A professional photographer unique in the Southern California region, Dok Blanchard’s work has been described by collectors and curators as “quite beautiful” and “well executed.” (Dr. Carol McCusker, Curator of Photography, MOPA, 2003). In fact, beauty and serenity are the emotional keys to Blanchard’s work, with a technique as grounded in the classic style of f64. The collection is executed in black and white, large format (4x5 and above) and consistently poetic in both content and composition.

Dok Blanchard’s awards include many first place honors, including a first place from the Escondido Municipal Gallery in 2002 for a nude study in a show entitled Figure, and in 2004 received a first place award from Mind’s Island, Indian Orchard, MA. Dok was asked to submit an award winning work which toured in a three city/three country show of contemporary artists (Tijuana-Yohahama-San Diego Art Exchange, “One With Clouds” juried show 1992-93). He has created works for, and been honored by the San Diego Historical Society, The Ocean Beach Historical Society,  and the San Diego Museum of Natural History, which awarded Dok one of the top “100 Blacks in San Diego” for his work;  all institutions retain his visions of San Diego in their collections.  Recently his photos taken of the restoration of the U.S. Grant Hotel in 2006 are now part of the U.S. Grant Historical Archive.

The February 2004 show was a one-man, invitational show at The San Diego County Administration Building. This show has been widely praised and has won Blanchard a new following in the collections of the legal community.

Blanchard has been featured in publications such as the San Diego Union Tribune (“Photographer’s Main Goal to Translate Emotions” March 2003), reviewed for his first place award in the North County Times (“Library Curator Studies Human Form in “Figure”, June 2002), and reviewed for yet another first place entry in The Paper (Gallery Walk, Escondido, July 2002.)

The County Administration Building San Diego show appeared in the KPBS “On Air Magazine”, The Visual Arts Gallery, “The Photography of Dok Blanchard,” Jan 2004.

Blanchard has shown in the top Southern California galleries; to mention a few: William Cannon, Lewis King, the Upstairs Gallery, Art Site Gallery, the Horton Plaza Lyceum Theatre Gallery, John Sexton Gallery of Carmel, and the Laguna Beach Gallery of Photography.

His influences include f64, Steichen, Weston, and more recently his teacher John Sexton (see John Sexton, Places of Power, Carmel Valley, Ventana Ed., 2000.)

His work consistently entered the well-loved “Book of Days” calendar, an international juried selection of 54 photographers, (Keith Carter, Book of Days); one of the favorites is a nude of great emotional parity entitled “Classical Diffused.” Blanchard’s work glows with quiet deep strength.

EXHIBITION HISTORY

  • 2007 William D. Cannon Art Gallery, Carlsbad, CA, Juried Biennial
  • 2006 The Photographers’ Gallery – Calumet Gallery, Escondido
  • 2004 - 2005 San Diego Art Institute, San Diego
  • 2004 County Administration Building, San Diego, CA, one man invitational show: Art Halls & Walls, February artist.
  • 2004 San Diego Historical Society permanent collection, works of San Diego Historical significance.
  • 2004 Ocean Beach Historical Society, “Ocean Beach Pier,” permanent collection, O.B. Exposed.
  • 2002 First place summer juried show, “Figure”, curator Mark Elliot Lugo, San Diego Public Library.
  • 1994-2004 30 monthly juried shows, Escondido Municipal Gallery.
  • 2000-2001 William D. Cannon Gallery
  • 1998 Twiggs Coffee House, San Diego, one man show.
  • 1997 San Diego Natural History Museum, awarded “Top 100 Blacks in San Diego” for oeuvre, permanent collection.
  • 1992 Contemporary Art Exhibition, 3-city show, San Diego-Tijuana-Yokahama Citizen’s Galleries, juried show, pub., “San Diego City Pact 35th Anniversary Commemorative Catalogue, page 36, work, “One With Clouds.”

 HONORS

  • 2004 first place, Mind’s Island, Indian Orchard, MA, “Composition in White, #6.”
  • 1993-1999 Featured artist, Nelson Photo
  • 1997 “10 Top Blacks” Museum of Natural History, for landscape work.
  • 1993-1995 Featured artist, International Juried Contest, Book of Days Calendar, ”52 Weeks, 54 Photographers”, ed. Keith Carter, “Classical Diffused.”

 

PUBLICATIONS/LITERATURE

  • December 2006, First published book, “Retrospective” will be available Fall 2007.
  • January 2004, On Air Magazine, “Visual Arts Gallery” The Photography of Dok Blanchard, San Diego County Administration Building, Show.
  • March 2003, Feature story, “Photographers Main Goal to Translate Emotions”, San Diego Union Tribune.
  • July 2002, The Paper, Review of first place award-winning photograph “Figure”, review of Gallery Walk, Escondido, CA, photo of work.
  • June 2002, “Library Curator Studies Human Form in “Figure”, photo of work and review, North County Times.

 EDUCATION

  • San Diego City College, Dr. Sandy: Continuing Education with Fred Picker, R.A. Hanson, John Sexton, Phil Davis and constant historical research into f64 photographers.