Through the Lens: Renae Edge

Renae — lifelong friend, creative goddess, photographer extraordinaire — has an opening tonight for another gallery show, at Newport's Island Arts Center, a show curated by someone smart enough to select three of her photographs. It will be a spectacular night in Newport, one I’m sorry I’ll miss.

Through the Lens: Contemporary Photography is an intimate survey of the recent work of eleven photographers from the United States and Canada. Selected by award-winning photographer and Rhode Island School of Design Professor Steve Smith, the exhibition is a snapshot of current photographic trends, including pictorial, conceptual, and photojournalistic approaches.

Eleven photographers are included in the exhibition … but it was one of Renae’s photographs selected for the invitation and the Web site. Yes, my girl has arrived.

Here are the photographs included in the Rhode Island show (which runs through August 25):

This is the photo used on the invitation.

Renae's Statement:

The Ribbon Series is shot as light and wind pass through curtains of grosgrain ribbons suspended as walls for a ceremonial tea house, resulting in what appear to be quiet landscapes of varying levels of abstraction. In printing I do little to no manipulation as I want the richness of the colors to be true to what I experienced while shooting.

The images chosen for this series are ones that allow me to remain comfortable in the suspension between the push to create a nameable place and the pull of simply enjoying the beauty of color and light. Because the images have no reference to actual landmarks or identifying features, the audience may create the reality of a landscape in their own mind, using their own references to places they have visited or imagined, making the experience with the work a personal one.

Two summers ago, Renae started thinking about getting back into photography. Last summer, she shot the Ribbon Series. This year, her work has been included in six — yes, six — exhibitions, and she had her first one-woman show last fall.

Renae has another piece in a gallery show in Reston, which I’ll see this weekend while I'm in D.C. I’ll write about that show after I’ve seen it.

Her friend Tami recently sent her a quote, which Renae forwarded to me. It defines this phase of our lives.

Remember, the longer it takes for a dream to make itself manifest, the more comfortable you'll feel owning your talent. (Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance)

Renae definitely owns her talent. I'm so proud of her. She inspires me every day.

I’ve loved* this woman for forty years. We stayed children as long as we could, playing in the creek, imaginations running wild. We watched each other grow from geeky to groovy, introverted to extroverted. Renae brought art into my world, from being in her poster- and artbook-filled home every day, to her taking the time to find art history books and tab the important pages for me to study, to wandering through museums and galleries. She was born to create, and now she is.

For more information on Renae’s work — and the opportunity to purchase some beautiful artwork before she explodes on the art scene and her prices skyrocket — go to RenaeEdge.com.

*To hell with the Cup Challenge. There is no better word to describe my feelings for Renae.