• blog
  • in the shadow of sun mountain
  • buy my books
  • photographs
  • paintings
  • bio
  • cv
  • contact
  • search
Menu

Studio Q Photography

Exploring Human Behavior and Death Anxiety Through Art
  • blog
  • in the shadow of sun mountain
  • buy my books
  • photographs
  • paintings
  • bio
  • cv
  • contact
  • search
×

“Death (The Smell of Death Surrounds You),” 3.75” x 5” acrylic, charcoal, and newsprint (mixed media) on paper. This is a memorial painting for my father and brother (Stanton Sr. and Stanton Jr.), who both died in 2023 (August/September). I’m sending it to a childhood friend in California who knew both of them well. I hope he likes it.

From (Straight) Photography to Abstract Painting

Quinn Jacobson February 10, 2024

I’ve had some interesting discussions lately about my departure from making photographs. I suppose it was a bit surprising for the people who don’t know me very well to see me posting paintings and not photographic prints. I’d say for the ones that know me better, it's not so surprising.

How and why did I move in this direction? I have to start out by saying this wasn’t an accident, not in the traditional sense anyway. I’ve been (slowly) moving in this direction for at least two years, even longer if I step back farther. Also, when winter hits here in the mountains, my darkroom and studio are shut down (off-the-grid). I decided to paint and write this winter, and that’s what I’ve been doing.

After decades in photography, I needed to explore something more personal and expressive. I would even say painting is more liberating in a lot of ways than photography. I love photography; I will always make photographs, but this project, as well as my need for deeper, more personal creativity, needed something different and something beyond photography (realism or straight representational work).

What is abstract art? I define it as something in the real world that is reduced to it’s minimal parts. Usually bright or non-traditional colors and even distorted shapes. I’ve talked about non-objective or non-representational abstract work before; this is the same idea only using shapes, lines, and colors that are not representational of anything in the real world. I’m interested in both. The interesting rock formations I live near or even the cracks in the dirt paths and roads I travel on—all things that exist in the real world—can inspire me at times. And other times, I’m more interested in non-objective or non-representational work. I call it “psychological abstracts.” Paintings that come from the unconscious or subconscious mind. The unconscious and subconscious are two different phenomena. The unconscious is a process that happens automatically and is not available for introspection. The subconscious is part of our consciousness process that is not actively in focal awareness. These areas are where Becker focused his attention and his theories about existential terror. I’m a bit preoccupied with these ideas and like to see how painting reveals them. Something photography can’t really do.

My latest project, “In the Shadow of Sun Mountain: The Psychology of Othering and the Origins of Evil,” led me to break out the paint and brushes. It was not only the physical attributes but, moreover, the psychological impact of making paintings about our subconscious in relation to existential dread or terror. That’s probably the biggest reason for the direction I’m working in now. I find it both fascinating and powerful to create art from a place that most of us rarely think about. I like to experience a painting reveal itself to me with every brush stroke, mark, or application of paint. It is very empowering and satisfying for me.

After almost 40 years of making photographs and working in all of the mediums, variants, and formats, I simply wanted to explore something more personal. less mechanical and intimate. Painting answered that desire in a profound way. I can say with some certainty that painting will always be involved in my creative process. I really like the combination of the representational idea of photography and abstract painting.

In Acrylic Painting, Abstract Impressionism, Art & Theory Tags acrylic painting, art theory, photography to painting
Comment

“Five Figures and Their Ghosts,” 9” x 9” (22,86 x 22,86cm) Acrylic painting, November 18, 2023

Lyrics Versus Music

Quinn Jacobson November 20, 2023

The weather has been so beautiful here. Jeanne and I have been able to do our 2.5- to 3-mile walk around the mesa every day for the past six weeks without missing a day! And most of the time, we wear shorts and t-shirts! Unbelievable! I know it will change soon, but I have been so grateful for the last 6 weeks and the beautiful weather we’ve had.

Most of the time, I listen to music on our walks. The other day, I was thinking about why I like music so much. I got thinking about the two dimensions, at least, of what I consider a good or great song. Do I like the lyrics, the music, or both?

As I pondered this question, I realized that it was a great metaphor for art in general. I would consider the lyrics of a song the “narrative” and the music the “aesthetics.” In other words, translating into a two-dimensional or three-dimensional piece of work (photograph, painting, sculpture, etcetera), the story would be the meaning behind the piece, and the “music” would be the visual appeal of the piece.

