Photographing in a mindful manner began when I was in my 20s in my hometown, Chicago. Architecture, a childhood fascination, was the impetus for picking up the camera. In 1991, I migrated west. Even though the LA area drives me a little nuts (hey-I know you feel the same way), I’m very grateful to live here because this visually insane multiverse is all at once grandiose, blighted, pristine, polluted, decaying, unfinished, and drop-dead gorgeous. The conflation of the urban scape and open land is both complicated and enthralling. It sparks my creative juices to feel vexed and delighted by all of this all at once. Its all a big, beautiful mess, - ‘beautiful’ in the broadest sense. So, land and urban scape photography has lately merged into photo collage.
Photo collaging: I take random photographs promiscuously and carelessly in the way assemblage artists acquire found objects. I put all this digital detritus into my computer and let it stew. I’m not interested in pre-visualizing the end result; one thing just leads to another. But hopefully the cooking stew of a collage with ingredients added over time will taste ok and not make me or anyone else sick.
Photography: Of course, sometimes an image captured with just one click is simply magic, especially if it’s a favorite subject, e.g., architecture, trees. When this happens, screw the collage art form, I’m back to straight-on photography.
Visual Ear Worms: These are series of closely related images that I’ve made micro-obsessively because a visual juxtaposition gets stuck in my head. Examples: (1) a single palm tree standing sentry in front of a structure, (2) a little house eclipsed by a huge cactus. (LHBC). I’ve also engaged in the irresponsible habit of taking photographs while driving such as on the Grapevine (5 Freeway). I don’t do that anymore.
…..You can do anything you like, it’s all fiction.
John Gossage, photographer
Blogging: Since I’m a local history/architecture buff and have taken people on walking tours of Adams Hill, Glendale’s coolest neighborhood, I’ve written the tours out on my blog so you can explore at your leisure.
Instagram: @arlene.vidor
Would love it if you followed me on Instagram
EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibitions
Whimsical | Interspace, Art in the Arthouse, Laemmle Glendale, Glendale, CA, September 12, 2023 – February 27, 2024
Cactus, Splits and Coffee. KAFN Coffee Company, Glendale, CA. May -June, 2018
Solo exhibition, In the Hothouse, Antaeus Theatre, Kiki and David Gindler Performing Arts Center, Glendale CA, February-March 2018
Group Exhibitions
My World is Black and White, Lioncourt Gallery online, Arnol and Arch Rock, May, 2025
Motion, Decagon Online Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, Swirling, September 2024
Openings, Decagon Online Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, Drain Pipe Mischief July, 2024
Casting Shadows, Photo Art Pavilion Online, Golden Hour Mesquite Flat, Golden Hour Verdugo Road, Dining Room Wall, June 14, 2024
Brand 51 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper, Glendale, CA. Urban Onion. Juror: , July 8 – September 1, 2023
International Monochrome online, Honorable Mention, The Way In, 2022
Brand 50 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper, Glendale, CA, 2022. Fire: next time, Juror: Shannon Currie Holmes
Trees, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT, North Yorkshire, Juror: 202
Trees, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX, Fountains Abbey, Juror , April 29 – June 9, 2022
International Monochrome online, Honorable Mention, Fountains Abbey, 2021
Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for Women Photographers, Barcelona Spain, 2021, Honorable Mention, Photo Collage Series, 2021 Jurors: and Online only, show cancelled/pandemic
Borders: Visible and Invisible, Gimpo Art Museum and Subway System, Gimpo, Korea (exchange between 4 Glendale and 4 Korea Artists). Irrigate photo collage, Curated by and . November 1 – November 30, 2021
Brand 49 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper. Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA; Elysian, Juror: , 2021
Diptychs, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX. Two-faced city, Juror . March 12-May 9, 2021
Vistas, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX. View at Dusk, Juror: . August-September, 2020
A Jury of Your Peers, LightBox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR. Honorable mention for Calaveras Split, Neon Petunia. Jurors: Applicants to exhibition voted. March-April, 2020
Gallery 43, Assembly District 43 Photography Competition, winner for Neon Petunia. Jurors: , , Catherine McGann. October 11, 2019
Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for Women Photographers, Barcelona, Spain. St. Petersburg, Shore Dune|Short Sunset (series), Stonehenge, Calaveras Split, St. Petersburg. Juror: , October 2019
Light, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX. 5 o’clock dining room, Juror: , November 23, 2018 – January 26, 2019
13th Annual Black and White Spider Awards online, Archipelago, St. Petersburg, Calaveras Split, 2018
Members Juried Exhibition Catalog, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel California, Calaveras Split, Juror: , June-July, 2018
11th Annual International Color Awards online, Honorable mention: North Adams, runners up: Through the Chute, South Adams, Gas Station 1, Huntington Split. 2017
Lens 2018 International Juried Photography Exhibition, Perspective Fine Art Photography Gallery, Evanston, IL; 2nd place for San Pedro Mono, Juror: , 2018
Vistas, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX; Siuslaw. Juror: , 2017
12th Annual Black and White Spider Awards, online, Huntington, 2017
Quiet Landscape, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT, Honorable Mention, Salisbury, Jurors: 2017
International Monochrome online, Honorable Mention, Stonehenge, 2016
11th Annual Black and White Spider Awards, Honorable Mentions: Better Off, Vigilance, Runners up: Back Stairs, Construction, Tube, Mendocino, TV Age, Chinatown, 2016
Alphabet, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX; San Pedro. Juror: , 2016
10th Annual International Color Awards online, runners up: Tartu Dress Shop, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Broad Window, Sao Paulo, Diver with Petunias, The Mailbox, Tailor, Services Included, 2016
Barnsdall LAMAG, Barnsdall Art Park, Los Angeles, CA; Playtime at JPB, 2016
H2O, A Smith Gallery and East Main Grill, Johnson City, TX; Sunnylands. Juror: S. Gayle Stevens, 2015
10th Annual Black and White Spider Awards, online. Runners up: Steve S, Best Reception, Inside Henry Miller, 2015
Blue, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX; Blue Henge. Juror: , 2015
Magic, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX; Stay Out, Conjuring Gladys, Waiting for Treament. Juror: , 2015
9th Annual International Color Awards, Honorable Mention: Sao Paulo Market , Aqueduct, Altino Arantes View, San Pedro, 2015
Brand 42 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper, Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA; Nancy’s Celebration, Juror: , 2014
Brand 38, Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper, Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA. Spring Bloom, Juror , 2009
Brand 36 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper; Dennehy’s Dead Marriage (Eva Mason Award), Her Better Self(Burbank Fine Arts Federation Award), Juror: , 2008
Photo Chimera, 10 California Photographers, Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA; Good Neighbor Suzanne, Fatal Distraction, Curator: , 2008
Brand 35 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper, Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA; Into the Light, Juror: , 2007
Group Exhibitions of the Tropico Artists Collective
Tropico Artists Collective at Seeley Lofts, Glendale, CA, 2006
Tropico Artists Collective at Nickelodeon Studios, Burbank, CA., 2006
Tropico Redux, Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA, 2005