On Thursday November 16th, the City of Puyallup will host a reception for photographer James Martinson, the artist currently featured in “City Gallery” on the fifth floor of City Hall. Martinson’s work consists of dramatic shots of street photography and colorful images of landscapes and travel, variously printed on canvas, paper or metal.
In his thirty years’ work as a photographer, Martinson has evolved from portraits and macro images to urban street photography. Martinson’s interest in street photography began when he worked in Seattle. On his lunch breaks, he would employ his camera to capture the surrounding urban environment in unique ways.
Sometimes confused with photojournalism, street photography differs in that it is not obligated to illustrate or tell a story. It has no rules and its only objective is to capture a moment in pure imagery.
While Martinson still enjoys photographing a well-framed sunset, he believes that true creativity cannot exist with imposed limits. Although street photography doesn’t yield wide attention or quick fame, his remains true to his philosophy that “Swimming against the current makes you stronger.”
City Gallery is free and open to the public during regular business hours. The gallery is curated by Arts Downtown, a local organization dedicated to supporting and promoting local artists with the vision of making art an essential part of the Puyallup community. City Gallery offers both established and new or emerging artists a place in which to showcase their work.
Event details:
Thursday, November 16th
5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
5th Floor Puyallup City Hall
333 S. Meridian