Janet Smith
Unexpected Beauty
Three dead hosta leaves in my driveway marked the beginnings of this project. They were pretty, all curled and graceful so I saved them. In walks around the neighborhood, I found more leaves that had let go of their anchors and so began what has become a multi-year still life project.
My leaf collection grew to include other types of plants and new discoveries were everywhere: on walks in the woods, in fields, by ponds, at the edges of parking lots and wherever wild things grew. As I walked through the seasons, I selected new subjects based on their delicate and graceful shapes, interesting textures, and patterns of their branches.
During this time, I also photographed the changing light on the landscapes around me and used these photos as backdrops for my still life arrangement. This process transformed simple photos of botanical forms into quiet moments where a still life and a landscape dissolved into one another.
The plants preserved in my photographs make me marvel at finding beauty in nature where we least expect it. They are memories from seasons past and invite pause, stillness and reflection on nature and the passing of time. When I complete this project, I will say goodbye to my collections and return them to nature.
Artist Bio
Janet Smith is a Massachusetts-based photographer who enjoys photographing things that do not run away from her camera and occasionally things that do. Her fascination with elements of nature and time are reflected in her portfolios that include traditional landscapes, botanicals, still life, and abstract work.
Her photography journey began with participation in field workshops that focused on nature and landscape techniques. She completed a year-long class in black and white photography with Christopher James at Harvard which enhanced her ability to simplify compositions, focus on details, and play with light and shadows. Her participation in master classes at the Maine Media Workshops with Lilo Raymond, Olivia Parker, and Sam Abell helped her develop her personal style. Currently, she is participating in Atelier 39, a portfolio and project-building course with Emily Belz at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester MA.
Solo shows include the Gutman Library at Harvard, the Newton Free Library, and the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington, MA. Her work has been included in juried shows at the Griffin Museum, Cambridge Art Association, Concord Art Association, Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester, MA, Gallery Twist in Lexington, MA, and PhotoPlace gallery in Middlebury, VT. Her photographs are in the permanent collection at Children’s Hospital in Boston and in private collections in the United States and abroad.