Joan Barrett

Joan Barrett was born and raised in central New York with an older brother, the possessor of a Graphlex camera. He set up a darkroom in the attic where he processed film and printed photos. She was fascinated but convinced that being a girl, she could never learn to operate any camera with dials and choices beyond a simple shutter to press. That was before women grasped the fact of their own potential!

She frequently works on series utilizing projected images, old clothes, and masks. “People often ask, ‘What do you photograph, landscapes?’ Hesitating, I search for an answer beyond a simple, ‘No.’ My work is informed by personal history, mine and others. But I struggle to find the words which convey my need to suggest mystery, dreams, and human emotion. The past creeps into my photos aided by models who share my vision.”