Emma Powell - Rain or Shine

Emma Powell – Rain or Shine
March 3 – April 30, 2023
Bell Projects 

Opening Reception: Friday, March 3, 6 – 10 pm 

In celebration of Month of Photography, please join us for the opening reception of Emma Powell’s “Rain or Shine” on Friday, March 3rd from 6 – 10 pm.

Powell’s work will be on view through April 30 in the Living Room Gallery at Bell Projects.

In “Rain or Shine” we see how Powell’s artwork investigates the ways in which photographs can go beyond factual rendering to tell fictional stories, harnessing the power of fantasy to create metaphor and narrative.

She often utilizes digital collages or photograms (objects placed on the material during exposure) to build unexpected scenes. These fictional images border on the cinematic and are created by combining semi-staged location shoots and digital editing. Powell has found creative inspiration in developing hybrid approaches that merge current digital technologies with early photographic processes and methods such as the photogram. Since her first introduction to historic photographic processes in 2005, she has employed multiple techniques through many unique projects. Powell considers the physical crafting of the prints to be an integral part of her artistic practice. By utilizing chemical processes, she produces images that evoke illustration and invite viewers to suspend their disbelief.

“Rain or Shine” features 10 new pieces from Powell, including cyanotypes on linen and on paper, and kallitypes on paper to demonstrate the range of her photographic processes.

Emma Powell received her MFA in photography from Rochester Institute of Technology. Her work has been exhibited both within the U.S. and internationally. Powell has taught photography at the college level for over 10 years, including full-time at Colorado College and Iowa State University. She has also been an instructor, leading alternative process photography workshops at Penland School of Crafts, and other educational institutions. Powell currently lives in Colorado.