Most people are attracted to the visual, or the “music” of two-dimensional or three-dimensional pieces of work. It seems the narrative is sometimes difficult to understand or too large of an investment. I think back to when I bought Rush’s album, “2112.” It was released in 1976 as a concept album. Ask the young people today if they even know what that is; most won’t. I still listen to it and really enjoy the “story” that connects all of the songs. I don’t listen to any mainstream pop music. I like the old stuff or the newer (unknown) less popular music today. It’s all subjective, right? People like what they like for a number of different reasons.

So, the bottom line is: Do you like the lyrics? Do you like the music? Or do you like both? And what about instrumentals? It’s interesting to think about, and it provides a really solid connection to how to think about visual art.

In Acrylic Painting, Art & Theory Tags Lyrics and music, art theory, painting
Comment

“Fern, Antlers, and Daisies,” 10” x 10” (25,4 x 25,4 cm) RA-4 Reversal Direct Color print June 26, 2023, matted with a whole plate opening

I always seem to see connections in shapes when I’m making images. The ferns are coming out everywhere here on the mountain and look like antlers hanging from their stocks. For me, glass has always represented fragility. Drop it or bump it, and it can break or shatter with very little force. And every time I see an antler, I’m reminded of Peter Zapffe’s story about the Giant Elk and consciousness. A brilliant analogy of the human condition.

Emerging Answers About Art: Wonder, Serenity, and Non-Comforting

Quinn Jacobson June 26, 2023

The title of this essay sounds contradictory, but it’s not. There are several pieces to the puzzle we call art; these are just a few more to ponder. It may seem like a case of cognitive dissonance, but it’s not. You can hold all of these ideas about art in your head at the same time and have them make sense. That’s the lesson I’ve learned. It’s not about entertainment. It’s about a long, solid journey of growth and a desire to understand yourself and your place in the world. The personal narrative is where art is born.

For over 30 years, I’ve been pursuing visual art with passion and vigilance. I’ve always had the desire to unpack what it is, what it means, and the best way to approach making it. While I use labels, I’m not really a fan of them. For me, it’s the best way I can contextualize and address something, comment on something, or answer something. Art defies labels and words in a lot of ways. And it should; that makes complete sense to me. It has its own language, its own context, so to speak. It’s the creator of the art that needs labels, and words always seem to fall short.

“The justification of art is the internal combustion it ignites in the hearts of men and not its shallow, externalized, public manifestations. The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.”
— Glenn Gould

While I’m not an expert, nor would I consider myself any kind of “master” regarding the creation of art, I’ve spent over three decades studying and working in art. It’s taught me a lot. In those three decades, I spent seven years completing both an undergraduate and graduate degree in art. The academics helped me organize and conceptualize my narratives. My undergraduate degree gave me a foundation not only in art photography but in several disciplines. I studied science, social psychology, social science, history, and language. My graduate degree was more focused but still involved a lot of other disciplines. I owe a lot to my education. I’m grateful to have it. I know there is a growing sentiment that higher education is a waste of time and money today. It wasn’t for me. I enjoyed all of it, and it played a big role in who I am today and how I approach life.

I’m beginning to realize, as I unfold all of these ideas in my book (In the Shadow of Sun Mountain: The Psychology of Othering and the Origins of Evil), that I’m learning about a deeper, more meaningful way to make art. That depth also applies to how I think about art; what it is, it's purpose, etc. Without employing other disciplines, such as history, psychology, anthropology, theology, etc., it wouldn’t complete the ideas and theories I’m addressing. The Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould said, "The justification of art is the internal combustion it ignites in the hearts of men and not its shallow, externalized, public manifestations. The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity." I couldn’t agree more.

When I read this statement for the first time, I was so moved by it. He articulated what I’ve felt for a long time. He said it’s a “lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.” Wonder is a feeling of surprise mixed with admiration brought on by something beautiful, unexpected, foreign, or mysterious. And serenity is a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

Gould argues that art should contribute to the ongoing and gradual development of a profound sense of wonder and tranquility within individuals. Instead of providing momentary excitement, art should strive to create a lasting impact, fostering a sense of awe, curiosity, and inner peace that endures throughout one's life. It should help a person understand, at least in some part, their role in life.

His statement emphasizes that art's true value lies in its ability to deeply affect individuals, evoking powerful emotions and facilitating personal growth. He suggests that the purpose of art is not to provide temporary thrills but to contribute to a lifelong journey of experiencing wonder and serenity.

