New EDU series!

To help a rising tide, I’m excited to share something big: a complimentary, four-part series of talks focused on helping emerging fine-art photographers.

Talk 1. Going from Weddings to Fine Art: 5 Tips for Emerging Fine Art Photographers

Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET

I will share tips vital to artists’ careers that are not taught in art school, including: working with a book publisher, landing a gallery, structuring limited editions, pricing work, and how to stay happy through it all.

SanDisk product experts will also be on hand to answer any questions, and will raffle off a SanDisk Portable SSD at the end to those in attendance Sponsored by SanDisk

Event Details >>

Talk 2. Finding, Identifying, and Engaging Your Audience in Fine Art Photography
Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET

Cultivating the right audience can make or break your business. I will talk in depth about what it takes to build your business, from branding and marketing to developing an online presence, putting together a portfolio and the various venues (galleries, museums, art fairs, etc.) to explore with your art.

Event Details >>

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Talk 3. Authentic Portraiture featuring Painterly Lighting (Outside the Studio)
Thu Feb 3, 2022 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET

How do you create a signature style with lighting? What is your go-to travel kit when traveling? Why is hiding your main light with your fill light important? How does color add to a painterly aesthetic? What is the value of a leaf shutter and shooting medium format? I will answer all these questions and more, as he teaches you his approach to painterly portraiture.

Event Details >>

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Talk 4. Business Practices for Fine Artist Photographers: A Crash Course
Thu Feb 10, 2022 3:00pm - 4:00pm ET

In the final part of this four-part series, I will dive into the best business practices for fine art photographers. If you are in the fine art world, or looking to break in, join us for the ultimate crash course for this section of the industry. How does one nurture a gallery relationship and how to know when to quit? Why is it important to differentiate between when a project is complete vs ongoing (some go on for years)? Why does this matter? Why does having a “shtick” matter? How important is publishing a book for a fine-art career? What are some of the outcomes (positive, negative)? How do you build a CV? How do you get work into a museum collection? How do I price and edition work? What are important factors to consider when negotiating a representation contract with a gallery? What factors go into the decisions of exhibiting competed work in a space (framing, mounting, transporting)? How does an artist assess effectiveness of marketing opportunities (art fairs, portfolio reviews, framing a large show)?

Event Details >>

Artist Talk at Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art

On Friday, May 7, I gave a free artist talk, hosted by the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The talk was recorded and I posted it above.

“Focus Friday” is the name of their artist talk series, showcasing the work of artists in their permanent collection. I shared a preview of work featured in my new book, The Unchosen Ones: Portraits of an American Pastoral (MW Editions, 2021), due November 2021.

In 2019, the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art acquired two of my photographs for the the permanent collection: Josilin and Escapé, Benton County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 and Escapé (pron. es cahp é), Benton County, Minnesota, USA (see below). I also shared a special story about this pairing with a poetic ending.

Thank you to Christine Renc-Carter and Teresa Wilkins for inviting me to speak about my work.

On Friday, May 7 from noon - 1 p.m. ET R. J. Kern will be giving a free artist talk, hosted on Zoom by the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

New Book Project!

I’m delighted to announce my next book project, The Unchosen Ones: Portraits of an American Pastoral, will be published by MW Editions (November 2021), distributed by Artbook / D.A.P. This book features dyptchs of youth from my project, The Unchosen Ones, taken four years apart. Essay by Alison Nordström, photo editing by Sarah Leen and Bill Marr. The book will be supported by a multi-year traveling exhibition hosted by ExhibitsUSA.

Reviewing match prints for my project, The Unchosen Ones, before they are shipped to Singapore.

6-Feet-Apart {Free Artist Talk on Zoom}

I will be presenting new work in an artist talk hosted by Magdalena Solé on February 26, 2021 at 2 p.m. ET— it’s a free Zoom meeting and all are welcome!

