Menagerie of Light

An Exhibit by Victoria Flores, Meg Kosloff, and Joshua Moulton

A couple of months ago during a board meeting with the photography gallery I belong to, there was discussion about what to do for the month of September since the original artist dropped out. I got a buzz on my phone.

“Me and you show?”

It was Josh - another board member and friend who is usually pushing me into another adventure I’m not expecting. :)

My brain went spastic with thoughts when another member noticed Josh and I giggling through the zoom cameras and asked what was going on. Josh explained he was trying to convince me to do a joint exhibit when the gallery manager Victoria chimed in. “I want to do a show too!”

And there it began… the three of us embarking on the journey of showing our photographic art in a gallery.

I make it sound dramatic, but for me it was! I had never done an exhibit or showed my work in a space before. It was foreign to me and knew there would be a pretty hefty learning curve. However with the other two seasoned photographers, I was able to navigate the process so much easier than if I had done the show by myself.

There is postcard making, photo matting, statement writing, social media posting, art hanging, food planning, and a handful of other little things that pop up in the process. Not to mention the show itself, which I will explain in a little bit.

My biggest hurdle was matting the photographs. I had bought a used mat cutter from Josh a month earlier, but in my obstinate way - I did not ask for help and thought I could figure it out on my own. :-p I did end up figuring it out, but not after wasting a lot of mat board and making some big mistakes that cost me a lot of time and effort in the process. Every mistake I could have made, I made. Even down to something as stupid as signing my initials on the side of photo instead of the bottom (I just fanned them out a little to do it quickly and forgot there was a horizontal amongst the verticals,) and had to redo the matting all over again on that one photograph.

I describe this process not because I hated it, or wish I hadn’t done it. That is absolutely not the case! As much as I got irritated here and there, it was overall an extremely contemplative and immersive experience. Creating art is an alluring process - full of quirks not expected. But overall turns into something you love and find beautiful in its artistic expression.

Which brings me to the reception! I’ve been taking photographs for years, but except for blogs and social media, no one really gets to see the final product in its printed glory. Until today. Today people can walk into Spectrum Art Gallery in Fresno, CA and see my photographs on display and in much bigger size than an Instagram post. :)

When Josh, Victoria and I finished hanging everything up, I felt such a sense of accomplishment and pride. It truly is a beautiful exhibit and my fellow photographers did such an excellent job with their art work as well. The show is very cohesive and doesn’t feel like “my” show but instead “our show.” I’m incredibly grateful to them for showing me the ropes and being responsive to questions in a timely manner.

I’m also grateful for the friends, family, and coworkers that came out to support me. People drove from out of town and made me feel so special at the reception. After doing photography for years, it feels especially gratifying and wonderful to have people see it in person.

If you are local, please come down and see it! It will be up the whole month of September - Thursday/Friday 4-8pm and Saturday/Sunday 1-5pm.

But if you can’t come down and see it, here is the Artist’s Statement from the exhibit and my photos on display.

Menagerie of Light

“The phrase, Menagerie of Light, evokes the idea of a diverse and vibrant collection of light sources or visual effects, similar to how a menagerie is a collection of various animals. It suggests a scene that is rich, varied, and possibly magical or enchanting in its visual impact. In the context of photography, a menagerie of light refers to the diverse and intricate ways light is captured and manipulated in an image.

Victoria’s inspiration for her images comes from chasing light and discovering interesting organic shapes. She truly enjoys exploring and capturing moments of natural beauty. While photographing botanicals might seem mundane to some, she finds it exciting. By using multiple exposures on her digital camera, she creates intriguing new shapes from the plants and flowers in the environment. These new blooms evoke an ethereal feeling that many people can relate to when strolling through nature. Photography serves as an escape from the stresses of everyday life and a way to strengthen her artistic muscles. Her goal is to capture the essence of nature in a fresh way while presenting it differently from the norm.

Victoria Flores is the Spectrum Art Gallery manager and webmaster. She is an accomplished artist, adjunct professor at Fresno City College and a CSUSacramento Alumni. She has seamlessly integrated formal education, technical expertise, and community service throughout her diverse career in visual arts.

For this exhibition, Meg chose black and white photographs to showcase her distinctive approach to capturing “light.” Light is what allows us to see the world around us, and without it, there would be no such thing as photography. Meg delights in capturing the spectacular, gritty, “normal,” courageous, and bizarre aspects of the world we live in. She tends to be spontaneous when she shoots, seizing compelling moments and trying to capture the light before it fades away. Whether it’s spotlights in a dark music venue, soft diffuse light dispersing into seemingly quiet spaces during a rainstorm, or a silhouetted dancer in the sky, the starkness and softness of black and white make these two commanding shades capable of signifying everything and nothing at once. Meg is excited to share this space with two fellow photographers who also capture the world in their own distinct ways.

Meg Kosloff’s portfolio showcases a diverse range of subjects, including street scenes, bands/musicians, food, and landscapes, making her aptly described as a lifestyle photographer. Beyond her creative pursuits, Meg is also an accomplished ICU nurse with a wealth of experience in listening to people’s stories. She loves embarking on adventures and spending time with her husband and their two adorable kitties.

Joshua Moulton is an award-winning landscape photographer who seeks out large, imaginative scenes that skew towards the fantastical. With a backpack chock full of camera gear—Joshua is ready for any condition as he will often be found ankle-deep in rivers, traversing questionable heights, and craning his neck upwards with digital Fuji in hand to capture a fleeting moment. 

Menagerie of Light is a collection of images captured in 2024 with a focus on the American deserts with overlapping, yet discernible points of view. Each scene is transformed by unique light compelling the artist to capture its moment, to engage the shutter, to freeze time. 

Joshua is a CSU Fresno alumni with a BA in Geography. When not traveling, this Central California native stays close to home in Clovis with his favorite companion – his beautiful wife Jessica, their two cats and his Onewheels.”

Phew! That was a lot. If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Leave a comment and tell me what you think of the photos!

Photographs are available to purchase as well. Just shoot me an email and we can work on sizing, matting, or no mat until I get them listed in the store.

Holding cookies with our images printed on them!