(TRENTON, NJ) -- “Third Thursdays,” the popular monthly photography presentation and artist talk series at Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus (JKC) Gallery at 137 North Broad Street in Trenton, will take place February 17, 2022 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. The event, curated by Heather Palecek and Habiyb Shu’Aib,will feature works by C.a. Shofed and Clinton Thornton-Casanova. The talk will be hosted by JKC Gallery Director Michael Chovan-Dalton and will take place live and on the Zoom conferencing platform. All are invited to register at jkcgallery.online.
Professor Chovan-Calton remarked, “Our ‘Third Thursdays’ events at JKC Gallery have been growing by leaps and bounds. This month we feature returning artist C.a. Shofed from Trenton who will be sharing his abstract scenes and reflections along with Clinton Thornton-Casanova who will be joining us remotely from Switzerland to discuss astrophotography and environmental and studio portraiture.”
About the Artists
New Jersey artist C.a. Shofed is owner of Amphora Artworks in Trenton. While much of his professional life has been spent in technology, he has always maintained an interest in photography.
After moving to from Hopewell to Trenton, C.a. Shofed noticed the city’s vibrant, raw art scene. He decided not to return to his nine to five and pursue a career as a fine art photographer.
He said, “I’m surrounded and supported by the best art community in the country here in Trenton. There is no better place than right here to start this new chapter in my life.”
Pushing the boundaries of photography and his camera, C.a. Shofed revealed that he is not as concerned with perfection and technicality as he is with capturing a moment. He explained, “Increasingly my eye has been pulled towards abstract scenes, how reflections in pools of water or in the glass landscape of large cities brighten or distort colors and shapes.”
The theme of his artist talk will be a kind of retrospective. “Early on my work would have been described as ‘industrial’ — nature versus the urban landscape,” he said. “My work has become more abstract or surreal over time, so I’ll be talking about that journey.”
Based in Horgen, Switzerland, photographer Clinton Thornton-Casanova will be discussing and sharing his works from his home country of Switzerland. His creations consist of environmental and studio portraiture and astrophotography. While studio portraits take up his days, he explains “when the night falls, on a perfectly dark moonless night I set up my telescope and cameras to capture very old and faint light from thousands — sometimes millions — of light years away.”
Thornton-Casanova’s late-night works are breathtaking compositions that capture the imagination. An incredible amount of dedication and patience are required to complete his astrophotography creations.
“Some projects take years to complete …. I am at the mercy of the weather and the elements of seasons,” he remarked.
“I use both digital and film for my day and astrophotography work,” Thornton-Casanova said. “Using film for astrophotography is a challenge. I get the same results with a digital camera in three minutes; with film it takes over an hour. But this is art.”
“Third Thursdays” artist talks were started by Heather Palacek and Habiyb Shu’Aib as a platform for artists to showcase their work to the Trenton and the regional community. The events quickly reached an audience from New York to Philadelphia. With the introduction of hybrid virtual and in-person shows, JKC Gallery now features artists from across and beyond United States with a global audience reach.
For information about registration and/or attending in person visit JKCGallery.online.
Located at 137 North Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey, Mercer County Community College’s JKC Gallery is a gallery for photography and lens-based work from international and regional artists. To learn more about shows and registration requirements, including Zoom links, please visit JKCGallery.online. Please call or email [email protected] for Gallery hours and in-person visits. JKC Gallery will be running virtual shows through social media accounts and its community gallery website.
