About
Bob Bennett grew up in Maine and New Hampshire, graduated from St Paul's School in Concord, N.H., in 1969... and then spent 20+ years in the Washington, D.C. area, before moving to California in 1992.
He's been an advertising art director ('76-'81), and was working as a freelance architectural photographer ('81-'91), when he opened the pandora's box of photomontage in the early '80's.
Since then, his work has been seen in a number of national publications, both 'on assignment' and as 'stock', and in galleries and competitive exhibits on both coasts.
He currently divides his time between shooting film, gathering pixels, & photomontage printing (still done exclusively in a simple 'traditional'/chemical darkroom),
...and various digital work - including digital photo-illustration & montage, web graphics development, and high-end digital printing - in Marin County, CA.
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STATEMENT
I work in a very simple, traditional darkroom - One enlarger, four trays, and a collection of hand tools made from things you can buy at any art supply, or hardware store.
I think it was Robert Rauschenberg (correct me, someone/anyone, if my attribution is wrong) who said it best - "It starts by YOU telling the picture what it will be -- in the end, THE PICTURE tells you what IT will be...".
I feel like I take that approach..... Not through any 'great design', or dogmatic adherence, ... it's just the way that 'comes naturally'.... and that is all I am interested in.
I collect negatives by taking myself, and simple camera, to places I love - the California coast, and desert - and start walking,
and .. "things happen".
I spend a lot of time with my proof sheets, and in a small room, under a dim red bulb. I'm obviously interested in things metaphysical - beyond that, it's up to the viewer to decide what's going on. ( If I haven't figured them out yet, (and I haven't, not really), why should I presume to explain them to anyone else?) Many of the pictures just seem to 'happen', because the individual negatives are 'looking' for each other. I'm just a chaperone, and a really loose one at that......
(...But those were always the best kind of parties, right? )
BB
Works
