Update from Quarantine
It seems like eons since the last news update on January 1st of 2020, and in many ways it has been.
First and foremost, my heart goes out to everyone who has been seriously affected by the multitude of crises affecting us here in the United States and abroad. As of this writing I want to particularly mention our beloved West Coast; historic fires are destroying so much and endangering so many with no clear end in sight.
Covid 19, economic crises, social unrest, political chaos and climate change are affecting us daily, and I find it very difficult to turn away from the news. While we have been sheltering in place, wearing masks and radically altering our lives, my family and I have been incredibly blessed with good health, plenty of food, and safe housing.
However, despite the craziness the Studio has been humming along, and there is some great news to report on Facing Ourselves and also my new fundraising project, “Allies”.
At the end of March, 2020 our beloved “Juanita” was featured in Gathering - a beautiful online exhibition curated by photographer/curator/writer Amy Parrish. https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/521261/gathering
In April Facing Ourselves had a gorgeous feature on the Social Documentary Network, “a community that has a passion for using photography to educate the world about the world.” Special thanks to Glenn Ruga and the incredible work they are doing to highlight social justice documentary projects worldwide. https://socialdocumentary.net/exhibit/Patricia_Houghton_Clarke/4937
At the end of June, 2020 Juanita traveled again, this time to Carmel, California, to take part in the Center for Photographic Arts Members Exhibition. She was in exceptionally good company there: https://photography.org/event/members-2020-juried-exhibition/ Special thanks to Ann Jastrab, executive director of CPA, and Laura Sackett, creative director and co-founder of LensCulture, who looked at more than 1500 images and made a selection of just 90 photographs.
This summer I was especially touched to have Facing Ourselves: In the Time of Corona included in SxSE Photomagazine’s Election 2020 series this year. Billy Howard’s thoughtful and incisive essay honored the work in a way that is rare. Thank you so much to Billy and to Nancy McCrary of SXSE for your passion and dedication to our world, visual and otherwise. https://www.buildsxsemagazine.com/2020/06/election-2020-curated-by-billy-howard-patricia-houghton-clarke-facing-ourselves-in-the-time-of-corona/
Watch this space for our upcoming announcement of “Allies,” a new book of portrait photography from Black Lives Matter protests in Santa Barbara, California. Proceeds to benefit the ACLU.
Stay safe. Vote. Love each other.
Patricia, 9/12/20
