Judy Katz

What Lies Ahead

I ceased making photos for many years.  Familial and professional obligations were front and center.  As we say (and so often as a woman) – “life got in the way”.  Off and on for years, reengaging with photography was on my list of things to do.  I could say that I finally had an epiphany, but it was more a simple recognition that I was at a point in life where planning for the future might come with limitations. I could either focus on regrets or check off items on my list.  I decided to act.  I retraced my steps, poring over an archive of images I had made over the years.  Several recurring themes were evident. Light and shadows, often connected to paths and portals that sometimes led to clear destinations and other times were murky in terms of the endpoint.  Hints of both movement and stillness simultaneously.

As part of my “re-entry routine”, I developed a routine of local photowalks.  I found that I am still drawn to exploring passageways, noting the light and patterns that seem to beckon me. Personal circumstances have limited my travel, but not the possibility of capturing gateways and openings, both obvious and obscure, that might lead anywhere.  When we are young, possibilities seem endless. As we age, we may either dwell on the past or focus on the future.

This project focuses on paths and portals that leave us free to choose the endpoint.  In my mind, they lead to a past in which I visit with family and friends who are no longer with me, to a future centered on the growth and blossoming of grandchildren, or even to my own continuing evolution. These photos may not pull us “through the looking glass” into a  fantasy world, but we can still be challenged to decide where these paths will take us.

Artist Bio

Judy Katz has lived in New England her entire adult life, having been born and raised in the New York metropolitan area. For several years after college, she focused on photography and waitressing.  Judy took courses from and spent darkroom time with several now well-known photographers who provided invaluable guidance. Later, corporate life and the responsibilities of raising a family caused her to move away from photography. She returned to making pictures for a while, working digitally this time, before responsibilities took precedence once again. Having never lost interest and intrigue with making images, she recognized the importance of photography in her life and hoped to return. She has recently done so.

Although the specifics of Judy’s practice have changed, her focus has not. She is most intrigued by the possibilities of “photos within photos”- reflections, shadows, portals through which a single image tells more than one story. Judy has exhibited in various group shows, including the Cambridge Art Association, Bromfield Galleries, PhotoPlace Gallery and Atelier at Lesley University.