CLICK TO REGISTER >>

After sharing my inspiration and a glimpse into my creative process, I’ll discuss how I transitioned from the commercial photography to fine-art and offer perspective of the importance of strategic marketing to help build relationships with galleries, publishers, curators, and collectors. I’ll highlight a few of my lighting recipes from my project, “The Unchosen Ones” and share a sneak glimpse into new work.

Special thanks to Ewa Zebrowski for helping make this happen!

Recently completed print promos used to market new work, designed by Kevin Omura at Kuleana Design.

MSAB Creative Support for Individuals Grant {Awarded}

I received word this week that the Minnesota State Arts Board awarded me a FY2021 Creative Support for Individuals Grant. I am especially grateful for the support, especially given the challenges of how the pandemic has changed the way I am able to connect with Minnesota communities. This grant will help me adapt to this changing environment, by maintaining visibility and staying connected to audiences, participants, students, and communities—both now and in the future.

My goal with this grant is to take the next big step of my project, The Unchosen Ones. I plan to edit and share a series of documentary vignettes (approximately six 4-6 minute videos), highlighting life skills learned by youth raising animals for county fair contests in Minnesota. While re-photographing over 50 participants (socially distant, of course) from July - October 2020, I set up a video camera and asked them a few important questions related to lessons learned since 2016. This will be a new challenge for me, as I will be learning all sorts of new skills related to video production. The resulting short videos will be released monthly, promoted on social media and the project website, www.unchosenones.org.

I am also working on a new book project and I hope the completed videos will help support the book project and traveling exhibition with Mid-Atlantic Arts Alliance (booking details here >>).

Behind-the-scenes of The Unchosen Ones project (2020) in Anoka County with Kol and Annabel (top) and Kenzi and Hootie (bottom).

Minneapolis Institute of Art adds photograph into permanent collection

One of the nation’s leading encyclopedic art museums, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), recently accessioned one of my photographs into their permanent collection.

"In a year when state and county fairs have been prevented, it is all the more touching to have this photograph in our collection,” writes Casey Riley, PhD, curator and head of the Department of Photography and New Media.

The print acquisition, edition 10/10 of Kenzi and Hootie, Anoka County Fair, 2016, was a gift facilitated by Burnet Fine Art & Advisory. I thank Casey Riley for her support. She’s an amazing curator and leader in the arts community.

Museum acquisitions are important to an artist’s career. Curators can help promote an artist’s career in much the same way a food critic can make— or break— a chef’s career. I’m reminded of this watching my favorite Pixar movie, “Ratatouille,” in which a rat dreams of becoming a great chef, despite being in a rodent-phobic profession. 

For example, long-time curator, Ted Hartwell, who founded the photography department at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in 1972, helped photography gain acceptance in the art world by curating groundbreaking exhibitions by photographers such as heroes Richard Avedon and Henri Cartier-Bresson while promoting careers of Minneapolis photographers such as Tom Arndt and Stuart Klipper (I call both friends and have enjoyed swapping a print or two with over the years).

The Minneapolis Institute of Art has been important to me since my fine-art photography interests began to grow. During winter doldrums and snow storms, I would visit to gain inspiration. I love the free admission and award-winning educational programming. Seeing school children discovering art in the hallowed halls of “the house that Ted built” gives me great joy, and education, too. I always learn a thing or two when I visit, usually documented in my notebook. I would take special notes about the meticulous framing and presentation of work, or about what the artist says about the work (especially vocabulary used). My visits would bring joy seeing the brushstrokes revealing shadow detail in a painting created hundreds of years ago, or appreciating nuances in an early albumen prints by photography pioneers. My brain is pushed to figure out work I don’t initially understand—but work that curators deem culture should understand.

Visiting museums—especially the free ones— is a gift which allows me to better understand history, culture, and life. Often art addresses 'issues' in a way, well, that can’t be expressed any other way. I’m proud to help support such a special museum.

The Best of the Best: A Virtual Artist Book (Now Available)

Born during COVID-19 times, this virtual artist book showcases a collaboration between a range of artisans, writers, arts librarians, curators, and contributors in the photographic book project, The Best of the Best. This product is available on a sharable digital platform, secured by password-protection, available to stream in Standard Definition (SD) or High Definition (HD).

