Solo exhibition coming soon to the Small Space at Transmission Gallery
Jeannie O'Connor
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Jeannie O'Connor on Framing Identity
At my studio in West Oakland, I painted a large wall with chalkboard paint. Taking portraits of children and artists after they have drawn on the chalkboard, I was intrigued by the drawn chalk line as it is translated by the camera into a beautiful graphic element. Adding the drawing to the portrait creates a double portrait, because everybody’s drawing style is unique. I wanted to try this process at Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland,California. The artists there, all of whom have developmental disabilities, have such fluency in the language of drawing.
Coincidentally, a new film (New 55) had just come on the market, which followed in the tradition of Polaroid Type 55 film, in which each shot produces an instant positive print along with a negative. Using a 4 x 5 view camera with this new film, I attached a shutter release with a pneumatic bulb, which allowed each artist to take his or her own picture alongside the finished chalk drawing. I have found in past projects how much a self-portrait eliminates the self-consciousness of posing for a
photograph by giving the sitter control over the timing of the shutter-release. After practicing a few times, the artists got the hang of it and took very relaxed, natural pictures. Seeing the positive print immediately added to the excitement of the process.
Some of the Creative Growth artists have been featured in the Venice Biennale, and last year the Oakland Museum of Art featured many Creative Growth Artists in an exhibition which included 2 other Art Centers for Artists with developmental disabilities, NIAD Art Center in Richmond, and Creativity Explored in San Francisco. SFMOMA has just collected the work of many Artists from these three Art Centers.
Jeannie O’Connor
2025
Coincidentally, a new film (New 55) had just come on the market, which followed in the tradition of Polaroid Type 55 film, in which each shot produces an instant positive print along with a negative. Using a 4 x 5 view camera with this new film, I attached a shutter release with a pneumatic bulb, which allowed each artist to take his or her own picture alongside the finished chalk drawing. I have found in past projects how much a self-portrait eliminates the self-consciousness of posing for a
photograph by giving the sitter control over the timing of the shutter-release. After practicing a few times, the artists got the hang of it and took very relaxed, natural pictures. Seeing the positive print immediately added to the excitement of the process.
Some of the Creative Growth artists have been featured in the Venice Biennale, and last year the Oakland Museum of Art featured many Creative Growth Artists in an exhibition which included 2 other Art Centers for Artists with developmental disabilities, NIAD Art Center in Richmond, and Creativity Explored in San Francisco. SFMOMA has just collected the work of many Artists from these three Art Centers.
Jeannie O’Connor
2025
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TRANSMISSION GALLERY
OAKLAND 770 West Grand Ave., Suite A, Oakland, CA 94612 Open Thurs-Sat, 12 to 5 pm till 8 pm on the first Friday of the month and by appointment Accessibility: This a 2nd floor art gallery, accessible by stairs. |
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