Saint James Photographer in Her Prime at 67 Years Old

As the 32nd Annual Juried Photo Exhibition at the Smithtown Township Arts Council came to a close, an exhibit in which she juried, accomplished photographer and Saint James resident Joy Goldkind reflected on the impact the experience had on her.

"The exhibit at Smithtown was very exciting for me," she said. "We tried to show artists that were working with old technology in a contemporary manner. I think we received a well-rounded selection of work, with artists working in different processes. Many of the techniques were extremely well executed. For me the show was a great success."

It's only the most recent success for 67-year-old Goldkind, a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate who didn't pick up the camera until the early 1990s. After taking a course at Stony Brook University, she was hooked.

"It was love at first sight in the darkroom," Goldkind said.

Since then, she has received Awards of Excellence from the Smithtown Township Arts Council and East Hampton's Guild Hall, as well as a commendation by the Sony World Photography Awards in 2010. Goldkind has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Texas, Maine, San Francisco, Florida, Montana and New Mexico, as well as in several galleries in New York. International attention has brought her art to the Museo Nationale Della Fotographia in Italy. Respected galleries that represent her work include Verve Fine Arts in New Mexico, Tilt Gallery in Arizona and Wave Photo Gallery in Italy.

Much of what produced these achievements can be attributed to her many pieces using "bromoil," a printing method popularized in the early 1900s that gives Goldkind's style a mystical look. She is also noted for her much-buzzed about black and white series of images of her husband in drag, which ended up on the cover of Eyemazing magazine, based in Amsterdam.

This is a result of Goldkind pushing her own boundaries in order to discover something special.

"When working on a new group of images I try to find my own voice, which is difficult since so much has been done before," she said. "But if I find a new way to say something I try to go for it. My craft is equally important to me. Dealing with commercial galleries, you need to have a perfect technique as well as a different way of presenting the subject matter."

Executive Director of the Smithtown Township Arts Council Allison Cruz, who selected Goldkind to jury the council’s most recent exhibit, is one of the photographers many admirers, and enjoys her printing technique and artistic voice.

“I love that Joy takes her work to a level beyond the traditional photographic print,” Cruz said. “Not just with her printing process. Her work entices you to use your imagination … what she has done with the photo takes your mind to another level where you can fantasize or imagine many possibilities surrounding that subject.”

What is also unique about Goldkind is her path to becoming an artist. After college, Goldkind was a children's clothing designer for nearly 10 years, which was followed by staying home with her children for many more. Her interest in photography was realized after her children left home for college. While this interest took off later in life than most, Goldkind explained how this worked to her advantage.

"I think starting at my time of life is a vast advantage since most of my responsibilities to family are done," she said. "My time is my own and I do not have to produce work to please others. So the challenge is to please myself, which is very difficult. I always want more from my work and not knowing what exactly that is."

Although her work has been seen in galleries across the globe, Goldkind, who has resided in Saint James since 1979, reserves a special place in her heart for the local arts community.

"Believe it or not the Smithtown Arts Council inspired me from the beginning,” she said. “It was the very first photo show I wanted to be part of."