The Best of the Best: A Virtual Artist Book features over a dozen components including video interviews, conversations, Q&A’s, interactive narratives, time-lapse documentaries, stop-motion animation, behind-the-scenes tutorials, and a virtual Instagram Live (IGTV) component, and of course all the essays and images and a digital signature page, too—all rooted to The Best of the Best project. Over 2 hours of recorded video footage created during self-isolation during COVID-19 times (June/July 2020).

The virtual book artist book will be produced in a limited edition of 24 + 4APs. This pays homage to the limited-edition nature of artist’s books as well as the 24 animals that participated in this project.

Purchase of The Best of the Best: A Virtual Artist Book may be credited towards the acquisition of The Best of the Best artist book, terms apply. Purchases are non-transferable, however may be shared on a .edu, .org, or .gov website or network affiliated with purchaser.

Learn more about The Best of the Best:

• fine art photographic series click here >>

• limited-edition (edition of 12) artist book click here >>

Add To Cart

Your support helps sustain on-going artist initiatives including community engagement through local exhibitions, artist talks, creative collaborations, and sharing the enthusiasm of “The Best of the Best” to communities across the globe.

Acquisition: Fidelity Corporate Art Collection

An outcome from attending PhotoNOLA portfolio review (Dec 2016), I am proud have my work acquired by the Fidelity Corporate Art Collection (Boston, MA). Thank you Alexandra Sullivan for helping to make this possible! The photograph, Rylee and Nelly, Clay County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 from the series The Unchosen Ones was published in National Geographic (Nov 2017).

Acquisition: Center for Photography at Woodstock

The Center for Photography at Woodstock (Woodstock, NY) has added Three Graces, Stearns County, Minnesota from the series Out to Pasture to their permanent collection this week. I thank Hannah Frasier for her support. I participated in the annual gala auction in October 2019 and enjoyed the experience.

PhotoNOLA Book Fair 2019

Join me Dec 11 at the PhotoNOLA Book Fair in New Orleans. I’ll have all three of my Collector’s Editions on hand for sale as well as trade editions of The Sheep and the Goats and The Unchosen Ones.

Acquisition by Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art

With the support of Curator Christine Renc-Carter and the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Board of Directors, I’m proud to announce a purchase acquisition of the COLLECTOR’S EDITIONs of The Unchosen Ones (Ed 6 of 20) into the permanent collection at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

In addition, the following two prints have been accessioned into the museum’s permanent collection: Josilin and Escapé, Benton County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 from the series The Unchosen Ones and Escapé (pron. es cahp é), Benton County, Minnesota, USA (2016) from the series Out to Pasture.

Writes Renc-Carter, “Your work will be a significant addition to the museum’s collection of contemporary photography and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to embark on new territory to develop our artist book collection.”

Escapé (pron. es cahp é), Benton County, Minnesota, USA from the series Out to Pasture (2016).

Josilin and Escapé, Benton County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 from the series The Unchosen Ones (2016).

This marks the second museum collection in Florida of work from these critically-acclaimed series. The Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg acquired work in 2018.

Behind-the-scenes time-lapse 2019 Commemorative Art

Check out this behind-the-scenes time-lapse of 2019 Minnesota State Fair Official Commemorative Artwork we created. This year's commemorative art is titled "Minnesota State Fair Supreme Champion Pairings from 2018." I appreciate the wonderful support of the staff at the Minnesota State Fair and the opportunity to collaborate with Freestyle Productions to help edit the time-lapse.

Commemorative poster and Minnesota State Fair Foundation prints >>

The commemorative poster and a limited number of signed prints and other merchandise featuring the art are available for purchase at https://www.mnstatefair.org/commemorative-art/, and will also be available during the fair at State FairWear Gift Shops and Bargain Book and State Fair Poster Carts on the fairgrounds. Proceeds will support the Minnesota State Fair Foundation 501(c)(3) mission to preserve and improve State Fair buildings, fairgrounds and educational programs. 

