JOHN DIEPHOUSE
CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023
John Diephouse was named the RUBY ARTIST OF MARCH 2023 and the SAPPHIRE ARTIST OF AUGUST 2023 and was therefore automatically entered into the third annual ARTISTS OF THE YEAR EVENT where he was then named the CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023.
Gallery Ring invites you to come and meet this multiple award-winning photographer and discover his riveting and stimulating artwork, which ranges from industrial and urban subjects — heavy with steel, concrete, rust and grit — all the way to delicate, soft floral specimens that pose and float gracefully in misty, pretty pictures. Behold his talent for saluting these contrary topics with equal respect and devotion in the following feature and interview which was created in recognition and celebration of his CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023 title.
“My images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. Ultimately, my work provides a vehicle to stimulate both my imagination and that of the viewer, leaving one free to interpret and create an individual sense of meaning and value.”
Mr. Diephouse is a Michigan-based, self-taught photographer and digital collage artist. He has exhibited widely over the past twenty years, with his artwork being featured in group and solo exhibitions in leading galleries and museums nationally. He has earned recognition in local, regional, and national exhibitions ranging from Best In Show to a display in the Governor of Michigan’s private residence. His work is also included in several corporate and private collections.
"Under The El"
Photography
GR - What made you first pick up a camera? Did another photographer’s work inspire you or did you see or witness something that ignited a desire to record and keep it forever?
JD - Like many photographers, I started taking snapshots of vacations and family events but occasionally (by accident) would record an image that hinted at more creative possibilities. I began deliberately experimenting but seldom achieved the images I held in my mind’s eye until I made the transition from film to digital about 20 years ago. The immediate feedback of digital, the ability to take significantly more shots than with film and especially the ability to work in the “digital darkroom” led me to achieving images I was happy with more often. Although I was never a serious student of classic photography, I was inspired over time by the work of many photographers, from nature shooters like Ansel Adams, Edward Westin and Elliot Porter to those with more of a documentary style such as Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans or Harry Calahan.
"Mass Transit"
Digital collage
GR - MASS TRANSIT is a show-stopper. The fascination it yields increases the longer it is observed. The eye happily toggles between the figures and the train in an effort to find visual logic and rest. How did this clever and exciting piece come to be? What was the starting point?
JD - Trains are a frequent photo subject for me, from steam engines to current day, graffiti and the complex and graceful patterns of merging and parting rails. I am also intrigued by the dynamic of movement, particularly of crowds of people. MASS TRANSIT is the result of merging images of a modern passenger train and the silhouette of people rushing through a metropolitan airport. As photos, neither was particularly noteworthy or successful. I had tried combining both images with other natural and industrial images which didn’t yield results of interest. This was the serendipitous result of trial and error, as when I brought the images together in this configuration, I had that moment of spark and clarity. The shared theme of mass transit then became self-evident to me.
GR - As a prolific photographer and artist who is very active in the art scene and has won an astonishing number of awards — which you are very humble about — it doesn’t appear that you suffer from the dreaded artist’s block. How do you avoid or overcome it? Does the recognition and your continual participation keep you inspired and motivated and how important is it to you and your artistic health?
JD - I do occasionally get “stuck” but I think I overcome this by being fairly disciplined in working on something almost every day, like a musician who practices his or her instrument of choice regularly. This helps develop the “muscle memory” that allows me to get beyond thinking about the mechanical steps of creating and move more quickly to a state of creative flow. Some days don’t produce anything that I find interesting in the moment and only emerge as shareable when I go back and review images days, weeks or months later. Of course, I find the recognition that awards provide to be validating and a confidence builder but I enjoy the creative process for my own self-expression, even when it isn’t shared with anyone else. I also get informal feedback from a variety of sources that is very affirming as well. Although I would likely continue doing what I do without the public recognition, knowing that others find interest in images I create is a strong incentive to continue sharing what I do.
GR - Your artwork demonstrates extremes of style and character. Your gentle, floral photographs and collages are ethereal, indefinite and graceful, which are in opposition to the heaviness and power of your industrial and urban images. Does this contrast reflect a deeper meaning you are exploring?
JD - I think it speaks to the range of subjects to which I am attracted, as well as the variety of experiences we all encounter. We experience and respond to a wide range of inputs, some of which are soothing, some jarring, some pleasantly stimulating and some unsettling or thought provoking. Each provokes a different response and may generate a different mood or reaction at a different time. I am equally drawn to the grace and simplicity of a spring blossom, the grit and decay of an abandoned rusty car or an industrial site and the abstract blend of color and form that many abstracts provide. So, in many ways the images I produce are a reflection of my experience as much as an intent to explore or encourage a specific response.
