Geoffrey Leven's current photographic work is achieved through non-traditional equipment. In a constant pursuit of new ways of seeing light, Geoffrey experiments with non-traditional equipment as well as antiquated and throw-away cameras to digital scanning beds. Focusing on an eclectic range of natural and found light conditions, Geoffrey captures brief and mysterious moments “just inside” the life of the flower. Whether presented on an intimate scale or a wall size installation, these painterly photographs manage to project the magic of common flowers as exotic characters from another world with a broad range of mood and presence. Stark, sensual or even humorous, Geoffrey Leven’s work stands guard in a realm all it’s own, quickly becoming the property of the viewer's own imagination.

Geoffrey's newest series, "Some Of The Parts" are actual flowers scanned in dark space without the use of a camera and then produced in an archival digital, metallic process. These photographs can be single images up to 48" x 60" as well as larger multi-image photographic assemblage.

"Between The Light" is a Polaroid series which explores the ever-changing light as it moves through time, capturing a flower's translucent inner glow and fragility. These images are transposed with pigmented ink onto archival etching paper to create signed and numbered editions. The entire series to date has been documented in the book, "MAGIC HOUR: A Selection of images from the BETWEEN THE LIGHT series" available at Lulu.com. The making of this book and series was Geoffrey Leven's personal wink at analogue photography. Polaroid film is now extinct as of Februrary 2008.

"As an artist and perennial gardener, I became aware of how the light caused flowers to change through the day. I began to photograph Daylilies, as the morning light moved onto them and then witnessed how the "magic hour" of late afternoon moved "through" them, causing a dramatic, transparent finish. Every day, the light is different. Often there is barely a minute left of daylight to capture that special moment. With the ever changing light and the subject on the verge of folding up, it is not unlike shooting a moving target as the light fades to dusk."
BIO:

Geoffrey Leven graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, in fine art, graphic design and photography and then studied printmaking at the Pratt Graphics Center and went on to create an extensive body of work at the Dieu Donné Artist's Paper Mill in New York.

Geoffrey resides in New York City, where he pursues his visual art full time. Geoffrey Leven's work can be found in private collections in the United States and Europe.

Selected Exhibitions:

Art Sites, Riverhead NY 2007

Saint Peter's Church, NYC 2007

Whitney Art Works, Portland ME 2006

Icehouse Gallery, Greenport NY 2005

Corridor Gallery at the Interchurch Center, NYC 2005

Proposal for a Connecticut residence

2009
Joyce Robins Gallery, New Mexico Women's Foundation, "WISH YOU WERE HERE", Santa Fe NM

2008
Whitney Art Works at 492 Congress, "IN BLOOM", Portland ME
Umbrella Arts/curcioprojects, "WALK-INS WELCOME", NYC curated by Robert Curcio

2007
Studio Gallery 234, “HOLIDAY GROUP SHOW ", York PA
The Gallery of St. Peter's Church at the CITICORP Building, NYC
Art Sites, "PHOTOGRAPHY WITHOUT CAMERAS", Riverhead NY
Studio Gallery 234, "SPRING GROUP EXHIBITION", York PA
Janet Swanson Gallery, Oysterponds Historical Society, "LOCAL ARTISTS, LOCAL SCENES", Orient, NY

2006
Whitney Art Works, "PLUSH", Portland ME
Chelsea Eye Gallery, "GEOFFREY LEVEN - SOLO SUMMER INSTALLATION ", NYC
Chelsea Eye Gallery, "GEOFFREY LEVEN - SOLO WINTER INSTALLATION ", NYC
The Old Point Schoolhouse Museum, Oysterponds Historical Society, Orient, NY
Whitney Art Works, "Holiday Mixer", Portland ME

2005
Studio Gallery 234, “HOLIDAY GROUP SHOW ", York PA
Icehouse Gallery, "DREAMS BETWEEN THE LIGHT - GEOFFREY LEVEN & DEBRA WHITNEY", Greenport NY
*The Suffolk Times Review December 1, 2005
Corridor Gallery at the Interchurch Center, “BETWEEN THE LIGHT” (Solo Exhibition), NYC
Studio Gallery 234, “GEOFFREY LEVEN, JOEL SPRINGER, WILLIAM THOMPSON III", York PA

2004
Studio Gallery 234, "NEW ARTISTS", York PA
Marquet Gallery, "BETWEEN THE LIGHT", NYC

2002
Yellow House Works of Art, "FIRE LIGHT PAINT PAPER", Greenport NY
*Dan's Papers Review
Yellow House Works of Art, "SIGNATURE" (Curator), Greenport NY
*BEST GALLERY SHOW IN LONG ISLAND, Dan's Papers Readership polls

2001
Dieu Donné Papermill Gallery, "NEW ARTIST PROJECTS" with Lynda Benglis, NYC
Whitney Art Works, "PAPER" with Alan Shields, Greenport NY

2000
Yellow House Works of Art, "ASPECT OF DESIRE", Greenport NY
*New York Times Review July 30, 2000
Whitney Art Works, "COLOR", Greenport NY

1999
Yellow House Works of Art, "ART SPIRIT '99", Greenport NY
*New York Times Review July 24, 1999

1998
FOOTFALLS, First Annual Sculptural Walking Tour, Greenport NY
*New York Times Review August 98

1996
Boston Center For the Arts, "REALIZING THE ARCHIVE PROJECT", Boston MA

1995
Friendspace, "ARTISTS + FRIENDS" with Maggie Poor and Barbara Schwartz, NYC
Yellow House Works of Art, "LOST + FOUND", Greenport NY
*New York Times Review

1993
Political button designed for the 1992 Democratic Presidential campaign.
National Museum of American History-Division of political history
Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC (Permanent Collection)

1992
East End Arts Council, "PICTURES IN PASSING" (Solo Exhibition), Riverhead NY