A Photographic Mother's Day

 

A Happy Mother's Day to all of our blog readers out there!  In celebration, enjoy a selection of appropriately themed photographs … and then call your mother!

Elliot Erwitt: Mother and Child, New York City

 

Ida Wyman: Mama, Papa, Billy

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Edward Steichen: Mother and Child – Sunlight

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Dorothea Lange: Migrant Mother

 

Gordon Parks: Mother and Child, Harlem

 

Martin Elkhort: Where's Momma

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Ruth Orkin: Mother and Baby

 

Rita Bernstein: Expecting

 

Happy Mother's Day!

A Photographic Leap Day

 

In celebration of Leap Day—the best of all temporally related quadrennial celebrations—I thought it would be fun to take a photographic look at the “art of the leap.”

But first, let’s take a moment to define what is, and what is, not a leap. For instance….

NOT a leap: George Zimbel – Marilyn Monroe, Looking Left

A sixteenth-hearted effort if I’ve ever seen one.  Let someone else have the spotlight for once, Marilyn!

 

ALMOST a leap: Henry Horenstein – Miss Saturn, Outside Slipper Room, New York, NY 2008

Nice fake-out, Miss Saturn, but no matter how celestial your pose (and name) may be… your stance remains a tad too Earthbound for my taste

 

Leap: Ruth Orkin - Boy Jumping Into Hudson River, 1948

Now THAT’S how it’s done!

 

Culturally, the French appear to be quite adept in their leaptitude, which is unmistakable in this duo of jump-themed pieces.

Yves Klein –Le Saut dans le vide, 1960

 

  Henri Cartier-Bresson – Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare, 1932

 

Jacques-Henri Latrigue – Bichonnade Leaping

 

Fear not, patriots, for while the French Leap does appear prominently in the photographic realm, we all know the Freedom Leap is equally entertaining.

Loomis Dean – Man Flying Off a Trampoline at Santa Monica Beach

 

Susan Burnstine – Jump

 

Dance is rife with leap photo-ops, and American modern dance queen, Martha Graham, shows up prominently in photography of the mid-20th century. Let’s combine the two, shall we?

Barbara Morgan – Graham Group, American Document; Sophie Maslow, Frieda Flier and Marforie Mazia (Starburst) 1938

 

Phillipe Halsman – Merce Cunningham, leaping and Martha Graham, sitting

 

Apparently umbrellas play an integral part in the “leap shot,” as is evident in the following rainy day photos.

Richard Avedon – Homage to Munkasci, 1957

 

Elliott Erwitt – Paris, 1989 (Tour Eiffel)

 

Like to see some of these works in person?  Never purchased a work of fine art photography? Take the LEAP (see what I did there?!) and stop on in the John Cleary Gallery.  Happy Leap Day everyone… and don’t forget those umbrellas!

Elliott Erwitt Price Increase

 

New York City (Dog Legs), 1974; gelatin silver print

 

Effective May 1, 2011 the price for Elliot Erwitt prints will increase, on average, $1,000.  For those of you who have been contemplating purchasing one of his works—now’s the best time to do so!

Paris, France (Three People and Umbrellas), 1989; gelatin silver print

 

Erwitt’s iconic photographs have been featured in museums, personal collections and publications throughout the world, rightfully placing him along side other stalwarts of the photographic world.

New York City (Mother and Baby), 1953; gelatin silver print

 

To find out the current selling price of Erwitt’s—or any other of our fine art photography—check out our website here, give us a call or visit us in the gallery. 

California (Kiss), 1955; gelatin silver print

Greetings from AIPAD!

(A panoramic view of John Cleary Gallery's booth, courtesy of Dan Burkholder -- click to see full image)

AIPAD is in full swing, and I've barely had time to sit down and catch my breath! After a slightly horrendous day of travel (including three standby flights and detour to Baltimore), I finally made it to New York and set up our fabulous booth, which features Mitch Dobrowner, Jessica Somers, Dan Burkholder, Charles Grogg, Maggie Taylor, and books by 21st Editions on the walls.

People have been steadily pouring into the booth since the show opened Wednesday night -- which has left all of us exhausted but is great for busines. Many of the prints in bins and on walls have sold, sold, sold!

Hard at work!

(from left) Katie Kelly and Catherine Couturier with John Cleary Gallery, and Lance Speer and Crissy Welzen with 21st Editions

I've also been able to catch up with friends from other galleries, collectors I don't get to see often, and a few of my favorite artists.

Artist Dan Burkholder with gallery owner Catherine Couturier

 

Artist Charles Grogg, who will have a show in our gallery from March 27 to April 24

Artist Michael Donner with his print "Dreaming Tree"

Artist Isa Leshko with "Dangling Legs" from her new series

Catherine Couturier with artist Jessica Somers

Unfortunately, Maggie Taylor and Jerry Uelsmann, Elliott Erwitt, and Keily Anderson-Staley stopped by before we thought of taking pictures, but I had a great time catching up with all of them in person.

There's an hour left in the day, so we're kind of at that point. I "borrowed" one of the Lucie awards from 21st Editions to practice my acceptance speech for "World's Best Gallery Owner."

If you haven't had the chance to come out yet, tomorrow is the final day: Sunday March 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Visit and say hello!