Something just felt right for Jenna Ramondo when she picked up her first SLR camera.
Experimenting with photography in her down time from studying design and multimedia, Jenna found the more she learnt, the more her passion grew.
A self-confessed arts fan, Jenna was the perfect choice for the curator position of this year’s Courthouse Arts project, Kaleidoscope Gallery.
You’re the new curator at Courthouse Arts…how did you land the job?
Well I’ve worked quite a bit with Courthouse over the years. I did some canvas paintings a few years ago and wanted to showcase them, so I approached Courthouse. They told me about the Artist in Residence program, so they featured me in their emerging artists’ exhibition in 2010 for my photographic work.
I contacted Courthouse again about another project I was doing and ended up applying for the job. I had to go through an interview process to present my vision for the gallery. There were a few people going for the job and some of them had a lot more experience being a curator than I did but I guess the panel liked my vision.
What’s your vision for Kaleidoscope?
Courthouse represents young and emerging artists, so I’d love to show Geelong’s hidden talent. I want the gallery to be like a playground for local artists. I want to exhibit a wide range of artists who have their own niche. It will be a great way to show people how diverse the art world is and I also want to inspire people to create art without pressure, as a representation of themselves instead of trying to impress others or fit into the arty cool crowd.
Will we see just paintings and photography?
No, art is so much more than that. I want to turn the gallery into an environment that tantalises all of your senses…so you can escape from everyday life. We’re going to have
musicians and DJs play at different times. I’m even going to have different scents, from marshmallows to freshly mown grass for the gallery, so you get the full sensory experience. It will definitely be a really interactive gallery.
The gallery will showcase solo exhibitions and artist collaborations. It’s great to bring local artists together. I think it’s really important for artists to network and support each other, so I’d like to hold some exhibitions that encourage those relationships.
Who will you showcase?
We’re going to have lots of exhibitions this year. We had the talented Natalie Martin exhibit her unique bird illustrations, which included a big mural of her work drawn onto the gallery walls and her artwork presented in handmade frames made from tree branches. We’ve got an exhibition called Everyday Urbanism throughout June; which looks at using existing architecture in Geelong and turning it into urban sculptures or artwork. In July we have the Gordon TAFE’s fashion design exhibition, which will also be held for the graduating students in December.
Niche artists including Jemima Kingston, of Kingston Jewellery, and Laura Alice, of Laura Alice Illustration, will hold solo exhibitions later in the year as well as many other exciting local creatives. Animalia, a weird and wonderful collaboration between Jenna for Jethro Photography and Morgan Connoley Illustrator, will be held in August. We’ve also got 6×8, which involves artists from the Geelong region creating a visual response to the theme
Imagination, presented by the (AAP) Artistic Advisory Panel, and there’s plenty more in store.
How will you support the artists?
I want as many different local artists as possible and from a wide age group. At Courthouse there are lots of mentors and they hold workshops for young new artists. The mentors are a great support and can help you with your idea or suggest ways to make your idea better. They also give you a lot of artistic freedom to create whatever you want.
They’re good like that.
What’s your background with art?
I studied visual arts at Ballarat University. I majored in graphic design and multimedia but I loved photography so much that I did a few photography subjects as well. After graduating I spent four years at MooMedia Australia as a graphic designer. I had a big focus on performing arts but I kept photography on the side. Now I’m doing it full-time with my business, Jenna for Jethro Photography.
How did you get into photography?
I started playing around with photography in high school. I taught myself most of it rather than learning from a book. I think I developed my own style doing it that way.
When I got the hang of it, I moved into digital photography.
How did you develop your own artistic style?
When I was first starting out I just experiment with different styles of art and different mediums as well. I collaborated with a few other artists, which definitely helped me to grow. I became more confident when I realised I could really make something of my ideas.
What type of photography do you focus on?
I’ve done so many different styles. I did fashion shoots and portfolio work. I once joined a dance class and decided to take photos of the dancers while I was learning to dance. That was fun. I think that got me more interested in fashion photography.
Then I travelled around Europe for four months and I developed a different style – a storytelling style. I took different shots of different people and scenes around Europe. I loved doing that. I actually entered my travel work in this year’s QANTAS Spirit of Youth Awards. SOYA featured some of my photos on its website cover – I was stoked!
I’m also getting into mums-and-babies photography. I love capturing candid, natural-looking moments. Mums just do what they do with their babies in their own environment and I snap away. It’s a photo-journalistic style. There is no artificial lighting involved. That’s the beauty of it.
You said you travel a lot and take photos overseas, but have you ever photographed people or scenes from your hometown Geelong?
No, I haven’t as yet. I think I have more curiosity when I’m in a foreign place because there’s a lot more that I don’t understand, which leaves more for me to imagine. In saying that, it is something that I want to explore because Geelong is constantly surprising me and Melbourne has so many areas where I can feel lost.
What’s your advice for people who want to get into photography?
Just start. Pick up a camera of any kind and capture anything that you’re drawn towards. Don’t create with rules or try to impress or be perfect or even worry about having it on the right setting. As you experiment you will learn and grow and your own style will come out naturally. There’s no right or wrong answer, so just believe in your ability and enjoy yourself.
Find Jenna’s work:
www.facebook.com/jennaforjethro
www.jennaforjethro.blogspot.com
www.jennaforjethro.com
www.etsy.com/shop/jennaforjethro
www.twitter.com/jennaforjethro
Courthouse Arts
www.courthouse.org.au
Raven Moffitt’s work:
www.rwmoffitt.com