Learn more about the commemorative art and the Minnesota State Fair: mnstatefair.org/commemorative-art/

Commemorative Artist for 2019 Minnesota State Fair

I'm honored to announce that I have been commissioned as the first-ever fine-art photographer chosen to create the official MN State Fair art. The MN State Fair Commemorative Art unveiling event will be Thursday, June 6, 2019 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m in St Paul. The original art will be on display in the Fine Arts Center during the 12-day run of the 2019 State Fair (Aug 22 - Sept 2). For more information about the fair’s commemorative art, visit mnstatefair.org/art.

I can’t reveal much about the final artwork , I offer this sneak peek at my working process to create one of my most ambitious commissioned photographs:

Thank you to Pamela Espeland for her announcement in MinnPost linked here >>

“R. J. Kern named 2019 State Fair Commemorative Artist,” by Pamela Espeland, MinnPost, dated Jan 30, 2019.

New acquisition by the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg

Made official today, I am happy to share the COLLECTOR’S EDITON of The Unchosen Ones (AP1) and the COLLECTOR’S EDITON of The Sheep and the Goats (AP6) have been accessioned into the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.

In June 2018, I flew to Tampa, Florida as part of the artist panel discussion artist in Triangulate, curated by Nathan Beard, Eivind Natvig, and Kirk Ke Wang at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin, FL. After the exhibition opening and book signing, Nathan Beard and I drove to one of my favorite museums I visited as a kid, the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. A highlight was meeting with Robin O’Dell, Curator of the Photographic Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida (pictured).

As luck would have it, I shared with her my monograph, “The Unchosen Ones,” with an essay by independent curator Alison Nordström, PhD. O’Dell smiled and pointed out, “She was my advisor in graduate school at the George Eastman House.” Small world!

This effort opened up a few doors, and after a few months of patience and persistence, the effort has paid off! Thank you Nathan Beard, Alison Nordström, and Robin O’Dell being apart of this wonderful journey.

This is the second museum acquisition of the COLLECTOR’S EDITON of The Unchosen Ones and the fifth museum acquisition of the COLLECTOR’S EDITON of The Sheep and the Goats.

New Wikipedia page

CHECK! It's been on my list of things to do and am excited to complete and share the R. J. Kern Wikipedia page >>

ANNOUNCEMENT OF REPRESENTATION: Burnet Fine Art & Advisory

I’m pleased to announced my fine-art prints are now available through Burnet Fine Art & Advisory in Wayzata, Minnesota. Before moving to their new Wayzata location, the Burnet Gallery showcased contemporary art for 10 years in Le Méridien Chambers hotel in Minneapolis. The space celebrates art addressing contemporary issues.

My first solo exhibition with the gallery will open July 11 and run through September 1, 2018 and will feature works from all three of my series: Divine Animals: The Bovidae, The Unchosen Ones, and Out to Pasture. Opening reception July 11 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM.

The Most Beautiful German Books 2018

I’m honored to share my monograph “The Sheep and the Goats” has been awarded "The Most Beautiful German Books 2018,” by Stiftung Buchkunst, the most popular book prize in Germany. This competition dates to 1929, making it one of the industry's first competitions to award the “exemplary in design, conception, and workmanship” as awarded by an independent jury. The book will be shown on several exhibitions and fairs in Europe including the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Hei! (Wow!). 24 jurors, 9 juror days, over 900 submissions. The "most beautiful German books “ announced today! And my first monograph was one of them!

The golden award sticker on "The Sheep and the Goats" monograph. Photo by Maximiliane Hüls  (designer).

For perspective, the "first jury" of the 2018 competition had 729 entries in total. Of those, 247 were narrowed down by the "second jury" to 247. Of these, 25 were awarded. 

“The Sheep and the Goats” published by Kehrer Verlag was among awarded in the Top 25. With introduction by Lisa Volpe, Associate Curator of Photography, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; essay by George Slade; interview by Stuart Klipper. Designed by Kehrer Design (Maximiliane Hüls).