On the other side, I like what the American writer Joyce Carol Oates said: “My belief is that art should not be comforting; for comfort, we have mass entertainment and one another. Art should provoke, disturb, arouse our emotions, and expand our sympathies in directions we may not anticipate and may not even wish.” This is what I have always felt was true about the pursuit of art: to be socially active and, as Oates says, provocative in some way. Provocative doesn’t necessarily mean vulgar, sexual, or shocking, although it can be. For me, it’s about arousing a strong reaction. That can be accomplished in many ways. In my current work, I’m blending a dark historical event with some very life-affirming ideas that complement each other and tell a powerful story about the human condition.

“ My belief is that art should not be comforting; for comfort, we have mass entertainment and one another. Art should provoke, disturb, arouse our emotions, and expand our sympathies in directions we may not anticipate and may not even wish.”
— Joyce Carol Oates
In Art & Theory, Master of Fine Arts Degree, MFA, New Book 2023, Psychology, RA-4 Reversal Positive, Terror Management Theory, Wet Plate Collodion Instructional Videos, Shadow of Sun Mountain Tags wonder and serenity, glenn gould, art theory
2 Comments

“Rocky Mountain Meadow Barley"—a whole-plate photogenic drawing. The plant was laid directly on the photographic paper (silver nitrate on salted paper) and exposed to direct sunlight for a couple of minutes. Then it was washed and fixed. This process was first used by Henry Fox Talbot in England in the 1830s.

The concept of the plant making direct contact with the paper appeals to me. The most important concept is contact. This image's elegance gives rise to an intriguing story in my mind. The sunlight that gave life to the plant also created this image. The "hair" emerges when the seed is released. I think the simplicity is beautiful.

Meaning in a Meaningless World

Quinn Jacobson February 17, 2023

Peter Zapffe said, "Man is a tragic animal. Not because of his smallness, but because he is too well endowed. Man has longings and spiritual demands that reality cannot fulfill. We have expectations of a just and moral world. Man requires meaning in a meaningless world."

Like others, Zapffe was convinced that our consciousness was an evolutionary misstep. A mistake. To have a "surplus" of consciousness is too much for us to bear. We shrink from living and are afraid to die because of it. We don't necessarily fear death or dying, but rather the prospect of being forgotten—the consequences of dying. We fear impermanence and insignificance. That’s what’s unbearable to us; that’s what drives us to distractions, illusions, and denial.

Moreover, we find ourselves in a world that has no meaning. The only meaning is what we create for ourselves, and in the cosmic picture, it’s all meaningless. This idea is central to my work. This conflict creates anxiety that we need to buffer, and if we can’t buffer it, a lot of times it will manifest as anger or violence, and we will take it out on the person or people who are challenging our buffering mechanism (othering). In other words, if you challenge my worldview (my coping mechanism for death anxiety), I may lash out and want to convert you to my worldview or destroy you.

I’ve come to understand why I gravitate toward making art and having a creative life. Reading the works of the great thinkers and philosophers, it's clear to me what my attraction is to pursuing creativity versus other ways I could buffer my existential anxiety. Nietzsche said, "The truly serious task of art is to save the eye from gazing into the horrors of night and to deliver the subject by the healing balm of illusion from the spasms of the agitations of the will." That resonates deeply with me. My life has consisted of trying to unravel the problem of "othering" through art. Over the years, I’ve pulled on the threads of artists, thinkers, and philosophers before me (and those who are contemporary to me) and have used art to explore human behavior as well as buffer my own existential terror. I’m very aware of how I’ve intellectualized my impending death. Socrates claimed that the practice of philosophy in life is really a dress rehearsal for what comes in death: “… those who practice philosophy in the right way are in training for dying, and they fear death least of all men.”

When Nietzsche talks about the "truly serious task of art" being to save the eye from gazing into the horrors of night and deliver the subject from the spasms of the agitations of the will, he is speaking about the power of art to provide a form of psychological relief from existential terror.

Nietzsche believed that human existence was marked by suffering and that our awareness of this suffering could be overwhelming. In his view, the role of art was to provide a kind of escape from existential terror by creating a "healing balm of illusion" that would allow us to momentarily forget about our problems and experience a sense of peace and tranquility. I would add to that; I would argue that it allows the artist to transfer the anxiety to the work—to exercise it out of the mind, if you will. Peter Zapffe called this “sublimation”; he said it was rare but the best way to buffer anxiety. It’s rare because the majority of people choose not to have a creative life.

At the same time, Nietzsche recognized that the experience of art was not just about escaping from reality. He believed that great art had the power to transform our understanding of the world and to challenge our assumptions about what is real and what is possible.

