ARTIST INFORMATION
Jay Hahn – Artist Statement/Bio
Jay Hahn wasn’t born in a log cabin, deep in the wilderness, but he desperately wanted to be. Fortunately, he lives there now with his amazing wife Lisa and feline supervisor Arty. By age 12, Jay was developing and printing his own photographs, utilizing the camera to isolate vignettes of the visual symphony surrounding him. Jay graduated from Southwestern At Memphis (now Rhodes College) with a BA in Communication Arts and began to experiment with a bold graphic style in the forefront to capture the viewer’s attention, then lead the eye to explore unnoticed details deeper within the piece. Multiple exposures, layering, and painting with light were utilized to create a unique look to Jay’s film work. Although most of this art was destroyed by flooding, a few examples have survived in publication and private collections.
The maturing of the digital medium eventually drew Jay back to Photography, and introduced him to the digital darkroom. These tools allowed a much smoother fusion of the graphic and detail elements crucial to his style. Jay began to exhibit again and people took notice. His work drew media attention as it won awards, first locally, then regionally and nationally. The creation of JayHahn.com (“Seeing the world a little differently, since 1957”) brought global access to his art. Its integration into the Google Images database exposes thousands of people each year to Jay’s imagery, and his popularity continues to grow. 2005 was a whirlwind of awards, gallery showings, rave reviews, and even a magazine cover for Jay, culminating in the acceptance of both of his entries by Faith Ringgold to the Appalachian Corridors Exhibit at The Avampato Discovery Museum. His current Artist Statement reads as follows:
“As the years go by, my Artist Statements seem to grow progressively shorter. I like to project that my work has become more than strong enough to speak for itself, without the need for me to mythologize its birth in words. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that my art has evolved to a point where it communicates on a level that makes me feel verbally inarticulate by comparison. An Artist struggles for years to gain a voice for their creativity, by developing both technical skill and a public following. Once this voice has been earned, the Artist is charged with a new level of responsibility, and higher consideration must be given to exactly what one has to say”.
“Given the chance, my Art will speak to you. Take the time to wander through each piece and fully explore the imagery. And remember, communication is not a monologue. You have the right - even the obligation, to speak back.”
– Jay Hahn, December 2005
Jay was the October 2005 cover artist for The Laurel of Asheville magazine. He was also featured in a great article.
To view page 1 click here.
To view page 2 click here.
To read a wonderful review of Jay's work by Jim Rathgeber of the Thomasville Times, click the link below:
To read an Artist Statement, click the link below:
An archive of the previous Artist Statement can be viewed here.
To see a list of recent exhibitions, click the link below:
To see a list of recent awards, click the link below:
Jay is a card - carrying, dues - paying, flag - waving member of the following organizations:
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f/32 Photography Group, Asheville NC - Jay is a member of the Steering Committee and is Master of Ceremonies.
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THE FINE ART CENTER AT THE BASCOM-LOUISE GALLERY, Highlands NC
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The WNC Nature Center - Asheville NC
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Atlanta Photography Group - Atlanta, GA
All images Copyright 2000-2005 Jay R. Hahn
Unauthorized use prohibited.
Images CAN be used with permission.
For usage terms, please email.
Last Updated: 02/20/2008