Artist Talk (CWU Museum of Culture & Environment)

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On Thursday Jan. 25 at 4:00 pm PT, I will offer an artist talk hosted by CWU Museum of Culture & Environment (MCE) discussing the process of composing the portraits for the exhibition of photography, The Unchosen Ones: Portraits of an American Pastoral, and what we can learn by paying attention to the shifting landscapes of rural life. I promise a few photo bombs by chickens and barn cats.

I'll appear virtually but the talk will be held virtually and in-person. To attend, in person, come to room 104 in Dean Hall on the CWU campus (1200 Wildcat Way) and to attend virtually, register HERE >>

For questions, email museum@cwu.edu or call (509) 963-2313. The MCE is open Wednesday – Saturday from 10:00am - 4:00 PM.

Mable, Pastoral Study, 2020 from the series The Unchosen Ones.

Mable and Stella, Isanti County, Minnesota, 2020 from the series The Unchosen Ones.

Mable and Stella, Isanti County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 from the series The Unchosen Ones.

WEBINAR: Tips for Creating and Booking Traveling Exhibitions | Jan 10 @ CPAC

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To kick off the new year, I'll share all the nuts and bolts of how I booked (in a matter of months) over 12 exhibitions for my photographic project, The Unchosen Ones. Traveling exhibitions support my creative practice, keep my books alive, and create predicable income.

Hosted by the Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC), I’ll be presenting at PhotoVox January 2024, sharing answers to the following questions and more during this virtual event: Once your solo exhibition comes down, how do you keep the show on the road? What practical constraints make it easier to earn a “yes?” What does an exhibition proposal look like? What does a written agreement look like? What factors go into the decisions of exhibiting completed work in a space (framing, mounting, transporting)?

Webinar Fee: $10 (Free for CPAC members)

ENROLL HERE >>

Preview of custom framing for touring exhibition.

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Happy Winter Solstice 2023

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Tonight is the longest night of the year in our home. Each day will bring more light until summer. I love this metaphor as I move through the remaining days of 2023, a time for rejuvenation and reflection. I appreciate health, friends, and family… and a good dose of humor. Cheers to 2024!

Year 13 of the Tomte series has arrived, offering a glimpse of our family antics. In this “lucky 13” year, an odd event occurred while traveling in Norway. We received a phone call after visiting a real tomte house: my wallet had been found before I knew I lost it! The location? In a bed with a dozen tomtes! The watchful creatures have picked up a few creative tricks: watching how to make culture boxes, embracing a Santa wishlist, battles with Lego Star Wars, football battles with the Pumpkin People (while embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion), while indulging in Mema’s holiday cookies! Ruby the beta fish— our newest edition to the family— tends to the alpha side when confronted by tomte. And even one has learned to fly! 

CLICK TO VIEW POST >>

Masur Museum of Art {solo exhibition}

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Juried exhibitions— while expensive and time-consuming— can pay off. I just never thought it would lead to a paid solo exhibition.

Here’s that story: in 2019, prints from The Unchosen Ones series were exhibited as part of the 56th Annual Juried Competition Exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art, juried by Catherine Futter (Director of Curatorial Affairs, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), where I received Honorable Mention. I kept in touch, starting with a little thank you note (handwritten). Fast forward a few months, I offered to donate a print for their collection that was published in National Geographic (Kol and Annabelle). The print was unanimously approved by both the collections committee and Board of Trustees and became part of their permanent collection.

Four years later— as a direct outcome of conversations which began with a juried exhibition— The Unchosen Ones touring exhibition hangs on the same walls.

Artists: never underestimate the power of your projects and how patience and persistence can make dreams come true!

The exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, LA runs November 1- December 22, 2023, features twenty 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints with handmade artist frames. Thank you to the support of the Museum staff Lindsay McLean, Evelyn Stewart, and Stefan Nodarse, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. It’s been a joy working with you all! 

Virtual Artist Talk by R. J. Kern at the Masur Museum of Art, November 16, 2023.

The Unchosen Ones exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, LA runs November 1- December 22, 2023, features twenty 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints with handmade artist frames. Image courtesy Stefan Nodarse.

The Unchosen Ones exhibition at the Masur Museum of Art in Lafayette, LA runs November 1- December 22, 2023, features twenty 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints with handmade artist frames. Image courtesy Stefan Nodarse.