In short, Nietzsche's comment about art's "serious task" shows how art has the power to both temporarily calm our existential terror and give our lives meaning—or at least an illusion of meaning and value.

In Art & Theory, Books, Death Anxiety, Denial of Death, Ernest Becker, Peter Zapffe, Pessimistic Philosophy, Philosophy, Photogenic Drawing, Psychology, Shadow of Sun Mountain Tags Peter Wessel Zapffe, Nietzsche, meaning, meaninglessness, meaningless, philosophy, pessimistic philosophy, art, art theory
Comment

A whole-plate palladiotype print from a dry collodion negative made at 9,000 feet (2,800 meters) above sea level, I call this “Stone Water Dish,” balancing in nature almost like a symbolic reference to life. To Indigenous peoples, all of earth's elements are valuable and important. However, rocks are considered to be the wisest of all Earth's elements! After all, rocks have been around the longest, for millions, if not billions, of years. Because rocks are so old and have many stories to tell, Indigenous peoples sometimes call the Earth's rocks “grandfathers.”

Are You Doing Too Much or Not Enough?

Quinn Jacobson February 2, 2023

I recently had a conversation with someone about the ubiquity and nature of photography. We talked about how a creative person working in photography can approach making meaningful and significant work and what effect all of these changes since its invention have had on the medium.

We discussed how technology has changed photography and the impact "commonness" has had on the craft—some call this the "democratization" of photography, which I think is a fair statement, but it's had a significant impact both times it's happened. It has altered how we perceive photographs (and their worth) and how creative people work with the medium. The first wave came in 1900 with the Kodak Brownie ("You Press the Button, We Do the Rest"), and the second came in the early 2000s with the advent of consumer-model digital cameras and iPhones (2007).

The conversation went on about different approaches to making art and why some are more effective than others. And we briefly touched on the AI (artificial intelligence) models creating "wet collodion" images from text prompts; there's not much to say about this topic in my opinion.

I’ll give you a brief overview of how the conversation unfolded.

There’s a balance to making art, specifically in photography. Using photography today can lead a person down a path of "thumb-twiddling," especially now with digital image making, which is instant and easy. It can happen with film or historic processes as well. The latter happens in a different way, but it has the same result: vagueness and meaninglessness.

What I mean is that you can meander aimlessly (and easily) into never making anything with substance or weight. You photograph anything and everything with no intention other than the hope that it appeals to someone, somewhere, or you copy what you’ve seen. You have nothing to say about it and nothing to connect it to (no purpose or a very vague purpose). It’s just there, on its own, with no defense and nothing to offer but what the viewer brings to it. It’s mechanical in the truest sense of the word. This is what Baudelaire warned us about so long ago. He was right; he’s always been right.

You can also fool yourself into thinking that you’re making deep, meaningful work when you’re not. The “art talk” in statements leaves the reader confused with what the vague or derivative work is intended to evoke—no one knows, not even the writer of the statement or maker of the images. The intention is to fool the viewer. The statement might read something like this: “Ever since I was a pre-adolescent, I have been fascinated by the endless, ephemeral oscillations of the mind. What starts out as contemplation soon becomes corrupted into a hegemony of defeat, leaving only a sense of unreality and the chance of a new understanding.” What?? This is why the layperson is turned off when it comes to art, artists, and galleries. If they could see how shallow and fake this stuff is, they might reconsider. No one ever talks about the emporor having no clothes; everyone seems to play along.

In essence, you hope the viewer will see something you didn't or understand something you don’t. You hope, through their life filters, they see "something" and make a connection with it. In reality, you’ve created nothing. You’ve expressed nothing. You’re not in control. You’re a machine that’s regurgitating photographs that you’ve seen before. Trying to gain self-esteem by riding the coattails of something that’s been done a thousand times—I know that plenty of people can write dissertations on the validity of this approach to making photographs; I’ve read a lot of them, but they've never justified the blind ambition and aimlessness of working in such a superficial, meaningless way. Never.

When people do this with historic processes or film photography, they concentrate on processes, techniques (process photography), and gear. It’s always about the process, technique, or gear—never about the content of the photograph or what it’s authentically connected to. In some cases, they may try to argue that it's related to something, but it's always vague (see statement above), and the process or gear takes precedence. We have social media to blame for a lot of this. The high "wow-factor" is what gets people to look and "like." And people are always up for learning something for free and then emulating or copying it if it’s popular enough. If they can commodify it, even better.

