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James Fraher
is an Irish American photographer currently living in the United
States near Chicago.
He uses the
mediums of photography, video, and audio to document unique cultural
aspects of people and places. Primary areas of documentation to
date are African-American Blues musicians and the landscape, culture
and traditional music of Ireland. He began photographing in Ireland
in 1977 while living in County Sligo for two years. Fraher has returned
many times since then to photograph. He has developed a unique sensitivity
to the country of his ancestors, friends and relations.
He is the author of The Blues is a Feeling: Voices and Visions of
African-American Blues musicians, Face to Face Books, 1998. In 1991,
James Fraher was one of 82 photographers photographing for A Day
In The Life of Ireland, a book by Collins Publishers. In 1996 he
was the recipient of a "Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
presented by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. James Fraher has
received Finalist, Assistance and Completion grants from the Illinois
Arts Council. In 2003 the University of Texas Press will publish
Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues, written by Roger Wood with photographs
by James Fraher.
James Fraher’s video projects include: Maxwell Street Blues:
Saving Chicago’s Musical Heritage for Chicago Creative Access
TV, current works in progress: Tullamore Dreams (a childrens choir
prepares to sing Handel’s Messiah, Tullamore Co. Offaly, Ireland);
Johnnie Mae Dunson (a portrait of an elderly blues lady); Willie
Kent-West Side Bluesman (a profile of one of Chicago’s hardest
working blues performers).
Audio projects produced by James Fraher include two recordings of
traditional Irish music; One’s Own Place by Kevin Henry, Farewell
to Evening Dances, by Colm O’Donnell and two blues recordings;
The Lost American Bluesmen and Big Boss Lady by Johnnie Mae Dunson.
Photographs by James Fraher have been exhibited in museums and galleries
in the United States, Ireland, France and Scotland. His photographs
and posters are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian
Institution, The Chicago Blues Archive at the Harold Washington
Library Center and at The University of Mississippi Blues Archive.
James Fraher holds a BA in photography and an MA in media communications.
He has been a photographer for over twentyfive years. Fraher is
a principal of Bogfire, Inc. a marketing communications business
specializing in graphic design and photography.
Contact:
James Fraher 549 Dawn Circle Grayslake, IL 60030
voice: 847-223-7034 fax: 847-223-2423
email: jfraher@interaccess.com
web: www.bogfire.com
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A
PASSION FOR TRADITION
EXHIBITION IN FERBANE
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Ferbane
Arts & Heritage Centre is hosting a photographic exhibition
of the work of James Fraher from 9th to 29th September 2002.
The
exhibition entitled "A Passion for Tradition" and
comprising 30 black and white photographs will be open daily.
Mon - Fri 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 2pm - 5pm
The
exhibition was officially opened by Olwyn Enright, TD on Friday
night, 13th September.
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FOLLOW
THE PROGRESS OF SCULPTORS' WORK AT LOUGH BOORA
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Click
on the above image to continue
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Digital
Still and Video Documentation supported by Offaly
LEADER +
Lough
Boora Parklands
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