Jessica Somers is a photographer specializing in historic photographic techniques and self-portraiture.
Her interest in photography began at a young age by her grandfather's side as he took hundreds of photographs and with the invitation into her parents' late night printing sessions that were held in the bathroom which was transformed into a darkroom after sunset. At the age of seven she received a Kodak disc camera and has been making photographs ever since.
Jessica grew up in Wallingford, CT. She earned a B.F.A. in studio art and a minor in English from Albertus Magnus College in 1998 and an M.F.A. in Photography from The Hartford Art School in 2002. Her work has been exhibited nationally, has been published in Shots Magazine, F-Stop Magazine and the second edition of The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, by Christopher James. Jessica's photographs can be viewed and purchased through the John Cleary Gallery in Houston, TX and Galerie BMG in Woodstock, NY. She currently teaches photography at Tunxis Community College and Central Connecticut State University.
Selected
Exhibitions:
2010:
18th & 19th Century Alternative Photography Processes Exhibition,
The Coburn Art Gallery, Ashland, OH (opens in October)
Found: Discoveries of FotoFest and PhotoNOLA, John Cleary Gallery, Houston,
TX
AIPAD Photography Show, John Cleary Gallery booth (#118), Park Avenue
Armory, New York City, NY
Uncommon Portraits, PhotoPlace Gallery, The Vermont Photography Workplace,
Middlebury, VT
Going
Forward Looking Back, Practicing Historic Photographic Processes in the
21st Century, University Art Gallery,
UMASS/Dartmouth, New Bedford, MA
Going
Forward Looking Back, Practicing Historic Photographic Processes in the
21st Century, Trustman Art Gallery, Simmons College,
Boston, MA
Going Forward Looking Back, Practicing Historic Photographic Processes
in the 21st Century, Maine Media Workshop, Rockport, ME
(opens in November)
2009:
Going
Forward Looking Back, Practicing Historic Photographic Processes in the
21st Century, University of New England Art Gallery,
Portland, ME
Body Pulses, Plates to Pixels 3rd International Juried Exhibition, Honorable
Mention
Alternative Processes, PhotoPlace Gallery, The Vermont Photography Workplace,
Middlebury, VT
5th Annual Alternative Processes Exhibition, Soho Photo, New York, NY
(opens in November)
Photography Re-Imagined an Alternative & Historical Process, Tilt
Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Dreams and Fantasies, PhotoPlace Gallery, The Vermont Photography Workplace,
Middlebury, VT
Jessica Somers ~ Selcted Works, Solo Exhibit, PhotoSynthesis, Manchester,
CT
Its Still Life, Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA
Self Portrait: Silver Eye at 30, Silver Eye Center for Photography,
Pittsburgh, PA
Be A Doll, Estel Gallery, Nashville, TN
F/295 Symposium Exhibition, 707 Penn Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
Somers & Simoes, Two person exhibit, Barnes-Franklin Gallery,
Tunxis Community College, Farmington, CT
Imagine, Deborah Martin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
The Human Canvas, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
Alternative
Processes: A Traveling Exhibition, shown throughout Texas until 2010
2008:
Photography Re-imagined, Tilt Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Real Party, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Black+White, ALL Gallery, New Haven, CT
2007:
Real Party, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Central Connecticut State University Faculty Exhibition, New Britain,
CT
2006:
Behind the Mask,Caladan Gallery, Beverly, MA
Real Party, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Salon Des Independents, Hygienic Gallery, New London, CT
2005:
Home Is Where the Art Is, Cameron Gallery, Middletown, CT
Partners For Hope, Ericson Davis Gallery, Ivoryton, CT
Real Party, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Step Up Slide Slam, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Hygienic 26, Hygienic Gallery, New London, CT
2004:
Annual Fall Exhibit, New Britain Art League, Curator: Zina Davis, New
Britain, CT
Inside The Box, ALL Gallery, New Haven, CT
Herstory, Virtual Exhibit, Manhattan Arts International, New York, NY
Women's Art Exhibit Benefiting Domestic Violence Services of New Haven,
ALL Gallery, New Haven, CT
2003:
Remystification, Solo Exhibit, Margaret L. Macdonough Gallery, New Haven,
CT
2002:
Summer Juried Exhibit, Juror: Ellen Traut, Artworks Gallery, Hartford,
CT
Remystification, Solo Exhibit, Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford,
CT
Emerging Women Photographers Exhibit, William Blizzard Gallery, Springfield,
MA
Artworks Gallery Winter Photography Exhibition, Juror: Ellen Carey, Hartford,
CT
2001:
New Britain Art League: Annual Fall Exhibit, Master's Division, New Britain,
CT
Looking Back … Looking Forward, Juror: Todd Bartell, Artworks Gallery,
Hartford, CT
2000:
Hartford Open Studios, Hartford, CT
Albertus Magnus College Alumni Art Show, New Haven, CT
Discovery Museum Annual Art Exhibit, Bridgeport, CT
Bibliography:
The Hartford Courant, "Tunxis Instructor Recieves National Teaching
Award," February 2010
Diffusion
Magazine, Issue 2, 2010 (to be printed in 2010)
Filmwasters.com, Guest Gallery #51, January 2010
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Self Portraits Celebrate Center for Photography's
30th Anniversary," August 2009
Shots Magazine, No. 104, Summer 2009
Folio Hunt, Online Photography Showcase, June 2009
Subjectify Photography Blog: The Subject of Contemporary Portraiture,
"Subject Echo: The Power of Images," June 2, 2009
F-Stop Magazine, The Portfolio Issue, June/July 2009
The Hartford Courant, "Tunxis Instructors' Works Showcased at Gallery
Exhibition," March 2009
PRC Benefit Auction Catalogue, 2008
The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, 2nd ed., by Christopher
James, 2008
The Connecticut Art Scene, "All Gallery in Photo Finish," Hank
Hoffman, February 6, 2008
New Haven Advocate, "Selective Memory," Leigh Gomez, March 18,
2004
New Britain Herald, "Art League Exhibit Opens, Winners Named,"
October 2001
Education:
2000 - 2002: M.F.A., Photography, Hartford Art School, University of
Hartford, West Hartford, CT
1994-1998: B.F.A., Studio Art, Concentration: Photography, Minor: English,
Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT
Awards:
2009:
Excellence in Teaching Award, Honorable Mention, Center
Honorable Mention, Body Pulses, Plates to Pixels
2008:
Honorable Mention, Photography Re-imagined, Tilt Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2004:
Award of Excellence, Herstory Virtual Exhibit
2001:
Judith Brown Memorial Award - New Britain Art League's Annual Fall Exhibit
Honorable Mention - Looking Back…Looking Forward, Art Exhibit
Merit Scholarship, Hartford Art School
2000:
Merit Scholarship, Hartford Art School
Honorable Mention: Best Photography, Discovery Museum Annual Art Exhibit
Related Experience:
2000-Present: Tunxis Community College, Adjunct Photography Instructor
2009 -
Present : Photosynthesis, Workshop Instructor
2006-Present:
Central Connecticut State University, Adjunct Photography Instructor
1999-Present: Tunxis Community College, Academic Assistant – Photography
Department
2004, 2008, 2010: Albertus Magnus College, Adjunct Photography
Instructor
2006,
2008, 2010: Scholastic Art Awards Juror for Photography
2004-2008: University of Hartford, Guest Lecturer
2005: Co-Organizer for Home Is Where the Art Is, A Benefit
Exhibition for Gulf Coast Hurricane Victims
2005: Wesleyan’s Green Street Art Center, Media Arts Instructor
