BOB JOHNSTON MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW

I bet you didn’t know that there’s a quality art competition going on during January’s First Friday. Shame on you. Well, I suppose I’ll leave the shame out of this, because considering this takes place on New Year’s Day, I’m sure you’ll have had your fill of shame the night before. With its kick off taking place January 1st, the Cooperative Gallery and the Two Rivers Photography Club are co-sponsoring a juried quality photography competition in memory of Bob Johnston, a talented artist and chemist, and founder of the gallery now run by his daughter Peg Johnston. It’s the fifth year of the annual tradition at the gallery and one that is committed to providing quality art that is more artistic than commercial, and more educative than competitive.

We all know and love the co-op. But what you might not know about is the Two Rivers Photography Club, formerly the Roberson Photo Club. The original club was founded in 1958, and the current club still honors its original founders Don and Betty Burgess. Much of what makes the club amazing is its focus on photo education. It provides its members with classes, field trips, seminars, and offers them the chance to show their work to the community in competitions, like the Bob Johnston Photo Competition.

Geoff Gould, who is spearheading this year’s event in collaboration between the two groups, explains “I love the mix of artistic creativity and technical talent, because the photos are both beautiful, but they are very well done.”

In part, that is due to the club’s member participation. Since there are no limits on subjects, topics, or styles of photography, talented artists from around the state have also contributed greatly to the event. Historically, Gould says many of the accepted works have been about nature, although last year’s best in show, a photo by Rick Ricciardi, entitled “Toast!”, was taken in Elsie’s, a classic diner local to downtown Binghamton. Other winning works include those by Sandra Kirker, Don Griffin, Larry Lefferts, Jean Stout, Carol Saggese, and many more.

This year the competition will be juried by returning judge Jim Johnston, who, despite his name, is not related to Bob Johnston or his daughter. What sets the juried aspect of the show apart from those in other similar competitions is that in addition to deciding its top five winners and ten honorable mentions on opening night, the judge provides the artists and those in attendance with an explanation of the criteria used for each winning piece. Speaking from experience, this tradition is very unique. In fact, the co-op has held quality events like these that are also subtly educational for as long as it has been open, which is why knowing it’s in conjunction with the Two Rivers Photography Club should be doubly exciting. Aspiring photographers take note.

Since I know you’ll have nothing better to do on January 1st than nurse your hangover or contemplate whatever impossible resolutions you’ve set for yourself, get yourself down to the cooperative show. You’ll be impressed. If you don’t have time that day, the show will be up until January 23rd, so there is plenty of time. The opening reception starts at 6:30pm, but you can go to the gallery early, starting at 3pm or stay late until 9pm.

For more info, check out cooperativegallery.com.