Judith Schonbak
"The Nobility of Humanity"
July 2010, Museums & Galleries

Photographer Donald E. Camp:s larger-than-life portraits capture the essence, integrity and nobility of the men and women he photographs.  Each work is original and unique, rendered by the artist's rigorous and intense technique of applying to the print (contact printed on non-photographic material, in this case, 600-pound watercolor paper), layers of a mixture of earth pigment and casein, essentially dust and milk.  He washes, scrubs and dries areas to reveal various layers, colors and tones.  "There is a vibration between the paper and the pigment - it is more sculptural than printmaking," he says.  "The earth is the most powerful thing we have.  Earth - dust - is everywhere, representing the ephemeral nature of humankind, yet the pigment gives the works permanence."  Camp's powerful portraits do not depict expression, rather they seem to be on the brink.  "There is a point between expressions," he notes.  "At that point, one can smile, frown, laugh or cry."  Camp finds just that instant when he photographs his subjects, leading us all to look deeper into their character and nobility.  A noted photojournalist, Camp holds a BFA and MFA from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and has been honored with several notable fellowships.  His work is included in a number of important public and private collections including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.  He lives and works in the Philadelphia area and is an artist - residence at Ursinus College.