Thaddeus Holownia already considers himself a winner.

The retired Mount Allison University professor is one of three artists who have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

The Scotiabank Photography Award is an annual peer-nominated prize for lens-based art.

The other two nominees are from Montreal.

“It’s humbling and it’s pretty amazing to be amongst really amazing people,” said Holownia.

His exhibition, Of a feather: An Homage to Gay Hansen, is currently on display at the Owens Art Gallery on campus in Sackville, N.B.

The work is in memory of Hansen, a teacher, mentor and ornithologist who taught at Mount Allison for 39 years.

She was also Holownia’s life partner.

The pair worked and travelled together, the exhibit takes its title from a portfolio of nature-themed photographs the artist created after Hansen’s death in 2021.

“It’s based on looking and appreciating beauty and nature and the spirit that Gay lived in terms of teaching others to appreciate those simple things,” said Holownia.

The 75-year-old taught at Mount Allison for 41 years and won awards for teaching and creative achievement before retiring in 2018.

“Teaching is a great opportunity to broaden people’s horizons and love for a subject. And if you’re in love with that subject, I think it’s easy to transfer that to others by example,” said Holownia. “I was very fortunate that Mount A was very supportive of my teaching methods as well as my own professional art career.”

Holownia collaborated on the project with Karen Stentaford, one of his former students and a current assistant professor of photography at the university.

She had a close relationship with Hansen as well.

“It started out as a vision of Thaddeus’ as a dedication to Gay and I was really honoured to be brought on board for this exhibition,” said Stentaford. “I really started to think about my relationship with Gay and thinking about her relationship with the environment.”

Eight nominees for the award have been pared down to just three, an amazing accomplishment as far as Stentaford is concerned.

“Making it to the shortlist, it really shows the respect and recognition of his work and legacy,” she said.

While he would like to win, external rewards are not be the end all for Holownia.

“I’ve already won, but if I was to win it would be one more accreditation and learning experience to tell people that, you know you can live in Sackville, New Brunswick, and fly under the radar and have your dedication and hard work be recognized,” said Holownia.

The winner will receive $50,000, a solo exhibition at a photography festival next year and a published book of work that will get worldwide distribution.

Of a feather: An Homage to Gay Hansen, will be on display at Owens Art Gallery at Mount Allison until May 15.

The visual artist will also be launching a new book of photography and poetry with frequent collaborator Harry Thurston.

A book launch that will support the Gay Hansen Scholarship will take place on May 10 at the gallery.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.

Carmen Bridgewater wants Black mothers to know that birth can be beautiful. 

The Dallas-based birth photographer blends artistry, empowerment, and advocacy into her work, creating an experience that leaves Black mothers feeling valued and protected. Her journey into this remarkable field intertwines her passion for art with her dedication to empowering Black women during one of the most transformative moments of their lives.

Carmen’s path to birth photography wasn’t conventional. Armed with a degree in business administration with a focus in entrepreneurship and leadership, she initially treaded a different path as a project manager. However, her love for photography led her to explore various niches, from portraits to weddings, until she discovered that she and her husband were expecting their  first child. 

“Around the time that I gave birth to my daughter, Norah, I was looking at providers and soaking up all the knowledge and childbirth education,” Carmen says. “I learned that — like every other field — there’s really not many Black women in birth photography. I found that when Black women were being photographed, if they were to hire a birth photographer or they were being photographed themselves, it was often from the place of a survivor.”

“I wanted my own work to aim in the direction of not only dispelling fear, but showcasing the beauty of the birthing experience,” Carmen explains. “It doesn’t have to be just a story of survival. This could be a story of thriving.”

Transitioning from a corporate setting to the world of art wasn’t easy, but Carmen’s determination propelled her forward. Drawing from her business acumen and project management skills, she swiftly built her own successful photography business. “My focus shifted into what I actually love, which is art,” she explains, “and it grew really quickly.”

Carmen’s work isn’t just about the business of photography, however. It’s about changing people’s perspectives and helping others. Through her work, she sheds light on the disparities in maternal healthcare, particularly concerning Black women. While pregnant with Norah, Carmem says she learned all the frightening statistics about Black maternal health, including the Black maternal mortality rate. 

“I feel like the first thing we learn as Black women, when we get pregnant, is maternal mortality statistics,” Carmen says. “I started learning from a place of like, ‘I don’t want to be a statistic.’ I had this beautiful birthing experience, because I studied. I did my homework; I made sure that I had coping mechanisms and a support system, and a postpartum plan in place. Living through that has kind of helped me teach people that they can do the same.”

“You don’t have to base your birth plan in fear. It can be more placed in empowerment. I use my work to show that because, obviously, I can talk all day until I’m blue in the face, or I can write a think piece and people read it. But when I can show people…people say a picture is worth 1000 words, it really is.”

Carmen, who is pregnant with her second child, adds that Black maternal health statistics “don’t have much to do with our educational backgrounds or socio-economic status, but with implicit bias.” She encourages all Black mothers and birthing people to find “providers who respect your birth plan and believe in bodily autonomy.” She lists Dallas-based midwives Ashley Greene at Serenity Birth Center and Jennifer Mozeke at Trinity Birth Services as two of the many providers who practice this philosophy (see below for a full list of resources). 

Being a birth photographer means being on call 24/7, navigating the unpredictable nature of childbirth. Yet, for Carmen, the most rewarding aspect is the impact she makes. “The messages I get from complete strangers… who had no idea that birth could be beautiful,” she reflects, “that’s what changes minds.”

