Featured Artist Sharon Deveaux

Using various camera parts, artist Sharon Deveaux creates intriguing jewelry, assemblage art and fun figures she calls “The Camera Crew.” See more by visiting her website.

 

 

My discovery of the parts found in vintage film cameras was a total accident. One day, someone gave me a camera that had taken a plunge into the Atlantic Ocean and was ruined. I always wanted to take apart a camera—now I could without guilt. I discovered, that even in that cheap consumer camera, there were many interesting parts that captivated my imagination. This fueled a desire to take apart more cameras.

 

 

As a photographer trained with film, I am very familiar with film cameras. I zealously protected my personal cameras that I used for photographic work and would never do anything to damage or compromise them in any way—certainly not take them apart! I studied photography at a technical school, and I was also an art/photography major in college. I now do abstract art photography with digital cameras that I don’t take apart.

 

 

I should have kept a record of ALL the film cameras whose parts I have used over the years for my art. Included were Autographics, Argus C3s, Polaroids, Kodak Hawkeyes, SLR Canons, Minoltas and Nikons as well as a few light meters and flash attachments—never anything rare. The parts are made of metal and glass, nothing electronic or plastic. I have accumulated hundreds of them, which requires a good organizing system.

 

 

One of the most intriguing things about these parts is that in their first life they were strictly functional, utilitarian, practical, working and hidden from view. Their only purpose was moving film through the camera and exposing it to light.

 

 

But now they have a second life, with a totally different identity as abstract, artistic, interesting, compelling and fascinating objects, singularly or together. They can now be seen and appreciated for these attributes, having been transformed into something entirely different, unique and new.

 

 

My decision to use only camera parts means that there are limitations and challenges when designing the pieces. It starts with a large part, then adding others to it and seeing what works or not. It can be a lengthy process. I never really know what the finished piece will look like until it looks right to me. Some are obviously photographic with ASA’s, f-stops and photo names. Others have no reference to cameras or photography at all.

 

 

They are all one-of-a-kind.

 

 

Currently, I make pendants/earrings, assemblage art and the soon to be famous “The Camera Crew” (though they think they’re already famous). The pendants and the assemblage art are my main work, and The Camera Crew is done for fun (don’t tell them I said that). I thoroughly enjoy making all three.

 

 

As far as future work, there are so many different types of cameras waiting to be taken apart and added to my newest collection. I hope to do more metal work, some different applications and make larger pieces.

 

 

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