"I'm Overthinking This"
Digital collage
GR - In I’M OVERTHINKING THIS, machine and human overlap and combine. The prominent sunglasses, which are made by machines but rest on the flesh of humans, seem to serve as a connection and halfway point between the two sides. What was your thought process behind this exceptional picture?
JD - I am fascinated with the inner workings of things — both the logic and repetitive nature of mechanical devices and sometimes irrational or illogical human/social activity. The juxtaposition of these different and yet not unrelated spheres is a recurring topic that I delve into frequently. In this image I have attempted to depict the repetitive and almost mechanistic nature of an obsessive or compulsive thought process as reflected in the human form. The activity occurring in the human mind is almost invisible or shaded from public scrutiny, perhaps symbolised by the sunglasses in the image. Although these thought processes may not be overt and operate largely in the subconscious realm, the patterns are observable/discernible if studied closely.
GR - Your body of work covers a vast range of subject matter. Is exploring a single topic something that you can see in your artistic future — perhaps resulting in the production of an in-depth study or series? Is any single subject whispering to you?
JD - I have several recurring themes or subjects that appear in my work but I think I lack the attention span to do a dedicated or intensive study of one! Instead, over time I think I am developing several parallel catalogs of work that do hold together, each as a coherent body of work as you might expect in a solo show. I continue to expand my collections with themes that include social justice, sociological observation, visual puns/paradoxes, technology/industrialism, Americana and purely abstract/color studies.
"Seeking Equilibrium"
Digital collage
GR - Unlike your other work, SEEKING EQUILIBRIUM is minimalist and simple. The clean, large spaces and the intimate view at close range produce impact, drama and intrigue. Can you discuss the inspiration, meaning or thought behind this striking piece?
JD - I am intrigued by visual or conceptual paradoxes and I am drawn to the ambiguity of purely abstract images. SEEKING EQUILIBRIUM is a close-up photo of a liquid-filled hourglass. I attempted several dozen shots of the grains rushing and moving through the narrow neck, trying to capture a sense of movement and chaos but wasn’t happy with any of them. An hourglass, both literally and perhaps metaphorically, is about movement and change. I was drawn to this image by the clarity, simplicity and almost monochromatic nature of it. The horizontal rather than a more traditional vertical orientation for an hourglass slowed the movement of the grains, such that they were approaching the unnatural state of equilibrium, hence the title.
GR - You work with both photography and digital collage. From an artistic standpoint, how do they differ to you and at what point in your process do you choose between them? Do you ever undo a collage you have made and revert back to a photograph? Do you follow an ordered system or approach to your work?
JD - I think of myself as a photographer first and take photos almost every day, while collages are much more episodic. I seldom take photos with the specific intent of using the subject matter in a collage. Photography begins with a primarily literal viewpoint, while I view collages as much more experimental, conceptual and unbounded. My best photos don’t necessarily lend themselves to good collages, in fact often the inverse. Many images I use in collages are not technically strong photos but yield something fresh when combined with other visuals. I often shift from photos to collages when I am caught up on photos to process. In creating collages, I often try several versions using the same elements and end up discarding most of them. I keep only those that really seem to have something special and share publicly only a fraction of my best results.
"1000 Worlds Ascending"
Digital collage
"Call & Response"
Digital collage
GR - What drives you to make your artwork? What do you hope to communicate to your audience and what type of response do you most seek and value?
JD - Clearly, I have some creative drive that needs to be expressed. I enjoy doing something well, which has apparently occurred as I have developed my skills over time. I have worked in a variety of other media over time, including stained glass and linocuts but always found myself returning to photography as the most natural outlet for me. I enjoy observing the world around me and describing it concretely through my photos or perhaps providing a bit less literal translation of the world through my eyes as depicted through my collages. I'm most satisfied and sometimes a bit surprised when what I produce is something that provides a positive experience for the viewer. Sometimes this is simply the enjoyment of an interesting or beautiful image, sometimes it may provoke thought or conversation or challenge someone to think in new or different ways. The specific reaction is less important than creating a response that I hope is meaningful and beneficial.
GR - What can the art world expect next from John Diephouse? Do you have any particular plans you wish to share?
JD - Photography seems to be my niche, so hopefully what the future holds is more of what I have already produced, with greater refinement and depth of thought!
GR - It has been a pleasure getting to know the person behind the creative and compelling images. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and congratulations on winning CRYSTAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2023.
JD - I'm very honored by the Crystal Artist Of The Year Award and very grateful for the opportunity you provide to share my creative efforts! I thoroughly enjoy the variety of themes your competitions reflect and look forward to sharing new work with you!
"Tapestry"
Digital collage