Photography Atelier

Cynthia Johnston

Somewhere in the Middle

Like many Midwesterners, I left home to pursue education and employment. After decades of living on the east coast, the Midwest felt like a foreign country. The feelings of alienation were heightened by the political divide our nation is currently experiencing. Because I felt out of touch with aspects of family and my home, I hoped to go back home and visit as much of my old stomping grounds as much as possible.

As luck would have it, this past spring presented a chance to flirt with retirement and a long road trip. My partner and I set off to visit all of the midwestern states as well as Montana and Wyoming. We wound our way through small towns dotting rural state highways. Memories of history lessons long forgotten were rekindled as we rode through areas where fortune seekers, pioneers and warriors had roamed. Monuments to endurance and audacious ambition were plentiful.

As my photos accumulated, it became clear to me that the iconography of the west is very present in our culture to this day. In my work here is presented the iconography of the buffalo, nature’s bounty, Indian warrior and cowboys in their various permutations.

Artist Bio

Cynthia Johnston is a fine arts photographer living in the Boston area. An avid traveler, her interests are mainly street photography and most recently, night photography. She has participated in several workshops with Ernesto Bazan and Jeff Jacobson which have been integral in forming her approach to image-making. Most recently, she has participated in several sessions of the Griffin Museum’s Atelier course led by Meg Birnbaum and Amy Rindskopf. Her work is exhibited in corporate and private collections in the US, Canada and Germany. She has recently exhibited her work at the Danforth and Griffin Museums. Current projects include “Somewhere in the Middle” and “Altars”.

http://www.cynthiajohnstonphotography.com

Contact Cynthia Johnston