$99 Print Sale - The Last Fair project

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From November 17-27, 2023, I will make available new work from my series, The Last Fair (read about the series here >>) Prints sized 9 x 11.5 inches are individually signed on verso, accompanied by a unique certificate of authenticity. For $50, you can include a hand-made polio by R. J. Kern!

Shop The $99 Print SALE >>

Limited time to acquire prints from The Last Fair series— starting at $99!

It's the People {Commission}

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I’m excited to be a part of Hennepin Theatre Trust's #ItsThePeople 2023 in collaboration with Minnesota Tamil Sangam, celebrating those who represent our city in motion. This Public Art project, made in collaboration with highlights members of our community in the theme of “Network of Mutuality.” The “It’s the People” portraits will be displayed on billboards and large-scale banners across Minneapolis through June 2024. Special thanks to Brooke Robison and Mary Jane Mansfield, Tanya Gravening and staff @HennepinTheatreTrust for their support.

In this portrait, R. J. highlights the work of 14 performing artists from the Minnesota Tamil Sangam organization who keep Tamil arts, culture and heritage from Southern India and Sri Lanka alive in Minnesota. The artists celebrated in the portrait are Aditya Nandhiyar, Kamatchi Sureshkumar, Manigandan Jayaraman, Nirmal Sundhar, Prasanna Gajavarathan, Rohini Balamurugan, Sanjay Govindasamy, Saravanan Durairajan, Shanker Narayan, Tamil Kadir Rajavel, Trisha Sebastin, Velmurugan Marimuthu, Vijaya manikandan Mohana Vijayan and Vijayalakshmi Sridhar. This photograph was inspired by "the inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny” metaphor shared by Martin Luther King Jr. Blue fabric connects each artist, flowing like a river of color and honoring “wakpa,” the Dakota word for “river.” Traditional Tamil community performances occur by the river edge, and flowing blue fabric remains meaningful and symbolic.

Minnesota Tamil Sangam, installation view on Hennepin Ave / 9th Ave in Minneapolis by R. J. Kern, 2023

Manigandan Jayaraman showcasing Therukkoothu art form depicting Tamil king, Kaari.

Installation view on Hennepin Ave / 9th Ave in Minneapolis by R. J. Kern, 2023



Rourke Art Museum {acquisition}

While I’m not at Paris Photo this year (boo), I thought I’d share a little story to help other photographers get work into a museum collection— while still getting paid (yea).

The triangle is my favorite shape in the art world, inspired by the relationship between artist, curator, and institution. If an artist donates their work to a museum in the US, according to the IRS, they can write-off cost of goods, not market value (boo). My strategy, which has worked more than once, is:

1. Get the head nod from the curator once acquisition policies are known.
2. Present a case to a patron benefactor, explaining the value of the relationship you are helping to create.
3. Don’t be afraid to be clear what you want, in this case for the patron to acquire the work from the artist then donate to a museum.

It's not a difficult as you might imagine— produce good work and be genuine/enthusiastic about finding a good home for it.

Worse case: You get a No.

Best case: You get PAID and your work may be enjoyed by the public for years to come. And patrons are helping artists build relationships with institutions via the artist. And patrons can write off market value of the work to reduce taxable income.

Win. Win. Win.

While a gallery can be apart of this process, it adds complexity to an already complex process for living artists.

Special thank you to Bruce Gjovig, curator Jonathan Rutter, and Rourke Art Museum and for helping to make this happen.

“Anna and Helen, Blue Earth County Fair, MN, 2016” exhibition print from the #taylorwessingportraitprize.

Rourke Art Museum Executive Director & Curator Jonathan Rutter (left) and R. J. Kern with Anna and Helen, Blue Earth County Fair, MN, 2016 (Artist Proof) from the project The Unchosen Ones at the Rourke Art Museum (Moorhead, MN).

Live Webinar: Creating Custom Crates & Shipping Flat Prints

After learning hard lessons and hearing horror stories from colleagues, I welcome you to my MasterMind webinar on protecting both flat and framed art during shipping and storage, along with best practices (that won’t break the bank) for storing photographic prints.

Thursday, November 16, 2023 from 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm CST

Sign up >>

Once you get that print sale, how do you ship framed work safely? What practical decisions minimize damange and keep costs low? What tools and materials are needed (hint: let Home Depot do the cutting)? How much should you charge for a shipping crate? What is the most cost effective method to ship? What about sending an unframed print to a gallery? What about soft packing framed work for local transport or art storage in a damp basement?

