About John
A native of California, John Michiels moved to Charleston, South Carolina for what he thought would be a period of months to make photographs of the beautiful, historic city. 30+ years later, he's still in Charleston and finding plenty of inspiration. His body of work also includes images of the California coastline and wine country.
With Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. at the 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition Arwards Ceremony.
Back in the 4x5 Film days…. John on location at Edisto Island, SC in 2002 capturing images for the show “Edisto-Scene and Unseen”.
John's warm monochrome images feature portraits of character-rich structures and quiet city landscapes. All are carefully composed with an eye developed by 40 years of study and enthusiastic devotion to the craft. John currently creates pigment and carbon pigment prints on archival cotton and bamboo papers, informed by 2 decades of traditional darkroom work.
“It is no accident that you are reading this. I am making black marks on white paper. These marks are my thoughts, and although I do not know who you are reading this...the lines of our lives have intersected. For the length of these few sentences, we meet here.
It is no accident that you are reading this. This moment has been waiting for you, I have been waiting for you. Remember me.”
— Duane Michals