“Belle” is an evocative exploration of the natural world and the feminine spirit. This solo exhibition by Diana Bloomfield brings together works that honour the connection between femininity and nature, portraying this relationship as both a reflection of nature’s grace and the indomitable force within it.
Photographer Diana Bloomfield is an acclaimed printer known for her extraordinary skill in historical alternative photographic processes. Her work is distinguished not only by its visual beauty but also by the technical mastery that underpins it. These methods require meticulous attention to detail and an intimate understanding of the materials, resulting in images of unparalleled depth and subtlety that is almost painterly. Bloomfield’s work is characterized by its dreamlike quality, often rendered in soft, glowing warm tones, evoking a sense of timelessness, capturing moments of quiet strength and introspection. Through her use of vintage photographic and printing techniques, Bloomfield bridges the past and present, creating works that resonate with both historical depth and contemporary relevance. The exhibition opens with “Entrance,” an image that depicts a woman standing at the end of a long dark hallway, her arms outstretched as if she is preparing to step into the unknown. This composition symbolizes a passage into a secret garden of potential. Bloomfield’s nature photographs capture the quiet yet powerful beauty of natural elements. Magnolias, with their majestic blooms, symbolize grace, and enduring resilience. Dahlias, known for their vibrant and intricate petals, represent creativity and growth. Hydrangeas, with their clusters of delicate blooms, reflect the multifaceted nature of the female spirit. Whelk shells, with their intricate spirals and natural elegance, highlight the beauty found in natural patterns and forms. Dried milkweed pods, with their sculptural, weathered appearance, symbolize the dignity and freedom. The exhibition concludes with the final photograph, “Light Dancer” where the same woman is captured dancing in the same hallway. This closing image embodies a sense of liberation. “Belle” invites viewers to see beauty not just as an aesthetic quality but as a vital, living force that sustains, nurtures, and empowers.
-
Books as Sculpture
Created by Diana Bloomfield
-
ABOUT DIANA BLOOMFIELD
An exhibiting photographer for nearly 40 years, Diana Bloomfield has received numerous awards for her images, including a 1985 New Jersey State Visual Arts Fellowship, and five Regional Artist Grants and a 2019/20 Professional Development Grant, from the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, North Carolina.
Most recently, she was also awarded a fully funded 2023 Artist Support Grant from the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County. She was named a Photolucida Critical Mass Finalist in 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2022. In August of 2021, Diana was honored with Rfotofolio's 2021 Denis Roussel Award, juried by Christopher James.
Specializing in 19th century printing techniques, Diana's work has been included in a number of books, including Pinhole Photography: Rediscovering a Historic Technique (2004), by Eric Renner; in Robert Hirsch's Exploring Color Photography Fifth & Sixth Editions: From Film to Pixels (2011; 2015); in Jill Enfield's Guide to Photographic Alternative Processes : Popular Historical and Contemporary Techniques (1st & 2nd Editions); in Christopher James' The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes (2015); in #NoFilter, by Natalia Price-Cabrera, (2019); in Jean-Charles Trebbi's l'art du livre origami, published in 2021; and, most recently, in Morgan Post's Alternative Process Photography for the Contemporary Photographer (2022). She is a featured artist in Christina Z. Anderson's Gum Printing: A Step-by-Step Manual, Highlighting Artists and their Creative Practice (2017); in Clay Harmon's Polymer Photogravure: A Step-by-Step Manual, Highlighting Artists & their Creative Practice (2019); and in Cyanotype Toning: Using Botanicals to Tone Blueprints Naturally (September 2021), by Annette Golaz.
In addition to having her work included in The Sun Magazine(including a front cover image), and the North Carolina Literary Review, Diana's art has been featured in the Pinhole Journal; The World Journal of Post-Factory Photography; Shadow & Light (including front cover image); Analog Forever Magazine; Dodho Photography Magazine; Silvershotz(including front cover image); in the print journal, SilvergrainClassics (2021); and, most recently, in B+W Photography Magazine (UK)Issue 260- including the front cover image.
As an independent curator, Diana has organized and curated several pinhole and alternative process exhibitions, including "Pure Light: Southern Pinhole Photography," shown at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), in Winston-Salem, NC in 2004. And the exhibit,"Old is New Again: Alternative Processes," which was originally shown at the Green Hill Center for NC Art, in Greensboro, NC, was invited for exhibition at the 2004 Pingyao International Photography Festival, in Pingyao, China. She was also an invited artist to the first Qinghai International Photography Festival, in Xining, China, where she exhibited in the summer of 2006. More recently, Diana has shown her work in Nanjing, China, and at the Lishui Photography Festival, via the HLiiC Gallery, located in Nanjing.
Her art is in a number of public and private collections, including the Norton Museum of Art, located in West Palm Beach, Florida; The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein, in Bronx, New York; New Mexico History Museum/ Palace of the Governors, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and North Carolina State University’s Gregg Museum of Art & Design, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
A native North Carolinian, Diana lives and works in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she received her MA in English Literature and Creative Writing from North Carolina State University. She teaches photography workshops throughout the country, and in her beautiful backyard studio.
"For many years now, I have worked in various historic 19th century photographic printing techniques. I concentrate mostly on gum bichromate; platinum/palladium; and cyanotype. All are hand-applied contact printing processes, exposed only by UV light. Each image is unique, one-of-a-kind, and hand-brushed on watercolour paper."
-Diana BloomfieldPRESS LINKS:
https://www.thecardinalgallery.ca/artists/49-diana-bloomfield/press/
https://www.dodho.com/the-midway-by-diana-bloomfield/
https://www.dodho.com/tickets-to-dreamland-statement-by-diana-h-bloomfield/
https://www.dodho.com/southbound-by-diana-bloomfield/
https://www.dodho.com/the-old-garden-by-diana-bloomfield/
https://rfotofolio.org/2021/08/22/diana-bloomfield-2021-denis-roussel-award-recipient/
https://www.panopticongallery.com/alchemists/
https://www.panopticongallery.com/alchemists/
https://rfotofolio.org/2019/06/26/where-we-work-diana-bloomfield-2/
https://rfotofolio.org/2014/10/21/the-imagery-of-photographer-diana-bloomfield-2/
http://internationalphotomag.com/amy-friend-and-diana-h-bloomfield-alchemists/
