Edward Gillum will be sharing his recent photography-based artwork with that of new gallery member, Kris Kessey, in a two-person exhibit during May of 2022. The title of this upcoming show is “fenestration and demarcation.” Her mixed media with photography work is focused on windows – looking through glass and the images therein as well as those reflected upon the surfaces. Edward’s work takes the form of an installation, and shares as its subject matter, the images of 41 gates that can be seen while driving between Fresno and Oakhurst on Highway 41. 

Kris Kessey has been interested in photography since childhood, beginning with the iconic Brownie and then borrowing her dad’s Leica. A few years later a friend introduced her to a darkroom and all the magic that happens there. This prompted her to purchase her first SLR camera, a Canon A-1, and a Beseler enlarger. In college at the University of Nevada Reno, Kris majored in Fine Art with an emphasis on Photography. She was drawn to macro imagery and nature subjects . Sometimes she would make scientific “slides” to use as negatives directly in the enlarger. After college Kris went to work for Kruger Photographic Services in Reno. She was put in charge of the black and white darkroom and film developing. Spending eight to ten hours a day in the darkroom had her up to her armpits in vats of developer and fixer. No longer able get the smell of fixer out of her nose and mouth and off her skin she decided it was time to switch careers. She began teaching art and dabbling in other fields. Fast forward to 1999, Kris entered the Graduate Program at Fresno State where she earned a Masters degree – in Sculpture. Even though Kris is now primarily focused on the 3D aspect of Fine Arts, photography is always looking over her shoulder. With the advent of digital photography Kris has enjoyed being able to take unlimited images without being restricted to rolls of film and processing time and expense. As an avid traveler many of her images have been taken in various places such as Italy, Norway, and Spain. Often the photos she takes serve as ‘memory joggers’ though many are compositions of place, texture, and detail. Struck by how many images in her archives dealt with the idea of fenestration, she felt a theme based on windows and reflection would be a good choice for her upcoming exhibit at Spectrum Gallery. Kris is retired from Fresno State after over 20 years of adjunct teaching in the Art Department. She spends most of her time in her studio, working on remodeling projects and traveling, all the while a camera close at hand.

Spectrum Art Gallery’s New Hours of Operation:
ArtHop (1st) Thursdays: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Fridays: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM