John Ellis Stevens, an international/national photographer who was born on the longest night of the year in Syracuse, New York, has made a prestigious career for himself. The SUNY New Paltz graduate took his passion for the arts to an extraordinary level, beyond the fine arts program of the college. His work has been praised, and featured in exuberant exhibitions such as the International Museum of Film and Photography at the George Eastman House in an exhibit entitled Vision and Expression. Another great honor Stevens received in 1973 was having his print, “Island,” in the Collier's Encyclopedia Yearbook. The photograph is under the section entitled: The New Photography, encasing photographic art from 10 artists which the editors defined as "the best" of the time.

 

When was your first experience with photography and what was it like?

 

My first experience with photography was when my Dad loaned me his Kodak Brownie camera when I was 13 years old. It came with a flash unit that used blue dots for sure shots— individual flash bulbs are really antique now. I photographed sports contests for the coaches at my school and they "proudly" hung my photos in their offices and used them to publish in the local newspapers. After graduating from community college, I worked as a commercial photographer for a studio in Syracuse, New York. I was shooting things that really abhorred me: newspaper photos of the visiting governor, the president, garden club parties… After that gig, I became a student at New Paltz in the Art Education Department.

 

Why did you choose to go to New Paltz?

 

It was close to one of the major "art scenes" in the world— New York City. I was accepted to a bunch of colleges, but I'm very pleased that I chose New Paltz. At New Paltz, I always loved the arts, but I thought photography was taking a back seat to the arts of drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and others. I thought photography could do more than just record or document events and I set out to prove that— even while in photography class at New Paltz. I took it much further than that upon graduation.

 

What was New Paltz like in the 1960s?

 

The 1960s in New Paltz were some wild times! In 1964, the college hired many new art professors that were graduates of Yale and other fine educational institutions. They inspired the imaginations of all of their caring art students. Many of the professors I knew personally, and they fired up my creative instincts big time. It was a radical time, too, because the Vietnam War was sadly happening and we as students were rebelling against the war. We didn't want our brothers and sisters to be killed in what we had determined to be a false war—a war just to make money for the war machine at the blood of our brothers and sisters. It was also the beginning of some radical pot smoking and Tim Leary's LSD trips (he lived only a few miles away). And I think that experience grew even more after I graduated and left the area.

 

After exhibiting nationally and internationally, what does a local show like the Golden Age of New Paltz mean to an artist like you?

 

I enjoyed the local show very much because I was able to be exhibited with some old classmates and that was an honor. I never did that except when we were in college together. I submitted a number of possible photographic exhibition pieces and Jack Murphy, the curator, selected the pieces. The print you like (American flag reflection) was a rebellious print of an old friend who is dead now. My roommate Bill and I and many others in our art classes were protesting very much against the Vietnam War and that print seriously stated that rebellion. The other chosen print, "The Flying Minstrel," was also selected by New York City photography editor David Vestal for the 1970 national and international issue of Photography Annual. The print, cut out of the magazine by numerous students, hung on many college dormitory walls the following year. That print was photographed along the Wallkill River. I think one of the points I'm trying to make is that it doesn't matter what school or college one attends to become successful at your art, your work and your life. You work your mind off loving your work. You don't have to be a big name college graduate to be successful in your chosen field, or make a good difference in this world.