I'm eager to share my enthusiasm and lessons learned with a goal of helping you protecting your photographic work. Topics include:

  • Designing the Crate

  • Constructing the Crate

  • Securing the Artwork

  • Finishing Touches

  • Testing and Quality Control

  • Best Practices for Shipping Art

Shipping framed art isn’t a project you want to do quickly. I promise to help the process go as quickly while treating your work with the respect it deserves.

The LIVE webinar is open to all levels. The class is $75 and will take place virtually via Zoom on Thursday, November 16, 2023 from 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm CST. After the presentation there will be time for Q&A. The session will be recorded and sent out to all participants with additional materials after class.

Meet Blackjack

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Meet Blackjack. He’s not the smartest in his class, nor the best looking. Although, he can do an amazing impression of The Thinker with profound pondering. Enter the "Office Ten.” Office Tens make our work lives more interesting— they’re desires we fabricate, romanticize. I ask myself: What would this look like in the animal kingdom, specifically Highland cattle in northern Norway?

Balancing the 'real with the ideal' is one theme in my work which usually starts with a question. It might take me a year to create a photograph that hits this theme. I do a little happy dance on the way to the framers when I find it. Yes, this all goes through my head when selecting work for exhibition and sale.

Blackjack, archival pigment print mounted on dibond, 39 x 52 inches, Edition of 3 + AP

New work at TAG 2023

I’m excited to share 23 new framed works! These photograph will be apart of a beloved pop-up exhibition, The Art of Giving (TAG), an opportunity to acquire work Midwest artists where 30% of proceeds benefit the Grand Forks Children’s Museum. It's a one-night art affair for all audiences youthful at heart. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share work that sustains me and offers meaning to my life.

When: Friday, September 22nd from 5:30pm – 9:00pm 

Where: Grand Forks Curling Club, 1124 7th Ave S. Grand Forks, ND

If you re interested in learning more or acquiring work, please contact me >>

DOWNLOAD PDF FOR DETAILS >>

Work from Divine Animals: The Bovidae (installation view) archival pigment print mounted on sintra with museum glass, 25 x 31 inches, Edition of 7 + AP.

Winona County Fair King and Queen (2023), archival pigment print mounted on dibond, 40 x 53 inches, Edition of 3 + AP

Opichi Drum performance at Mahnomen County Fair, White Earth Indian Reservation, Minnesota (2022), archival pigment print mounted on dibond, 40 x 53 inches, Edition of 3 + AP

Bogstad Pastoral Study I, Norway (2023), archival pigment print mounted on dibond, 40 x 53 inches, Edition of 3 + AP

Blue Ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair!

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This week starts the “Great Minnesota Get Together” aka the Minnesota State Fair, a special place in my heart since my wife brought me there on a date in 2011. We enjoyed the animal and people watching and loved the creative activities building and fine arts exhibition. A few years ago we entered a friendly competition of entering the events. She won a blue ribbon for her pickles. And this year, I won mine.

R. J. Kern and Juror Kristine Heykants at the 112th Fine Arts Exhibition at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair with the First Place photograph.

I’m proud to share this blue ribbon (first place) photograph, Live Action Role Players, Blue Earth County Fair, Minnesota, 2022, at the 112th Fine Arts Exhibition at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair— the largest art exhibition in the state. Kristine Heykants, the photography juror, writes in her criteria statement:

I am looking for images that give witness to the breadth and depth of human experience in a way that is unexpected, with the desire to assemble a collection of images that represents photographic practice in Minnesota in 2023 in a holistic and inclusive way. Within the context of the State Fair where artists are limited to one entry, there is the added challenge of creating a statement or narrative in one image. I am excited to see pictures that make me want to learn more about the subject and the photographer.

Digital catalog HERE >>

Special thanks to juror Kristine Heykants, the participants who offered trust in front of my camera, The Photo Touch for printing, Jim Ross framing, Penn Barnes for transportation, Matt Steaffens for lighting assistance, Zach Rinehart’s leadership at the Blue Earth County Fair, and the support of my family— all essential ingredients required to create this photograph:

Live Action Role Players, Blue Earth County Fair, Minnesota, 2022, archival pigment print, 31 x 41 inches framed, Edition 2/7 SOLD.

About the series:

The Last Fair showcases summer animal contests, aspiring to enhance awareness in the changing face of American pastoral life. “If this was the last year of your county fair, what would you miss most?” I asked this question at over a dozen fairs, in response to the Ramsey County Fair (Minnesota, USA) remaining canceled since 2019. “The kids with their animals,” I heard. I considered how joy isn't fully appreciated until gone. Small agrarian communities in the U.S. are changing, and the county fair isn’t necessarily the highlight of a kid’s summer the way it used to be. The 360-acre family farm has grown to over 10,000 acres, which has had a huge impact on rural America. County fairs are among the casualties. Although there is evidence that this way of life is disappearing as kids leave the farm, the crisis of climate change and a concern for both sustainability and stewardship of the land point to a path for survival for agricultural practices and traditions. Using a large format camera with studio lighting, I follow a photo documentary approach, not allowing myself to composite images, remove elements, or rely on artificial intelligence (AI). Orchestrating a photograph requires months of planning— and a hefty dose of patience and a sense of humor.

Sauk Rapids Herald & Benton County News {feature}

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Tim Hennagir profiled my work in his article, "Award-winning photographer keeps Benton County Fair in focus,” in the Sauk Rapids Herald & Benton County News on July 25, 2023. Photos b Natasha Barber. Special thanks to Benton County Agricultural Society president Ted Prom and Mary Otsby, Executive Director, Benton County Historical Society for their support. The fair acquired a signed 20 x 24 inch print, Santa on Vacation, Benton County Fair, Minnesota, 2022, from the project The Last Fair.

Santa on Vacation, Benton County Fair, Minnesota, 2022

PHOTOWORLD China {feature}

Work from The Unchosen Ones appears with an interviewed by Guo Jing in the June 2023 edition of PHOTOWORLD (新华通讯社) magazine, affiliated to Xinhua News Agency, one the most popular photo magazines in China. I met Gus at Photolucida in 2017 and 2019 and this was a direct outcome from attending the portfolio review.

The Unchosen Ones project featured in the June 2023 edition of PHOTOWORLD (新华通讯社) magazine, affiliated to Xinhua News Agency.

R. J. Kern (left) and Guo Jing (right) at Photolucida portfolio review, Portland, OR, 2019.

Tintype in NYC group show

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This 8x10 tintype of my kids headed off to the NYC show “Breaking More Boundaries” at Culture Lab LIC inspired by the work of Mariette Pathy Allen, curated by Orestes Gonzalez and Jesse Egner. It’s an honor to exhibit along with friends Jess Dugan and Jess Frieden and support the work of trans and gender variant communities. On view June 1 - July 30, opening reception June 3, 6-9 PM, closing toast July 30, 7:30 PM.

One of the perks of working with collodion is the joy of no digital workflow after the original object is created. Just ship and be done. I made this cherry wood stand to support the tintype, exhibited as an original object.

Family Portrait, Bad Medicine Lake, Minnesota, 2022, 8 x 10 inch tintype with cherry wood display

Publishing Books as a Fine Art Photographer {Pt 3 of 3}

On May 4, I shared the second in a three-part series of helping fine-art photographers grow, focused on book publishing as a fine art photographer (original stream date May 4, 2023 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET). Topics include: How important is publishing a book for a fine-art career? What are some of the outcomes (positive, negative)? How do you find a publisher? When to self-publish? How do you finance a book project? How do you make money selling books? These questions and more addressed in this virtual presentation.

OSU Museum of Art exhibition

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The Unchosen Ones, a solo exhibition at Oklahoma State University Museum of Art in Stillwater, OK, runs April 18- June 24, 2023 and features 20 43 x 53 inch archival inkjet prints and eight 11 x 14 inch silver gelatin prints from wet plate collodion tintypes. Images courtesy of Oklahoma State University Museum of Art. Photos by Phil Shockley.

Portfolio Reviews: Identifying and Hitting Goals {Pt 2 of 3}

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This week I shared the second in a three-part series of helping fine-art photographers grow.

Portfolio reviews have been an important part of my career development. Lots of questions you should consider when planning your portfolio reviews: Which ones to choose? How to select reviewers? How do you create memorable leave-behinds? What questions do you want to ask? Recommendations for follow-up from portfolio reviews. How important is networking? What type of networking do you recommend? I also shared actionable tips for building a photographer’s fine-art network specific for those who don’t like to ‘network.’