Dale Johnson
(AMERICAN, b. 1944)
Dale Johnson was raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Sao Paulo, Brazil and currently lives in Hawaii. In 1984, she graduated from the Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California with a degree in graphic design. Upon graduation, she became a partner in Johnson & Johnson Studio, in Honolulu, Hawaii, specializing in designing collateral for Resorts and Hotels. She illustrated a children’s book, "The Gorp’s Gift" promoting gun safety for small children. She also has production experience; she oversaw printing in Hong Kong for the entire line of wall calendars for Andrews & McMeel, Kansas City, MO including Gary Larson’s “The Far Side”, Calvin and Hobbes, and Ziggy. In 2008, she began experimenting with photographic lenses looking for one to emulate her painting style. This process grew into a love of the Holga lens and her current photographic style.
ARTIST STATEMENT
For the past 30 years I have been an artist working with different mediums such as charcoal, gauche, watercolor and pastel. Over time, however, photography became my new means of expression. As the word photography literally means “drawing with light”, I have found the camera to be the closest tool to my charcoal and pastels to express these feelings and spontaneity I cherish. I was drawn to the pictorialist style of photography which, in 1911, the Encyclopedia Britannica called a “personal artistic expression”. Pictorialism paralleled the impressionist style of painting that was characterized by soft focus and atmospheric effects. In order not to compromise this creative endeavor with a myriad of photographic equipment, I experimented extensively with different lenses to find the artistic tool to best serve my purpose. I searched for a lens that would convey a timeless solitude and a look of times-gone-by.
I exclusively use a toy camera lens adapted to a sophisticated digital camera body. All images are shot with available light. This has given my work a moody, evocative and dreamy feeling. Working with a fixed aperture toy camera lens has proven unpredictable at best. I have had to learn to adapt to its idiosyncratic nature and rely on my eye, intuitive feelings, instinct and my inner artist. It has brought me back to why I fell in love with art. My art education led me to appreciate the quality of light, form and texture and how they set the tone or mood for my photographs, in composition, pallet and texture. I have intentionally used the “noise and pixels” of an image to emulate the technique of paintings in the style of “ Pointallism”. Pointallism uses points of color which are actually tiny brushstrokes, in my case, pixels. By standing away from the painting the viewer relies on the eye and brain to blend these brushstrokes into a meaningful picture. I intend the viewer to view my work in this manner.
AWARDS
2018
12th Pollux Awards: WINNER in Open Category/Series: Summer
12th Pollux Awards: Honorable Mention for Series "WaterColours" in Landscape Category
12th Pollux Awards: Honorable Mention for "Two Trees", French Landscape" and One Wave", Fine Art Category
WINNER Julia Margaret Cameron "Other Category" for series "Summer"
Honorable Mention Julia Margaret Cameron "Water.Colours" in Landscapes/Seascapes
Julia Margaret Cameron Honorable Mention "Dreams of Cuba" in "Other Category"
International Photography Awards Honorable Mention Series "Water.Colours"
2017
FINALIST 9th Edition of of Pollux Awards/Landscape/ "Water.Colours"
FINALIST 2nd Charles Dodgson B&W Awards/Cityscape "Venice Alley"
International Color Awards Honorable Mention "Midnight Blue"/Abstract
International Color Awards Honorable Mention "-10"/Nature
International Color Awards Honorable Mention "Middle of Nowhere"/Nature
International Color Awards Nominee "Trolly Time"/Americana
2016
IPA WINNER/SportsOther "Feet in the Air"
IPA Honorable Mention Fine Art Other "Nighttide"
9th Annual Pollux Awards Finalist/Landscape
11th Annual Black & White Spider Awards Honorable Mention in Nature /"Moonrise"
Julia Margaret Cameron WINNER /Fashion
2015
IPA Honorable Mention "By the Sea" Series
IPA Honorable Mention "Family"
Px3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris. Honorable Mention for series "By the Sea"
International Color Awards Honorable Mention: "French Road in Fog"
International Color Awards Nominee: "Paris Fashion"
2014
PX3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris: Bronze for Sandcastle and Evening Approaches
Photography Master’s Cup Nominee/Nature
Photography Master's Cup Nominee/Photojournalism
2013
Julia Margaret Cameron Award Nominee (3 images)
2012
Photography Master’s Cup Nominee/Wildlife
2011
Paris Px3 Prix de la Photographie, Altered Image Competition, Honorable Mention (5 images)
Photographer of the Year Worldwide Photography Gala Awards
Worldwide Photography Gala Awards Co
lour Competition
Worldwide Photography Gala Awads Best Shot Competition Runner-up
Worldwide Photography Gala Awards 2nd Edition Portraits and People, Runner-up
Pollux Award- First Place in Landscape and 3rd Place in Fine Art
5th Annual Photography Master’s Cup Nominee
2009
Forward Thinking Museum Runner-up