Carmen lists clients Josh Doctson and Haille Wimbish’s birthing experience as one of her favorites to photograph. She was there when the couple welcomed their second child, an experience Bridgewater says was peaceful from “the beginning of labor to the time the baby was in her arms.”

“That didn’t keep Josh from crying for [Haille],” Bridgewater says. “He wept silently to himself while holding her; SZA playing in the background. Her doula whispered to her, often eliciting some laughter and a smile from the laboring mom. Peace wasn’t just with Haille, it was hanging in the air. Draped around all of us. When the baby was born and dad announced the sex, a little girl, rejoice filled the room. It was an orchestra of weeping, screams of glee, and congratulations to the parents. This is the way birth was intended to be. Sacred, intimate, and fully supported.”

However, the journey isn’t without its challenges. Carmen shares the disappointment her clients feel when their birth plans don’t unfold as expected. Yet, through her photography, she helps them find solace and peace in their stories.

Inspired by the resilience of the Black diaspora, Carmen draws strength from the stories of her ancestors and the Black women who came before her. “I just love everything about us… our spirit, our will to live and thrive. The way we turn terrible situations into very happy experiences — even our rage. I just find beauty in every part of our being.”

“More specifically, my mom’s story and knowing what she’s come through,” Carmen adds. “My grandmother; she was a single mother to five kids. She was sometimes homeless, just beyond poverty, but how she had such a love for life and a spark about her. I’m inspired by our stories. And our stories are often erased, if they’re even documented in the first place. When we know where we’ve come from, it lets us know where we’re going. I want to preserve our stories and make sure they’re heard and inspire others.”

As our conversation draws to a close, Carmen leaves us with a powerful message: “Black women do not have to fear childbirth… It can be a beautiful experience. Take the time to learn, study, and freshen up on what this experience could be.”

Dallas-Based Maternal Resources:

Midwives:

Ashley Greene – Serenity Birth Center

Jennifer Mozeke – Trinity Birth Services 

Nikki Knowles – Dallas Birth 

Adrian Mills – The Spiritual Midwife

Teree Fruga – Mercy Midwifery

Birth Doulas:

Contessa Fowler – Nourishing Birth

Chanel Hogue – A Werking Mama

Christian Cade – Beyond Births

Eve Akins – Eve Birth Services 

Tequila Robinson – Mama 2 Mama 

Atiyya – A Brave Birth Doula

Lauren – Dox the Doula 

An-Taria – First Step Doula DFW  

Postpartum Doulas:

Diamond Jackson – Serene Postpartum Doula

Nayo Golden – Chef N Doula

Diamond D – Hands and Feet PCS

Cheryl Abrams – Babymoon Concierge

Black-Owned Birth Centers: 

Serenity Birth Center

Lovers Lane Birth Center

Birth and Wellness of Arlington

Black-Owned Easy Access Clinic: 

Abide Women’s Health Services

Williamstown high school sophomore Ava Hegge entered the third-place winning artwork in the Bluegrass, Brushstrokes, & Beyond: 2024 KY Statewide Student Art Show held at  Gateway Regional Arts Center.

Hegge’s photograph was entitled “Industrious Hands. 

The statewide show attracted 455 entries. The show is open to the public through May 10. Gateway Regional Arts Center is located at 101 East Main Street, Mt. Sterling, KY 40353.

Offering a look into Los Angeles through his eyes, photographer and director Estevan Oriol will talk about his journey as an artist and his photography during a visit next week to California State University, Northridge.

The discussion will take place on Tuesday, April 16 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Lake View Terrace Room of CSUN’s University Student Union, located on the east side of the campus off Zelzah Street. The lecture is free and open to the public, following the talk will be a brief question and answer session.

“I have known Estevan Oriol since 1998, and he is a frequent collaborator of mine,” said Chicana and Chicano studies professor Denise Sandoval, who teaches in the College of Humanities. “He has been a participant in six exhibitions that I curated, and his work was featured in the CSUN library exhibit, ‘The Politics of Low and Slow,’ that I curated last year. I thought it was time to bring him back, especially since I see his influence on social media through the aesthetics of black and white photos of L.A. and urban cultural spaces by the younger generation of photographers.”

Oriol, a L.A.-based photographer, has spent over 30 years capturing the city. His work has been showcased in select galleries and institutions, such as Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, Mesa Contemporary Art Center, Petersen Automotive Museum and The Museum of Contemporary Art. Estevan has documented lowrider culture and hip-hop culture since the 1990s, and has influenced the visual narratives of LA street culture within the United States and globally.

“I would like for Estevan to share his story as a community engaged artist, talk about his photos, his approach as a photographer in his photo and also speak to challenges he has faced as a man of color in the art world,” Sandoval said. “Oftentimes, the subject matter in his photos are marginalized by the dominant media since his subjects are found in the streets or spaces labeled ‘dangerous’, as such he highlights people that use the streets as their resource/cultural resistance..

“This event is grounded in the arts as a tool of not only documenting our stories, but also using the lens to challenge dominant notions of race, class and gender,” said Sandoval.

“Popular culture often perpetuates racism through stereotypes that especially play into the fear of Brown and Black men,” she continued. “Oriol has faced racism and stereotyping of his work as ‘dangerous and criminal’ since the subjects he chooses to capture are marginalized, especially his portraits of gang members, lowriders and hip hop artists. This lecture offers a way to use art and activism to resist and fight these erasures in dominant media that work to make us either invisible or a problem to society.”

The event is sponsored by the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, College of Humanities’ Academic Programming Fund, CSUN Equal Opportunities Program and the CSUN Council of Ethnic Studies.

For questions or accessibility and accommodation requests, please contact denise.sandoval@csun.edu by April 12.

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