Biography
The photographic seed was planted in photographer Jim Curnyn at age twelve. While watching “The Bob Cummings Show” (the TV sitcom of a photographer) in 1957 he was so impressed when during the opening credits to the show a blank sheet of photographic paper was placed into a tray of developer and an image appeared. He turned to his father and said “I have to do that”. The next Christmas he received a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera, contact printer, film tank, and chemicals and was taught to develop film and contact print.
Photography interest soon went dormant due to all the activities of life unfolding: education, military duty, career, raising a family. However, deeply buried in him was the photographic seed which sprouted later in life. At age 48 he started his formal education of photography at Fresno City College and joined Spectrum Art Gallery. He involved himself with board of director duties and organized group photographic exhibitions in a traveling show venue. Taking the art works of Spectrum Art Gallery members out into the public to promote photography as an art form, exhibits included Fresno City Hall, Fresno Art Museum, Merced Multicultural Museum, Tulare Art Museum, Saroyan Theater, Borders Bookstore, Barns & Noble Bookstore, Bank of America, and an ongoing exhibition space at the Fresno County Fair.
Publications:
Book cover “Sounds the Living Make” by D. James Smith
Fresno City College “City Essayist” 1997 with cover photograph.
Fresno City College Calendar 1997
San Joaquin River Parkway land acquisition proposal
Awards:
Fresno County Fair – numerous awards – 1996 to 2000
Fresno City College Art Space Gallery – 1995 to 1997
Poster artist for Public Broadcasting Station TV channel 18 auction 2001
Donations to local entities:
Carden School – Central Calif Aids Foundation – Planned Parenthood – San Joaquin River Parkway – Public TV channel 18 auctions – Teen Challenge – Focus Forward Serving Fresno County Youth
Shows solo: Fresno City Hall 2010
Strands Salon of Fresno: Benefit to Red Cross Haitian Earth Quake Relief Fund-2010
University of California Center Fresno 1999
Creative Mode Gallery 1999
Shows group: Fresno Art Museum, Spectrum Gallery – Fresno City Hall – Ansel Adams Gallery Yosemite – Merced Multicultural Museum – Fresno Art Museum – Tulare Art Museum – Saroyan Theater – Borders Bookstore – Barnes&Noble Bookstore – Bank of America Tower Branch – Madden Library CSUF – President??™s Gallery CSUF – Circle Gallery Madera – David Ashcraft Gallery 2002 – Quady Winery 2003 – Fresno City Hall Preservation Exhibition 2004 – La Boulangerie French Bakery 2007
Private Installations:
Fidelity National Title Company – Fresno
Fulton Coffee Company – Fresno
Public Installations:
5th District Court of Appeals
Fresno County Mental Health – Heritage Foundation
Fresno Superior Court – BF Sisk Building
Fresno Water Tower
Sierra Vista Mall
Art Fairs:
Numerous annual local art fairs
Jim Curnyn is a Fresno, CA based fine art photographer whose work encompasses cityscapes, farm scenes, architecture, railroad environment, Fresno historical landmarks, Washington DC Area, West Virginia, and France. Jim is locally known for his photography of subjects made in dense fog. He has documented the history of the Fulton Mall in Fresno, CA and photographed the history and activities of a local family farm.