Still Life

Potato Love

Posted by Jeff
Copyright Jeff Ball 2008

Tonight is the opening reception for one of my favorite art openings, The Potato Show at The Other Side Arts. All of the work in the show is either made with potatoes or are inspired by potatoes. In 2002 , I conceived the show as a fun way to both create art around a common “silly” theme and break down some of the walls between the art world and the public. The artists were challenged to create work with an unusual medium or subject matter and the public felt comfortable with participating as artists and as “consumers” of the work.

This piece was from a series of photographs where I used finger potatoes and various fruits and vegetables to personify the food in a way that may suggest an intimate relationship.

Check out the details on TOSA’s website at: www.theothersidearts.org

Lonely Studio

Posted by Jeff
Copyright Jeff Ball 2010

Some days I am left to my own devices in the studio. I love doing studio work but sometimes I just don’t have a model. Today I used this mannequin to express myself. I love the lines and color of this piece. It was done with red gelled strobes and a white background.

Art Prints
Giclee prints from $22

Crash Bulbs

Posted by Jeff
Copyright Jeff Ball

Lately I have been thinking a lot about my failures in life. I’m absolutely at a crossroad in my life path.  I’ve pondered the lessons learned as well as the mistakes repeated.

This photo reminds me that even the worst failures can be turned into art. We have the power to create something from destruction. I often photograph keepsakes that have broken beyond repair or vegetables that stayed in the crisper way to long to be useful. It feels great to  give another life to something that  has seemingly come to the end of it’s existence.

The Spoils of the Season

Posted by Jeff

2010 not only marks a new decade in history, but a new decade in my life–I turn 40 today.

Taking pictures of trash may seem like a strange way to commemorate it, but when your birthday follows a frenzied trail of torn wrapping paper, confetti, and abandoned Christmas trees, the images offer a different perspective.  The trees that once symbolized the season, glowing with lights and shiny ornaments, are now tossed unceremoniously alongside dumpsters.   The discarded trees mark the close of the holidays, the beginning of a new year, and reveal a glimpse into the staggering spoils of the season.

[Show as slide show]

Projektor

Posted by Jeff
Copyright Jeff Ball 2008

This photo was chosen, in part, by my mom, Mary Lou Ball with the #39 which I believe she chose for my current age.

This shot of an old 16mm film projector was taken at an artist retreat in 2008. It seems a shame that beautifully built equipment like this is rarely used these days. With digital video and computers, 16mm film is almost a dead art form.