Abstract Photography Wows at MCC

Simple composition, simple elegance, simple subject. In a word, simplicity is the dominant factor of McHenry photographer Jim Christensen's work.

The 35-year photography veteran said he was so influenced by one of Henry David Thoreau's writing about simplicity, he wanted to follow that path in his works.

His photographs reflect that mindset with clean lines, uncomplicated arrangements and many close-up details of flowers and leaves, architecture, landscapes and stained glass windows.

Art lovers can view Christensen's recent works of stained glass windows at the Epping Gallery at McHenry County College through Dec. 6.

The photographs are deceiving; most viewers don't realize they are looking at pictures of stained glass, said gallery curator Sandra Lang.

That's because they are intense close-ups that can sometimes look more like an abstract painting rather than a photograph. Christensen said some of them remind him of the Spacecraft Hubble.

"The public response from students and people at McHenry County College has been really positive," Lang said. "It was nice to see a lot more of his work and the range of what he's done with the series."

Epping is one of four galleries at the college and feature artists from all over the country, although many of the exhibitions feature students and faculty artists.

Christensen has been teaching photography at the college on and off since 2007. He said he felt it was something he was called to do at this time in his life. He likes working with students and learns from them as well.

He recalls his first camera was a Kodak Brownie when he was a child, although he never thought he'd make a career out of photography. Photography was so far from his mind that he enrolled in Southern Illinois University in 1972 for an associate's degree in commercial design and graphics. However, a visitor demonstrating a large-format camera during a two-week segment on photography changed Christensen's career plans instantly.

"I looked at that and said that's what I want to do. Viewing it for the first time kind of struck a chord with me," he said.

After earning his associate's, Christensen went on to earn his bachelor's degree in fine art photography and worked with a large-format camera for many years and experimented with all types of cameras and formats, including pinhole cameras. He earned his MFA in photography from the University of Notre Dame in 1978.

Right from the start Christensen didn't want to be penned in by any particular topic or composition. Even while in college he photographed nature and architecture, mainly because he said there were plenty of both around.

"One of the things that strikes me is I look back at my old work and compared to some of my new stuff and they're very similar," he said.

Much of his work is black and white because he said he didn't much care for traditional color photography. But that changed 15 years ago when he started experimenting with digital cameras.

"When digital came along, I fell in love with color photography," he said.

Today the large format camera is packed away and the darkroom has been converted into a storage area. All his work now is digital and almost all of his digital images are taken with basic point-and-shoot cameras.

Much of his work today involving nature is close-up photography shot on his outdoor balcony with natural light. Whether color or black and white, the images are crisp, clear and dramatic. He prefers to let the camera form the image and does very little editing on the computer.

Christensen prefers to allow the subject dictate how to compose the picture rather than controlling it himself. By keeping his thoughts out of the process, he feels the viewer can better get what they want out of the photographs.

His current work of stained glass came about three years ago at his niece's wedding. He was looking to focus on something new, as he does every so often, when he noticed light coming through the stained glass windows of the church.

"I walked over to it and started taking some close-ups with my digital camera," he said.

He can get as close to five eighths of an inch with the cameras he uses, which can fool the viewer into thinking the final product is an abstract painting. Christensen said he likes how the viewer will come up with their own interpretation of what the image means.

At first, people seemed confused by his new work as it was quite a departure from his images of flowers, leaves and architecture. But he has found an eager market for the abstract images of stained glass and has had his work featured in galleries and in the private collections of local corporations.

All of his work has at one time or another been featured in area gallery exhibitions, and he was the first photographer to exhibit digital works in a one-man show at the Chicago Botanical Gardens in 2000.

Today he works with corporate and individual clients while continuing to explore the unlimited possibilities with his digital cameras.

Christensen was born in Waukegan, grew up in Glenview and lived for 20 years in Grayslake before moving to McHenry four years ago.  

He's currently on the lookout for new subjects, feeling he may have captured enough mystery of stained glass for now.

The desire to explore new frontiers is the signature of a creative talent, and one that Christensen has an abundance of.

Christensen welcomes queries about his work and can be reached at (847) 331-0253, by e-mail at jim@jcimages.net, or through his website at www.jcimages.net.