Pennsylvania Artist/Photographer Featured in International Journal- Silver Shotz Snags Salonick

Like his Gothic Surrealism creations, there are many layers to local artist and photographer Curtis Salonick.

"I don't think I create beautiful pictures. I create interactive pictures," said Salonick, adding that his works have layered elements, which the viewer has to look deep to see every aspect.

Salonick and his multi-level artwork are featured in the current issue of SilverShotz: The International Journal of Fine Art Photography. Beginning on page 82, readers of the acclaimed artistic publication get a glimpse of gothic surrealism and Salonick's artistic life.

"The article was well-written; they understood me quite a bit," he said of his spread in the magazine. Salonick said he was happy with the piece, and that his website has gotten more hits since its publication.

Salonick started creating photographic art in his teens, taking pictures of his pet snake and other scenes from nature.

"I didn't find that to satisfy my artistic side very much. I wanted a little more hands-on," he said, continuing that he started looking for new avenues where he could add himself to the art.

Soon Salonick would develop his own system of creating art, using his photography skills as a base. In the meantime, while still pursuing his artistic photography Salonick began freelancing. When the Agnes Flood hit in 1972, Salonick went to local newspaper Times Leader and inquired about becoming a photographer. He said at the time the paper relied on freelancers.

"The editor told me to go out and shoot whatever I could," said Salonick. "From there, my private career sprouted."

Like most noteworthy national tragedies, they are relived through pictures on anniversaries of the event. Some of Salonick's photos of the devastation, namely one of a view from West Market Street in Wilkes-Barre, still appear from time to time.

While continuing with freelance photography, Salonick immersed himself in the artistic side of photography-the side that drew him to the process in the first place. He found a warehouse, which allowed him a venue to design props, sets and have models pose for him. But, just taking pictures alone, Salonick does not consider art. He uses a picture of a waterfall as an example. The waterfall is a pretty picture by itself, and there is nothing wrong with that, he says. But to make it what he considers art there needs to be artist intervention.

"Photography is photography, but to make it art, you have to add something," he said. He elaborates that manipulating the scene, adding to the scene, etc. all can turn simply snapping a picture into an art form. Salonick explains that his process has several steps.

"My inspiration comes from objects I find, objects I see at the flea market," he said.

But when Salonick takes a picture, that's only the beginning of his creation process.

"(The pictures) are just pieces to a puzzle. I need two or three pieces to make it complete. That's the kind of deal with me," he explained. "Each shot is just an element, a strong element."

Salonick's Gothic Surrealism artwork begins with black and white photos, sometimes shots he took many years ago but were just waiting for the right additional puzzle pieces.

"Black and white has a range of attractiveness by itself," he explains. Starting with black and white then, he has more control over the colors he chooses to add later. "I can add the colors I want. I am not influenced by what was there."

By using different sizes and pieces of stand-alone photos meshed into one end print, he is able to create a unique art form. Once Salonick has a few photos that make up a complete puzzle, the artistic process continues. Using a litho-chrome process, he makes lithographs of the images and will add color where he wants with PhotoShop. Through this unique developing process, the end result of Salonick's final prints is actually layers of different photographs, or pieces of different images atop one another. There may be a photo of an object or person, with an enlarged pattern of something from nature-shadows of tree branches for example- over it. These repeated patterns from nature Salonick refers to as screens.

Salonick's art can be purchases on his website. For more information on Salonick and to views his artwork, visit his thumbnail gallery at www.salonick.com.