Commentary from the jury panel:

JUSTIFICATION FROM THE JURY: "Inside title literally"

"Many people are well aware of this indefinable feeling of coziness that sets in at the sight of a sheep. If that's the case, you can not always drive to the country for reassurance.Two full-page series of images now provide a remedy: one of sheep, one of goats. Sometimes in small groups, often as individual portraits, animals can be viewed patiently. The book starts in the middle, because the inside title actually stands between the two groups of pictures, and the shortened pages with explanatory texts form a natural fugue in the book block. 

The photographs are ideal pictures of real landscapes. The animals in it are among the oldest companions and beneficial partners of humans. Through the atmosphere of Arcadian innocence, one dreams of the primordial harmony of man and nature. It overlooks all too easily the extent of the millennia-long cultural achievements that have shaped such landscapes with goat hunger and sheep's wool. 

On the precise prints the animals appear as individuals, even as beings with personality. The scarce picture legend calls region and country, and: the name of the animal. Even if ironic tones are echoed in the photographic staging, she is serious in that she acknowledges the magical and long-lasting connection between the little ruminants and their habitat. Pan, the god of the shepherds, would greatly enjoy this volume."

The 25 finalists:

A perspective from the judging process: 

© Stiftung Buchkunst, Frankfurt am Main.

Aquire your signed copy today >>

Exhibition and Book Signing at Klompching Gallery

I'm pleased to announce this very special exhibition at Klompching Gallery, New York. Located in the hub of arts district between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO, this art space is intimate, beautiful. This gallery has established itself a solid reputation for providing guidance on the acquisition of contemporary fine art photography. Darren Ching & Debra Klomp Ching will welcome you with the same delicate care I approach my subjects.

I welcome you to join me in person in two opportunities:

• Opening Reception Thursday May 10, 6 - 8 p.m.
• Book Signing Saturday May 12, 1 - 2 p.m.

Be among the very first to see the COLLECTOR'S EDITION of the The Unchosen Ones fresh off the press and The Sheep and the Goats (Kehrer Verlag, 2018).

"The Unchosen Ones" Pre-Sale

"The Unchosen Ones" artist book and COLLECTOR'S EDITION pre-sale has begun. I’m proud of every piece of this project including it being all made in Minnesota, USA.

Details HERE >>

The Artist Book Edition includes essays by independent curator Alison Nordström, PhD and Joe Scapanski, Minnesota State Fair Board of Managers. Designed by Matthew Steaffens. Publisher: Author. 2018. Softcover, unbound. 12.5 x 15.5 inches (31.6 x 39.4 cm). 76 pages, 65 color illustrations. Printed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. First Edition, 200 copies. Retail price: US $35.

The COLLECTOR'S EDITION features:

• SIGNED Limited Edition PRINT (11 x 14 inches) from a choice of two images (1/10)
• 20 numbered copies + 4APs
• Clothbound, embossed clamshell box created by Keith Taylor
• Custom “The Unchosen Ones" rosette ribbon, inscribed by artist
• Hand-signed book, “The Unchosen Ones" 
• Includes all Artist Book Edition details

Pricing to increase as edition sells out. Available May 2018.

Center for Creative Photography acquires COLLECTOR'S EDITION

The Center for Creative Photography (CCP) at the University of Arizona recently acquired a copy of the COLLECTOR'S EDITION of "The Sheep and the Goats" (ed 33/50)  for their permanent collection. The CCP is home to Ansel Adam's archive along with two of my mentors, Stuart Klipper and Wayne Gudmundson. I recently attended Mary Virginia Swanson's 2018 Masterclass and had a wonderful time (learn more on her blog here). During the workshop we met with Rebecca Senf, Chief Curator at CCP, and Terry Etherton and Daphne Srinivasan at the Etherton Gallery. These connections helped to facilitate the acquisition and I am extremely appreciative for their efforts.