Joan Fitzsimmons
Primary Medium: Photography
Joan Fitzsimmons
Email: jfitzsimmons (at) ncc (dot) commnet (dot) edu
Website: http://www.joanfitzsimmons.com
Artist Statement
Plant Life is my own personal green initiative begun when I was invited to participate in The Seed Project, a collective project initiated by David Cohen. I thought I could rise to the challenge. Having no horticultural ability at all, I attempted to grow Wheat Grass, later Basil, but could only document my failures. My seeds did germinate. They did grow, and the plants were beautiful; but ultimately I was unable to sustain it. However, I view them as not just failure, but also perseverance. Whether they thrive or not, the photographs hold their own enigma.
I am now, with much help, growing radishes.
Joan Fitzsimmons
Email: jfitzsimmons (at) ncc (dot) commnet (dot) edu
Website: http://www.joanfitzsimmons.com
Artist Statement
Plant Life is my own personal green initiative begun when I was invited to participate in The Seed Project, a collective project initiated by David Cohen. I thought I could rise to the challenge. Having no horticultural ability at all, I attempted to grow Wheat Grass, later Basil, but could only document my failures. My seeds did germinate. They did grow, and the plants were beautiful; but ultimately I was unable to sustain it. However, I view them as not just failure, but also perseverance. Whether they thrive or not, the photographs hold their own enigma.
I am now, with much help, growing radishes.
Selected Works
|  Plant Life_Basil_02 - 2009 - Silver print - 6" x 6" - $150.00 [Fundraiser] I continued The Seed Project with Basil. I tried growing it from packaged seeds, pre-poI forgot to water them. They all died.  Plant Life_Basil_13 - 2009 - Inkjet Print - 6" w. x 8" h. - $150.00 [Fundraiser] I followed the directions on the package of Basil seeds. I planted them and then covered with plastic as instructed.  Plant Life_Basil_25 - 2009 - Silver print - 6" x 6" - $150.00 [Fundraiser] I bought small Basil plants. Forgot to water. |
Artist Bio
Solo Exhibitions
2004
Three Trees, Weir Farm National Historic Site, Wilton, CT
2001
Silver Prints from the Garden, The Discovery Museum, Bridgeport,
Introduction to Landscape: The Woods, Norwalk Community College, Norwalk, CT
2000 The Lucaks Gallery, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
1999 The White Gallery, Portland State University, Portland, Or
1996 Zone Relay Gallery, The Kansas City Art Institute,
Kansas City, MO
1987 The 4th Street Photo Gallery, New York, NY
Artemisia Gallery, Chicago, IL
1983 Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Photography exhibit, Pittsburgh, PA
1981 Randolph Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
Selected Group Exhibitions
2009
Contemporary Voices in Visual Narrative, Curated by Eileen Doktorski, Utah State University, Logan UT 9/09
House Project, Curated by Terri C. Smith, The Westport Art Center, Westport, CT
2008
Odd Works, Juried by David Rubin, Curator of Contemporary Art, San Antonio Museum of Art,New Orleans Photo Alliance
It's Not Easy, Curated exhibition addressing efforts to go ‘green'. Exit Underground, Exit Art, New York, NY
Black + White, Arts and Literature Laboratory, New Haven, CT, juried exhibition
2007
101 Dresses, Artspace, New Haven, CT, Curated by Linda Lindroth and Denise Markonish
2006
International Photography Project: Images Against War, Lodz Art Center, Fotofestiwal,5th International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland. Curated by Tina Schelhorne.
2005
All Consuming, an Artspace exhibition in association with The International Festival of Arts & Ideas, The Greene Gallery,
Yale University, New Haven, CT
New England Photography 2005, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA
15th Annual Center Awards Juried Exhibition, Center for Photographic Arts, Carmel, CA
2004 Anthology of Art, A hard copy exhibition of the online project; created by Jochen Gerz, this exhibition invited artists and theorist to imagine the future of art. Akademie der Kunst, Berlin Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn; Zentrum fur Medienkunst, Karlsruhe; DuMont Verlag, Kol
Enchantment, Curated by Denise Markonish and Mikela Griffo, Artspace Gallery, New Haven, CT
Recent Additions, The Center for Photography at Woodstock, NY; Curated by Karen Schlesinger
2003
Project Folklore - The Ceremonial Day, Palac Ujazdowski Contemporary Art Center, Warsaw, Poland; Curated by
Marta Wojcicka, exhibition of video collaboration produced as an Artslink grant recipient
2002
Weir Farm Visiting Artists, University of CT, Stamford
Homeworks, The Betty Rymer Gallery, The School of the Art Insitute of Chicago, IL
2001
Arts and the Environment: Making the Green, New England Artists' Trust, Woodstock, VT
1999
100 Years of Photography, Personal Visions of the 20th Century: Art and Technology, The Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, CT; Curated by Benjamin Ortiz
Recent Aquisitions, The William Benton Museum of Art, University of Conn
1997
Heaven & Hell, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT; Curated by Theo Coulombe, Peter Waite, Jeffery Greene
1996
The Bride's Invitational, The Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia
1995
Detached Retinae: Hearts & Flowers, The Midtown Y Photography Gallery, The Educational Alliance, NY, NY, Curated by Michael Spano
Juror's Choice, Artspace Gallery, New Haven, CT, Juried by Sheryl Conkelton of work selected from Artspace New Work 95