By Elin Spring
As autumn rolls around and students flood back into Boston, the atmosphere becomes electrified with their energy for fresh explorations. Another exhilarating annual rite – minus the crazy traffic – is one of our favorite photography events of the year: Somerville Toy Camera Festival. STCF harnesses that same lust for discovery and delivers it to three galleries during the month of September. Photographers who can’t resist fiddling around with toy cameras, tinkering with homemade lenses, taping up light leaks and experimenting with all manner of films sent their entries to 2019 guest curator Gordon Stettinius, photographer and owner of Candela Books + Gallery in Richmond, Virginia. His selections are now on view at Brickbottom Gallery, Nave Gallery and Washington St. Art. We are excited to present a tiny sampling of the photographs at each venue, but to fully appreciate the delicious quirkiness of the prints – or to ponder adding one to your collection – there is nothing like seeing them firsthand. You have a month! For hours, directions and associated programming, including juror Gordon Stettinius’ solo exhibit Miss Americana at the Griffin Museum, go to:http://www.somervilletoycamera.org/