‘Frozen Moments’ will display 50 years worth of her work in September, October
Staff reports
Beaufort Art Association will host a 50-year retrospective of the Photography of Sandy Dimke, on view from Sunday, Sept. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. With more than 50 works spanning five decades, this exhibition will feature many pieces that have won international awards but have not yet been shown in local galleries.
Turning 75 marks a time of reflection and self-discovery. This exhibit is a celebration of the journey Dimke traveled — filled with experiences that have shaped and strengthened her art. It represents her most iconic imagery while offering an opportunity to see all phases of her continually evolving 50-year career.
Her journey actually started 60 years ago, in 1965 when, as a 16 year old, she was given a Kodak “Instamatic” camera with a black and white cartridge to travel with her on an exchange program to France. A few of those photos are in the exhibit.
But it was 1974 when Dimke first started taking photography seriously. She experienced the grandeur of Yosemite for the first time and challenged herself to capture this beauty to share with others. She has not put down her camera since.
Most of these 20th century images, both black and white and color, were produced in her darkroom.
Dimke loved the excitement of seeing photos come to life before her eyes. The first 30 of these 50 years of her photographic journey was devoted to architectural photography. Dimke had a successful business in Connecticut capturing luxury houses in such a way that always made the houses shine. She was sought-after by local clients.
After she retired and moved to Beaufort in 2001, she put away her medium format and 35mm cameras and embraced the digital world. She developed an eye for fine art photography and Dimke Photo Art was born. She challenged herself to refine her vision and adapt to new hardware as film morphed into digital and wet darkrooms were replaced by Lightroom and Photoshop.
Dimke joined Beaufort Art Association 18 years ago, to help promote Photography as a Fine Art within the arts community. She has given back to the organization over the years by serving both on the Gallery Committee, as well as various Board positions.
This year she was elected to represent the Gallery on the BAA Board of Directors, in the role of VP Gallery. Sandy also serves on the South Carolina Board of Directors for the National Association of Women Artists (founded in 1889) as well as on the national level as chair of the Print Division of the Photographic Society of America, Worldwide.
She has published two photography books — “Hands Across the Lowcountry” and “Cats of Beaufort” — and has had numerous images included in local and national hardcover books. Dimke is honored that hundreds of her images have been exhibited worldwide where they have received numerous medals and awards.
Dimke loves creating art through the medium of photography. Her goal is always to freeze a moment in time in a creative manner, either by unique camera angles or adding a different perspective with post processing. Renowned photographer, Vincent Versace, says: “Every artist has an instrument, but only photographers have a superpower, the power to freeze time.” This is the phrase she aptly chose for the title of her exhibit.
As an artist, Dimke values the interplay of color, texture and patterns that unify the image. A traveler at heart, her photos capture the excitement of the world she experiences, whether at home in the Lowcountry or in more exotic locales of Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia. The exhibit will encompass Lowcountry scenes, birds and animals, as well as some botanicals and abstracts that Dimke has fun creating. A veteran photographer, Dimke admits that while she has decades behind her as her hobby turned into a profession, this passion ended as an obsession. Even at 75, she sometimes feels like she is only beginning.
Join the artist for an opening night reception from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6, at the Gallery of the Beaufort Art Association, 913 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort, under the black awning.
