statement

Artist Statement about entries 2 and 3 which are from my "Inside the Gate" body of work:
Is beauty an objective property, or merely subjective? Is it possible to capture what we sense in our surroundings? I am drawn to the tree by its form, size and setting. In this work, I select and emphasize the individual tree; my intention is to open "a gate" and inspire the viewer to listen and explore.  By calling the series Inside the Gate, I evoke the realm between the profane and the sacred, a transcendental passage into a new life.  Like the mystic of nature, John Muir, I believe in the interrelatedness of all things and in the humanness of the landscape.  

I grew up on my grandfather's farm in northern Ohio where I helped in the fields and with the livestock.  My grandfather's farming and my grandmother's gardening gave me an appreciation of the natural world, and my photography augments those early interests.  One of my earliest memories is walking with my grandfather down the back lane to visit the newly planted cornfields.  He took out his pocketknife and gently scraped away a few inches of soil to find and examine the corn seed for signs of germination.  When we returned together to the field weeks later, I experienced an unforgettable lesson of the cycle of nature.

My other grandfather took me into the woods to hunt and onto the lake to fish.  Solitary hours in the fields, woods, and on the lake provided ample opportunity to ponder all that my senses took in.  The ordered beauty of crop rows and the concentric ripples on water's surface made an impression.  Coupled with a religious upbringing, I came to embrace the notion of a universe created and sustained by a supreme being.  A degree in physics fueled my inquisitive nature, and reinforced my astonishment at the intricacies of life and the physical processes that drive our universe.

The digital camera captures, but the creative assembly is the exciting part for me.  Sometimes my heart quickens with anticipation, and then there it is another tree for the collection, another window into creation.  To preserve such a moment is why I photograph.  To record and then share my personal relationship with the moment drives my desire to produce art.  At times it may be an unspeakable sense of otherworldly magnificence; at times it is a foreboding sense of risk.  Either way, in making images, I hope to communicate my fears and wonders.

Artist statement about entry 4 which is from my "Spectral" body of work:
These images are a symbolic representation of the physical and spiritual embodiment of humanity. My mother collected these objects during her lifetime of travel. They are reminders of both cultural differences and alternate realities.

To capture what we see on the outside of a person, a camera records reflected visible light as an image on film or on a digital camera sensor. To the seeing individual, this is often the first and immediate understanding of who somebody is: what they look like; what their substance is.   

Instantly our preconceived notions and prejudices are applied, an opinion is formed, and we have a first basis for interaction. Yet we often find that our first visual impressions can be misleading. When we interact with people, ask them questions, listen to what they say is important to them, we believe we know them better. We have a sense of who they are "on the inside." That which is unseen is now seen.

In a symbolic way, these images reveal both visible and invisible attributes by the synthesis of different imaging techniques. That which is unseen is uncovered by the penetrating, high energy x-rays delivered by a linear accelerator on film. When reflected light is added, the object, seen from both within and without, appears to come alive. They then represent the full nature of humanity body, soul and spirit.  

General Artist Statement:

Is beauty an objective property, or merely subjective? Is it possible to capture what we sense in our surroundings?

I grew up on my grandfather's farm in northern Ohio where I helped in the fields and with the livestock. My other grandfather took me into the woods to hunt and onto the lake to fish. Solitary hours in the fields, woods, and on the lake provided ample opportunity to ponder all that my senses took in. The ordered beauty of crop rows and the concentric ripples on water's surface made an impression. Coupled with a religious upbringing, I came to embrace the notion of a universe created and sustained by a supreme being. A degree in physics fueled my inquisitive nature, and reinforced my astonishment at the intricacies of life and the physical processes that drive our universe.

To preserve a moment is why I photograph. To record and then share my personal relationship with the moment drives my desire to produce art. At times it may be an unspeakable sense of otherworldly magnificence, at times it is a foreboding sense of risk. Either way, in making images, I hope to communicate my fears and wonders.

bio

born: 1955, Decatur, Indiana

education

University of Cincinnati, 1978
Ohio Northern University, 1977

selected publications

Diffusion-Unconventional Photography, The Muse Showcase, volume IV, 2012

selected solo or two-person exhibits

Fitton Center for Creative Arts, Treeline, Hamilton, OH, 2011
Iris, Radiance: Photographs by Kent Krugh, Cincinnati, OH, 2011

selected group shows

MPLS Photo Center, The Portrait: Up Close and Personal, Minneapolis, MN, 2012
Houston Community College Central Art Gallery, Evolutionaries: Art and Healing, Houston, TX
Louisville Visual Art Association, Water Tower Regional, Louisville, KY, 2011
Atlanta Photography Group, Portfolio Show, Atlanta, GA, 2010