Michael Northrup

About

The images I've uploaded to Saatchi Online spans almost 40 years of work. Separate bodies of work are represented here. These are not from a single cohesive series but represent different periods of ideas and influence over the years.
I received my BFA in photo from Ohio University 1971. My last term I wrote 7 "famous" photographers to see if I could be an apprentice in the classic sense. I got one solid response from Jack Welpott in San Francisco where I spent 3 months just before graduation. While there Jack introduced me to Frederick Sommer while Fred was lecturing at SF Museum of Modern Art. On my way back to Ohio I stayed with Fred for a very intense week. Two years later I assisted Judy Dater on her portfolio to the Witkin Gallery/NYC. A year later I moved to Boston to work at Eastern Mountain Sports. For the 5 months I spent in Boston I was able to meet and study with Minor White at his home in Arlington. The next year I worked for the summer with Cheri Hiser at The Sun Valley Arts Center. Three years later I moved to Chicago where I received my MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While there I was personal assistant to Barbara Crane.
STATEMENT:
I love irony... not exclusively, but I have a special appreciation for it. And it underlies a lot of my work. I must have gotten it from my mother as she would laugh at news stories like, “Santa looses fingers while stepping off helicopter to wave at kids”. And my dad, being a doctor, surgeon, and corner, would bring humor to the dinner table on things like bowel obstructions and suicides. Both my parents were great at extracting humor out of tragedy and that has given me a way of seeing life. For me creating images is only an arms length away. It’s all about my daily life, those meaningful pictures I’m able to extract from it, and the personal photographic vision I bring to those pictures. … Read More

Location: Baltimore, MD, United States
Website: http://www.michaelnorthrup.com
http://www.strobophoto.com

Work

TEACHING
2001-Maryland Art Institute/Instructor
-Baltimore School for the Arts/Instructor
1993-Maryland Art Institute/Instructor Continuing Studies
1985-Shepherd College/Instructor-coordinator Photography Program through 1990/West Virginia
1983-University of Virginia/Assist. Professor
-Mary Baldwin College/Instructor Photography/Virginia
-Piedmont Virginia Community College/Instructor/Virginia
-Blue Rigde Summer Photography Workshops/Instructor-coordinator/Virginia
1982-University of Virginia Continuing Education/Instructor Photography
1981-University of Virginia/Instructor of Photography/one term appointment
1980-Northwestern University/Instructor Photography
1978-School of the Art Institute of Chicago/Assistantships through 1980
-Marietta College/Instructor Photography
1977-Parkersburg Community College/Instructor Photography/West Virginia
1975-Sun Valley Center for the Arts/Instructor Photography

EXPERIENCE
1997- Board Member / American Institute of Graphic Artists since 1995
1989-Strobophoto Studio/Owner commercial studio (ongoing)/Baltimore
1988-Education Committee/Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington
-Photo Consultant/Jefferson Historical Society/Shepherdstown, WV
1987-Photo Editor/Good Shepherd Newspaper/WV
1984-Northrup Photography/Owner commercial studio (through 1985)/Marietta, OH
1983-Exhibition Committee Member-Curator/Second Street Gallery/Charlottesville, VA
1982-Arts and Crafts Advisory Committee/Piedmont Virginia Community College
1980-Photofinisher/Gamma Labs/Chicago
1979-Photoarchivist/The Field Museum of Natural History/Chicago
-Personal Assistant/Barbara Crane/Chicago
1978-Exhibition coordinator/The Harry Fisher Collection/Marietta College/OH
1974-Understudy/Assistant/Judy Dater/San Anselmo, CA
1973-Apprentice/Minor White/Arlington, MA
1972-Understudy/Frederick Sommer/Prescott, AZ
1971-Assistant/Jack Welpott/San Anselmo, CA

WORKSHOPS
1982-The Blue Ridge Summer Photography Workshops/Coordinator-Instructor
1975-Sun Valley Arts Center/Coordinator-Instructor Photography … Read More