I investigate the intersections of place and self by developing cameraless photograms that transform found organic materials into personal narratives. I create photograms outside in rural settings in a custom-designed light-proof darkroom tent. I begin each photogram by arranging found items directly onto a piece of photosensitive silver paper, creating the initial composition. Next, I expose the paper with quick flashes of light from a small flashlight, changing the composition with each exposure. Lastly, I soak the paper sequentially in three separate chemicals - Developer, Stop, and Fixer. The Developer reacts with the silver paper to produce the initial image. The Stop blocks the Developer from working, and the Fixer stabilizes all chemical reactions. Finally, I soak the print in an Epsom salt bath for cleansing. Developing photograms on-site forces me to embrace variables that add unique effects to each photogram, like fluctuations in humidity and temperature, water quality, and leaking sunlight. Through this process, I draw, collage, and paint with light, discovering patterns in nature that inform patterns in myself. Each work I create becomes a portal to places I’ve been and crystalizes the people and materials I’ve encountered. Ultimately, I observe vital ecologies in nature and document experiences through light and chemistry, leading to an intimate connection with place, material, and self.

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About
Jeremy Blair is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at Tennessee Tech University and a practising photographic artist. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Jeremy received his bachelor's and master's degrees in art education from Miami University of Ohio and his doctorate from the University of North Texas. Jeremy began his career as a high school visual arts teacher and later a middle school applied media arts teacher in Savannah, Georgia. Before coming to Tennessee Tech, he served as a visiting professor of art education at the University of Georgia and an art museum curator at the University of Colorado Boulder. His art practice, teaching, and scholarship centre on exploring art and science intersections, precisely nature, chemistry, and light. He participates in regional artist residencies and regularly exhibits his alternative process site-based cameraless photography. He resides in Cookeville, Tennessee.