Artist Autobiography

Robert Kendall Priel

Introduction

    I am a traditionally trained fine artist; former Associates in Arts: Photography student with a completed Photography Certification from Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland (2018); and proud Navy veteran with six years of free-lance photography hobby experience prior to four years of college. I currently can be contacted via E-mail at prielrobert19@gmail.com  

Artist Statement 

    During my time serving in the US Navy, I purchased a Canon EOS 7-D with the intent of just taking touristy shots of the places I travelled. Little did I know that I would fall in love with photography shortly after, using the medium to express my devotion to aesthetics.

    I was always an artist, but photography was something too expensive to afford before. However, with the help of the GI bill, I was able to attend AACC in Arnold, Maryland where I completed the Photography certification and am currently finishing my photography degree.

The “Shattered Past” Photo Series

    My whole life, I have had a fascination with glass and the way it bends light. Back in 2016, I discovered a way to combine my art skills with this phenomenon in my photography. This led to my current photo series, "Shattered Past".

    In this series, I channel my Japanese heritage through the ancient philosophy of Wabi-sabi by photographing various types of antique broken glass with a variety of experimental techniques such as water, studio lights, and even blacklights [Ultraviolet light]. Similar to the art form of Kintsugi, all compositions included in my Shattered Past series emphasize how something used, broken, and thrown away as trash can be recovered and made more beautiful than ever before with just a little bit of care.

    This is of course a metaphor for broken people who, like the glass in the compositions, can be picked back up and put back together brighter and more interesting than the way they started.

    To be "Broken" doesn't always mean something is trash. Scars give people character the same way cracks do with glass. Like glass, these "flaws" can make a thing appear weak and can even stand out from the excepted standards.  However, cracks shine the brightest in the light, and without them, people may just see right through you.

侘寂

Wabi-Sabi

 [wah-bee-sah-bee]

“a Japanese aesthetic concept that finds beauty and serenity in objects, landscapes, designs, etc., that are simple, imperfect, and impermanent.”

- Dictionary.com

Past Events:

* The ART @ the PARK 2024 at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, MD (Oct. 12 & 13, 2024). Booth #54

https://www.visitannapolis.org/event/quiet-waters-art-%40-the-park/14248/

* 2024 Mountain Heritage Arts & Crafts Festival at Jefferson County WV Fairgrounds, 1707 Old Leetown Pike, Kearneysville, WV 25430 (Sept. 27th - 29th, 2024)

https://www.mhacfestival.org/

* 2024 Chic Events End of Summer Celebration at Carroll Creek, Carroll Creek Linear Park, Frederick, MD 21701 (Aug. 31st, 2024)

https://www.facebook.com/events/925100708997479?active_tab=about

* The Frederick Festival of the Arts on Carrol Creek in Frederick, MD

(June 8th & 9th, 2024)

https://www.visitfrederick.org/festival-of-the-arts/

* The Tephra 2024 ICA Arts Festival (formally the Northern VA Fine Arts Festival)

Reston, VA (May 18th & 19th, 2024)

https://www.tephraica.org/festival

https://www.tephraica.org/festival-artists/robert-kendall-priel#tab:slideshow;slide:3

* The Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fair in the Veteran's Plaza

(April 28th, 2024)

https://silverspringdowntown.com/do/silver-spring-mothers-day-arts-and-crafts-spring-fair--veterans-plaza

*The 2023 (Winter) Capital Art & Craft Festival at the Dulles Expo Center, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, VA 20151 (Dec 8^th-10^th 2023)

www.capitalartandcraftfestivals.com/tickets

* Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild Thanksgiving Weekend Arts & Crafts Show, 120 Cherry Street SE, Vienna, VA 22180 (Nov. 24th - Nov. 26th 2023)  https://www.nvhg.org/shows

* The 2023 (Fall) Capital Art & Craft Festival at the Dulles Expo Center, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, VA 20151 (Oct 13^th-15^th 2023)

www.capitalartandcraftfestivals.com/tickets

* 47^th Mountain Heritage Arts & Crafts Fair 2023, 1707 Old Leetown Pike

Kearneysville, WV 25430 (Sept 22^th-24^th 2023) https://www.mhacfestival.org/

* Vintage Vibe Market: Frederick Fairgrounds 2023, 797 E Patrick St,

Frederick, MD 21701 (March 24^th-25^th 2023) https://www.vintagevibemarkets.com/

Group Exhibitions:

The Artists Gallery (TAG) Presents: "Le Salon" Annual Unjuried Show, 501 N. Market Street

Frederick MD (Aug 5-29^th 2024) https://www.theartistsgalleryfrederick.com/

The Artists Gallery (TAG) Presents: "Le Salon" Annual Unjuried Show, 501 N. Market Street

Frederick MD (Aug 4-27^th 2023) https://www.theartistsgalleryfrederick.com/

RAW Natural Born Artists Presents: Impact, Baltimore Soundstage

Baltimore MD (June 26^th 2019) https://rawartists.com/robertkendallpriel

Graduating Art Student Show, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold MD (2018)

Maryland Federation of Art Presents: Water Works, Annapolis Maritime Museum

Annapolis MD (Sep 21^st – Oct 28^th  2017)
http://mdfedart.com/wp4/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/WaterWorks2017AWARDS-FINAL.pdf

Annual Student Art Exhibition, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold MD (May 2017)

Gallery 333, Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis

Annapolis MD (Jan 29^th – Feb 26^th 2017)

https://www.uuannapolis.org/gallery-333/gallery-333-meet-the-artist-videos/

Annual Student Art Exhibition, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold MD (March 2016)

Collections:

Anne Arundel Community College, CADE Private collection (March 2016)
Achieving The Dream Inc. Silver Spring MD - Corporate purchase (March 2016)

Return to Link Directory:

https://robertkendallprielphotography.blogspot.com/2023/06/directory.html