It seems we are constantly seeking outside validation for our work. We’re always trying to bolster our self-esteem. We want accolades, awards, "wins," and acknowledgement of our creative and technical skills. And we want other people to know what we’ve achieved. In essence, we want to rise above and be the "one in creation," as Becker said. We rarely, if ever, consider our own validation about what we’re doing and why. The existential anxiety would be minimized if we could understand the value of our work without seeking external validation—without hovering around narcissism and navel-gazing. I think this comes from gratitude: truly appreciating what you've made, the reasons you've made it, and the ability to understand its place in the world. Facing the reality of your life and why you do what you do—if we could stop the denying and self-deception, we could see a clear path to why we are the way we are.

That’s where we’re at. When I ask the question, "Are you doing too much or not enough?" The answer is "yes." If you’re doing this, you’re doing both too much and not enough. Too much influence from outside of you (social media, trends, etc.) and not enough self-examination and contemplation—authentically exploring what you’re passionate about and want to share—and forget the standards of success (social media popularity, money, articles, interviews); they are meaningless if you’re not really connected to the work.

The conversation ended with me conceding everything I was ranting about. In the end, it’s all meaningless, so I suppose one could make the argument that doing whatever distracts from reality or buffers the anxiety should be valid. It’s a coping mechanism. And if you pressed me, I would agree. Since none of it matters, it’s all valid, at least in the big picture (no pun intended). My point is that if you’re finding your buffer through "thumb-twiddling" digital work or photography gear and processes and you’re not hurting anyone, go for it! That’s how I ended the conversation. They understood what I meant.

After having this dialogue, I realized that it connected so beautifully to the work on death anxiety that I’ve been doing. It’s literally a metaphor for our lives. It describes how we need to create meaning and significance in order to live from day to day or even get up in the morning. Without meaning and significance or building self-esteem, we wither—we get depressed, we lose hope, and we fall into despair. This creation of meaning, in whatever form, is vital to our well-being.

And, unconsciously, we all know that what we do is meaningless—everything we do—but we just can’t face it. I know it sounds harsh and negative, but it’s the truth. This is what the Norwegian philosopher Peter Wessel Zapffe made clear about consciousness: the knowledge of our death and the impermanence and insignificance of life is a terrible burden to bear. Making art is used in what he calls "sublimation." It’s used as a distraction, or more accurately, as a transference object. Our existential anxiety is projected (transferred) onto the art. It makes so much sense to me. While I’m no different than anyone else, I do understand my predicament, or my paradoxical condition, if you will. Art allows me to intellectualize my impending death. In a lot of ways, it allows me to come to terms with it. Everything you just read here is sublimation, and everything I create is sublimation. I’m resolved to face that, and I think we would all be better off if everyone could do the same.

"If someone can prove me wrong and show me my mistake in any thought or action, I shall gladly change. I seek the truth, which never harmed anyone; the harm is to persist in one's own self-deception and ignorance." ~ Marcus Aurelius

In Art & Theory, Artist Statement, Death Anxiety, Denial of Death, Education, Philosophy, Project Wor\k, Writing Tags making art, using photography, art theory, Artist's Statement, what is art?
Comment

Search Posts

Archive Block
This is example content. Double-click here and select a page to create an index of your own content. Learn more
Post Archive
  • Photography
 

Featured Posts

Featured
May 4, 2025
Ocotillo
May 4, 2025
May 4, 2025
Apr 25, 2025
Thinking About Doctoral Studies and V.2 Automatic Fantastic
Apr 25, 2025
Apr 25, 2025
Apr 24, 2025
Automatic Fantastic
Apr 24, 2025
Apr 24, 2025
Apr 20, 2025
You're Neurotic: How Neurotic Are You?
Apr 20, 2025
Apr 20, 2025
Apr 17, 2025
What a 19th-Century Photograph Reveals About Power, Privilege and Violence in the American West
Apr 17, 2025
Apr 17, 2025
Mar 22, 2025
Update on My Book and Preparing for My Doctoral Studies (PhD Program)
Mar 22, 2025
Mar 22, 2025
Mar 7, 2025
Arundel Camera Club (Maryland) Talk
Mar 7, 2025
Mar 7, 2025
Feb 27, 2025
We Lost Moshe Yesterday to Cancer
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 21, 2025
Proof Print of My New Book!
Feb 21, 2025
Feb 21, 2025
Feb 19, 2025
Photogenic Drawings
Feb 19, 2025
Feb 19, 2025