Bernardsville Public Library: “Three Women Photographers/Three Visions”

Bernardsville Library is pleased to present “Three Women Photographers/Three Visions,” an exhibition of photographs by Nancy Beckerman, Lane Lewis and Jann Slapin. The exhibition will be on view during the month of June.

The three photographers met at the personal projects class of Don Polzo at the Visual Arts Center in Summit. In the class, they work to define how to use photography to see their different worlds. Ms. Beckerman’s photographs tend toward abstraction; Ms. Lewis concentrates on landscapes; and Ms. Slapin creates images of multiple subjects.

Nancy Beckerman, who lives in Mendham, creates photographic images that capture the experience of being in the setting, as opposed to depicting the reality of the scene. “One can learn from this technique that beauty presents itself in many forms and can be viewed and appreciated for what it suggests as well as what is readily apparent,” she says, "In many ways my evolution as a photographer has paralleled my work as a psychotherapist for over thirty years. As I view the world and the people in it, I'm always paying attention to what lies beneath the surface. In this way, I hope to reveal dimension in the photographic image, and to support the people with whom I work in developing a deeper understanding and knowledge of themselves."

Ms. Beckerman began her studies in photography with Dennis Simonetti, Master Photographer Instructor at the New School for Social Research. Rameshwar Das, a writer and photographer from Long Island, New York, taught her about the broad range of possibilities in environmental photography. Her focus on landscape was also inspired by Kathryn Szoka, a commercial and fine art photographer from Sag Harbor, New York. She currently studies with Don Polzo, Digital Media Coordinator and Instructor, at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.

For the past 40 years, Lane Billings Lewis has been drawn to the beauty of landscapes, oceans, and countless natural settings, predominantly of the American Northeast. Although Ms. Lewis is mostly self-taught, she has recently worked with Don Polzo at the New Jersey Visual Arts Center, Eddie Soloway, at the Maine Media Workshops and Chip Forelli. Her work has been shown in many international shows and received awards. It is highly sought after for private collections.

“My photography has been influenced by my early years of riding my horses across the beautiful countryside,” said Ms. Lewis. I recall early mornings, riding through the woods and observing all the beautiful trees, inhaling the wonderful smells and watching the magical lights, and then leaving the woods behind, and emerging into an open meadow, filled with wild flowers and tall grasses.” Ms. Lewis, now a resident of Peapack Gladstone, grew up in New Jersey and Bermuda. She attended the Gill School in Bernardsville and Syracuse University. Her images in the exhibit are mostly from surrounding areas in New Jersey.

Jann Slapin, who lives in Basking Ridge, studied at Pratt Institute graduating in 1971 as a photographer and printmaker. After graduation, she went into public school art teaching for many years, married and had a family. “All during those years, I always did some photography, but it was only recently, when I retired, that I decided it was time to take my photography seriously and really learn the digital world,” she said, “It is amazing and I am having a wonderful experience becoming an artist and photographer again! I find the digital photography world extremely creative and exciting.”

The show will be on view in the library’s Community Room during regular library hours unless a meeting is in progress. The three photographers will host a "Meet and Greet" at the library on Monday, June 18 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. For further information, please call the library at 908-766-0118.