A Dialogue with the Landscape with Michael Kenna and Anne Kelly

Santa Fe Workshops collection of free online events, Creativity Continues, features a special summer evening with fine-art photographer Michael Kenna in conversation with Anne Kelly, former photo-eye Gallery Director. Their upcoming conversation will focus on Kenna’s prolific photography career, the art of making prints, and publishing photobooks.

Michael, a renowned contemporary photographer, has significantly impacted the photographic art form. His distinct style, characterized by clean compositions, long exposures, and minimalist aesthetics, has not only defined his work but also influenced multiple generations of photographers. Michael’s approach, which he describes as a dialogue with the landscape, is a unique and insightful method that has inspired many. He sees the world in his own unique way and is also a master darkroom printer. Michael spends hours perfecting his exquisite silver prints to match his uncompromising vision. He says, “I want photographs to be a mystery, an interpretation, a catalyst for one’s imagination. We fill all our time up with noise and chaos, so I hope a viewer can enter into a photograph and feel the beauty of this place, the calmness, the tranquility.”

Michael Kenna was born in Widnes, Lancashire, England in 1953. He studied at the Banbury School of Art and the London College of Printing before moving to the U.S. in the 1980s to work with the renowned photographer Ruth Bernhard. Since then, Kenna’s photographs have been displayed worldwide and have been featured in over 100 significant collections, including the Museum National of Art Moderne in Paris, France; the Art Institute of Chicago in Illinois, USA; the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., USA; and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK. Throughout his extensive career, Kenna has authored more than 90 photographic books documenting his travels to over 30 countries across the globe.

Anne Kelly’s passion for art, which ignited in her early childhood, has evolved into a distinguished career. With over eighteen years of experience in the fine-art gallery industry, she as curated and produced over 100 exhibitions in Santa Fe, NM, and at fine-art fairs nationwide. Kelly is the Gallery and Shop Manager at El Zaguan, a non-profit art space and home to the Historic Santa Fe Foundation. Before this role, she was the Gallery Director at Photo-Eye, a highly respected gallery exhibiting contemporary fine art photography. Kelly is recognized for her enthusiasm, tenacity, and curiosity. In the fall of 2020, she launched ‘Art in the Raw’; a podcast and YouTube channel aimed at inspiring and educating other creatives through candid conversations. The show provides a platform for lively discussions about the creative process and features visual artists, musicians, and occasionally scientists as guests. Enthusiastic about collaborating with arts organizations, Kelly participates as a portfolio reviewer for various arts organizations nationwide, offering feedback and critique and engaging in discussions. In addition, Kelly occasionally hosts and moderates art discussions for Santa Fe Workshops and is a contributing writer for Analog Forever Magazine.

Michael plans on sharing a selection of his images and conversing with Anne for 45 to 50 minutes and then taking questions from the webinar audience. Even if you can’t make the live event, a recording of it will be available for all those registered.

Creativity Continues is a program that collectively develops creative voices by offering connection and encouraging expression. Because the goal is to engage all within our creative community, we encourage you to extend invitations and share Santa Fe Workshops Creativity Continues events with anyone who expresses an interest.

Event Recording

Many thanks to everyone who joined us live. View the recorded program below: