From Canvas to Camera
How Atlanta's Premier Art Show Fueled My Artistic Transformation
In just eight weeks, I'll be hanging my latest photography work at Artful ATL on June 7th. As I strolled through Atlanta Contemporary yesterday during the artist walkthrough, I couldn't help but reflect on the circuitous path that led me here, a path that began over 20 years ago with paintbrushes rather than cameras.
The Birth of a Visual Artist
My relationship with Atlanta's art scene dates back to the early 2000’s when I briefly owned a gallery in Castleberry Hill. While my grandfather's photography legacy always lingered in my peripheral vision, painting was my first creative calling. For years, I expressed myself through acrylics and oils on canvas, exploring color and form in the privacy of my own spaces since 2003.
It wasn't until MINT Gallery's 2020 holiday show that I publicly exhibited for the first time since having my own gallery way back in 2005. I felt I was finally stepping into the established art scene after years of development. Yet life had other plans for my artistic expression.
The Pandemic Pivot
When the world shut down in early 2020, I found myself drawn back to the camera, a tool that had fascinated me since childhood but had never been my primary medium. Walking the eerily quiet streets surrounding near home, I began documenting a city in pause, finding unexpected beauty in the stillness.
What began as a pandemic coping mechanism quickly evolved into something more substantial. The images I captured during those solitary walks eventually coalesced into my "BTNTRX" (Beaten Tracks) project, examining the historical intersection of race and railroads in Atlanta.
A Debut in Transition
Ironically, just six months after debuting my paintings at MINT Gallery, I found myself exhibiting photography at ARTiculate ATL's 2021 show, also hosted at MINT Gallery. Standing in that space, surrounded by my photographic work rather than paintings, marked a profound shift in my artistic identity.
What happened next sealed my fate as a photographer: all four prints sold. My first photography exhibition became my first complete sellout. The validation wasn't just encouraging—it was transformative.
I haven't touched a paintbrush since.
That 2021 show became the unofficial christening of my new path. The photographs displayed there represented not just a change in medium but a transformation in how I perceived my role as an artist—and how the market perceived me. Where my paintings had been expressions of internal landscapes, my photography became a dialogue with the external world—specifically, with Atlanta's rapidly changing urban environment. And apparently, that dialogue resonated with collectors in a way my painting never had.
The Circle Completes
Now, as I prepare for the June 7th Artful ATL show (the spiritual successor to ARTiculate ATL after its impressive 12-year run), I find myself at once a newcomer and a veteran. This will be my fourth appearance at this show and the 2nd in a row where I'll be premiering pieces from my current "Vanishing Point" project, work that will eventually comprise my next photo book.
The venue has changed. The name has changed. And even my fine art photography has transformed. Yet something essential remains: the power of community gathering spaces that allow artists to present work in dialogue with each other and with audiences seeking meaning.
The Road Ahead
Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing my process as I prepare for this exhibition, from selecting the final images and determining their sizes to the technical aspects of printing, embellishing with LED backlighting, and installation. You'll have a front-row seat to every decision, challenge, and breakthrough.
These behind-the-scenes glimpses aren't just about documenting my preparation; they're about inviting you into the conversation between artist, work, and audience that makes these exhibitions so valuable. They're also about capturing the evolution of "Vanishing Point" as it moves from individual photographs toward a cohesive book.
As I walked through Atlanta Contemporary yesterday surveying my designated wall, I could already envision where my work might hang, how the light might catch the metallic prints, how the carefully positioned LED elements might enhance the urban landscapes. I felt that familiar mix of anticipation and anxiety that precedes any public showing.
Next time: I'll take you through the selection process as I determine which "Vanishing Point" images will make their public debut at Artful ATL. What criteria guide my choices? How do I envision these images in conversation with each other? Stay tuned.