scene, photo, or event. When taking pictures it is the job of the photographer to utilize props and backgrounds at a shoot to create the best visual image possible. With this in mind, I have decided to focus much of my work on objects opposed to people, or scenes opposed to events. I find that many people think differently about my works, and I laude that aspect of the mind. I do not want to be seen as an artist who’s work can be stereotyped or categorized to the point that others feel they need not view it because they have heard enough about it. I beg you to create your own opinion of my work and combine both your mind and thoughts to view photos.