[FERRIN GALLERY] Artist Focus: Jason Houston

JASON HOUSTON Berkshire resident, Jason Houston has photographed farms and farmers for nearly a decade. In 2007 Houston's Farm series was featured in "Locally Grown", a group show on the subject of Local Agriculture and Harvest at the Ferrin Gallery in conjunction with "Locally Thrown". Images from this series are currently on view at various locations. Photo Caption: Jason Houston, Untitled (Rich), 20" x 30", Unmounted digital c-prints , 2006 Click here for Ferringallery.com and Jason Houston ONVIEW @ Stonover Farm FARM Painting, Photography and Sculpture By appointment through October 31 Stonover Farm 169 Under Mountian Road Lenox, MA 01240 413.637.3344 FARMER Photographic series by Jason Houston I’ve been photographing farms and farmers in the Berkshires where I live for nearly a decade. I started this project because I believed that food and where it comes from and how it’s made is one the most urgent, universally important issues our world faces today. And the more time I’ve spent on this work, the more I have come to believe that we really are also in serious trouble: Issues of personal health and global hunger, the instability of an oil-dependant economy, terrorism and increasing agricultural trade surpluses, the lack of knowledge around genetic engineering, the loss of traditional knowledge and regional varieties in our crops, the ethical treatment of animals and the impact on our environment…are all part of the dynamic we participate in each and every day, every time we eat. Proponents of industrial agriculture will insist we are too far-gone and must buy into technological solutions. But in a growing number of communities around the world farmers on small, independently owned, and community focused farms are helping local economies grow and sustainable agriculture take hold. They represent real alternatives and I photograph them to help raise the critical conversations we need to be having about where our food comes from and the sustainability and vitality of that system. -Jason Houston, 2007 Photo Caption: Jason Houston, Moon in the Pond Farm, Rich, 2007, Photograph Click here for link to Stonover Farm Jason Houston: Ongoing Exhibitions Ongoing: Farm prints at Rubi's on Main Street in Great Barrington, MA Farm prints at The Red Devon, Bangall, NY Family of Mine Opens Nov 6th Nov 5-Dec 12 RayKo Photo Center Gallery, San Francisco, CA "The Un-Natural Nature of Food" (online group show) Fraction Magazine Photo Caption: Jason Houston, Fourth of July 2005 (2), Archival digital c-print, 30x40, edition of 3. Click here for link to ferringallery.com and Jason Houston Jason Houston: Recent Publications Dying Beautifully - Photographs by Jason Houston, words by Billie Best The story of one man's beautiful death and how dying consciously can change everything. Click here for link to dyingbeautifully.org Jason Houston: Recent Publications People of the Forest - Photographs by Jason Houston, Stories by William DeBuys A commentary about deforestation and destroying Orangutan habitats. Click here for link to rareconservation.org