“Creativity is where you make it; it’s where you are. You don’t have to be in New York, Chicago or LA. The creative need or drive carries you anywhere.” These are the words of Glenn Hall, the artist/photographer who calls Paducah home.
Glenn was born and raised in Paducah in the 1960’s. He moved away after high school to attend college. He has lived in big cities and has assembled an impressive portfolio that includes photographs of past Presidents and country music icons. Today, Glenn continues his work from the comfort of his downtown Paducah studio.
“Once you realize you can do what you want to do anywhere, you make it work,”
“I’ve been to and worked in the big city. I’ve been to the show, so to speak. You don’t have to live your life chasing that. You can make things happen where you are. Use what you have. Use where you are. I hope more people will Partake in Paducah.”
Steel Blue Chair: An Exhibition of Portraits
Saturday, March 31, 2018, Glenn’s portrait project “Steel Blue Chair: An Exhibition of Portraits” will be on display from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Studio Mars located at 418 North 7th Street in downtown Paducah.
This series of portraits was borne out of Glenn’s move to a new studio space. Several floor-to-ceiling windows offered an abundance of natural light that changed with the time of day and the weather. Each session, then, differed in color temperature, softness, and tone, while isolating the subjects against a dark grey background created a visual sense of empowerment.
A chairs function is not to provide just a place to sit. It is to provide a medium for self-expression. Chairs are about status or signaling something about oneself. – Evan Davis
The steel blue chair was the starting point and constant for each portrait, but the individual subjects all interacted with this object in a way unique to them. All brought something positive and inspiring to the shoot, with each session creating a short-lived intimacy between subject and photographer. This intimacy can only exist at the exact moment the shutter opens and closes, and the capturing of these deeply personal moments offers a wide range of feelings and interpretations for you, the viewer.
Glenn would like to extend his sincere thanks to everyone involved in the ongoing sessions that made this special show possible.
