By Jonathan Burger, Craven Arts Council & Gallery, Inc.
Where are you from and what’s your connection to eastern North Carolina?
I was born in Kinston, NC and lived there until age 3. I then lived in Farmville from ages 4 to 12 before moving back to Kinston. I graduated from ECU with a Business Degree in 1979. After college, I lived in Wilmington for about 10 years. I have also lived in New Bern for about a year and in Tarboro for several years. I currently live on a family farm between Williamston and Washington. So, I consider all of eastern North Carolina my home.
Do you have any formal training in the arts, or are you self-taught, or a combination?
I had a few photography classes in college but I am mostly self-taught.
Does your work have a central theme, or several themes?
My exhibit Passage East highlights the wonderful people, beautiful places and interesting things located in eastern NC that I have encountered while passing through my life.
Do you use film photography, digital photography, or a combination of both?
Years ago, film. Currently 100% digital.
As a photographer, you must spend a lot of time finding your shots. What’s the process look like, and how do you find them?
My subjects are mostly found while traveling the back roads east of I95 and interacting with the locals.
Who is another artist whose work you admire or inspires you?
Ansel Adams
What one piece, award, or exhibition are you particularly proud of, and why?
My favorite image is The Baiting which was created of a fisherman on the shore of the Roanoke River near my home in Williamston. The composition was spontaneous and unposed. The image has won numerous awards.
What advice do you have for new artists or people wanting to get into the arts?
Practice and refined your skills and discover your strengths. Think outside of the box. Look at the world and find things that others don’t see. Then express what you see in a way that pleases you first before others.
In one sentence, what is art to you?
Art is the physical return of creative input and self-expression.
I know you’ll have an exhibition at Bank of the Arts for August, but where else can people find your work?
Makers Art Gallery – Washington NC
Dare Arts Council – Manteo NC
Jenningsmitchellphotography.com