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PROFILE
__________________ Winter2010
Janette Gajic
Photographer
With her
show Scenic Landscapes of
Elora & Fergus at the
Wellington County Museum from October 3, 2009 to February 21,
2010, Janette Gajic has further established herself as a photographer of
historic and natural landscapes. She credits the exhibition of her works at
the municipal building, Elora, through EAC’s Art In Public Places program
with giving a great boost to her work as a scenic photographer. Recently she
translated her work to a 16 month art calendar “Bridges of Wellington County’
to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her studio in Fergus. where she offers creative photography through
state of the art digital photographic imaging.
Janette’s interest in photography grew through
her fashion modelling career, where she developed an awareness of shadows and
lighting. When a teenager she won the title of Miss Brampton in a beauty
competition . This success led tp the Canadian Beauty Pageant of 1985; where
she won the “Sunburst’ regional Canadian division prize. An international
fashion modelling career opened to her, with travels to Rome, Zurich and New
York, mostly working with Zoran, considered the epitome in
elegant, minimalist, zen-like high fashion design. She also worked with
Kensu. Between modelling sessions Janette attended university and
graduated with a degree in fine arts.
Janette came
to the Fergus-Elora area frequently from Greater Toronto, spending many
memorable weekends and holidays here. Looking forward, she had always thought
Fergus- Elora to be an area where she would like to establish a business. The
final impetus came when her first child was 9 months old and she was pregnant
with her second child. Crime was escalating in the city, and in one
experience she had to wait 3 hours for a police response to a dangerous
situation. Her husband, now a teacher with the Upper Grand School Board,
led the transition to a more rural life, and Janette opened Grandview
Photography. In Fergus, now more personalized as Janette Gajic
Portrait Studio and Art Gallery
Her studio on St. David
Street, Fergus, is approached through the Elegant Affair and Bridal
Boutique. This is a happy pairing for Janette’s many clients looking to
record their weddings through the art of a quality photographer. Janette brings
creativity and informality to these celebratory events, responding with
sensitivity to the mood of the moment. Portrait
photography has also been a mainstay. Essential in family portraits is to
make all the generations feel at ease and to record the moment when the
essence of the family is best expressed. Glamorous headshots for professionals can be taken
against a blue screen for chroma-key
photography, a technique which allows the background to be added later.
.Janette does all the portrait photography for the Elora Community Theatre as
well as their posters and
promotional shots.
The advent of digital cameras changed the world of photography,
Janette had to relearn her business six to eight years ago. She loves the
digital possibilities: the sharing, the enrichment of mixed media, texts and
layered photos and the simple retouch methods attainable in this media. There
is no dark room. Developing is all done by sending the digital photographs to
an online photo website. A
range of photos is then viewed online by the client and perhaps shared with
others for comment, When a choice of photos to be printed is made and the
size and number specified by the client, prints are made by Pictage Photo Services,
the # 1 company in the world and industry leader of online image
hosting, printing and services for professional photographers. The prints are delivered to the client’s door,
beautifully presented on quality paper or even, if requested, printed on
canvas. Janette’s concern is that her client’s images have lasting archival
value.
She has a strong interest in the
teaching of young people and has worked with co-op high school students for
many years. A co-op student works with her from 12.30 to 3.30 every day for
one semester of the year. Her students assist at weddings, doggie shoots,
portrait sessions and learn a broad range of techniques including editing. In
addition Janette teaches continuing education classes for the Upper Grand
School Board, instructing photography for beginners and advanced courses in
both film and digital work. She
also offers imaginative workshops in outdoor photography of the Elora Gorge,
nightime photography and customized workshops for small groups. She
encourages her students of all ages to print and critique their work.
A new project
of benefit to students will be a photography gallery open to the public in
Janette’s office area. Gallery hours will be 11 am to 4: 30 pm Opening night
which will be Wednesday, March
17th, 2010 from from 7 pm to 9 pm. Submissions will be taken taken from Thursday,
March 11 to Monday, March 15th, 2010 during regular hours of business, with
Friday opened until 7pm. (Closed Sunday) There will be Elementary
and Secondary categories for photography which will compete for each grade
level. JK to Grade 12..The gallery will run as a non-profit, submission fee
will be $5.00 each framed photograph entered not to exceed 24 x 36 inches.The gallery will give students of
photography an opportunity to display their work in a professional manner and
to assess it objectively in a final presentation.
Janette is very happy with her move to Fergus.
Her husband Doug Gajic is also a creative instructor. Working for the
Upper Grand School Board as a teacher of biology and biotechnology, he has
recently been honoured by the
Ontario Genomics Institute, awarded the 2009 Genomics Teaching Prize.
Genomics is the study of genes within an organism.
Janette is working with a publisher on a long term project
which combines her photography skills with deep concerns related to infant
speech development This is her “baby
animal project” She is in the
process of creating a picture book of baby
farm animals conceived to help children learn to read.
Prints and
calendars of local scenes photographed by Janette Gajic can be seen at Cherry
Hill Entertainment, in the old Fergus market building. She credits the owner,
George Mochrie for encouraging and supporting her scenic landscapes by selling and
displaying them at Cherry Hill.
View all
aspects of Janette’s creative photography on her website www.janettegajic.com . Email: info@janettegajic.com
Visit the
studio and gallery at 155 St. David Street
North, Fergus, Ontario,
RETURN TO HOMEPAGE
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The newsletter of the Elora Arts
Council is published four times a year. It is distributed by mail to EAC
members. It is also available at information offices, libraries and numerous
galleries and stores throughout the area.
The Communique has been in constant
publication since the founding of the Elora Arts Council in 1985.
Featured in each issue is the
Profile of a local artist, musician, performer, or craftsperson in the Centre
Wellington area.
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