Philadelphia artist, veteran creates unique 'Dust Shaped Hearts'
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Donald E. Camp, an artist and Air Force veteran, has mastered a unique style you'll have to see to believe.
The youngest sibling in a family of artists, he developed a passion for photography between the ages of 15 and 20.
Around 25 years ago, he wanted to create a project to depict the faces of Black men that could last for hundreds of years. It has expanded into a massive project he calls, 'Dust Shaped Hearts.'
Camp starts by photographing headshots of his subjects. Then, he creates a paint-like solution by combining casein, which is a protein from milk, and earth pigment, such as burnt umber.
He uses that solution to coat a blank piece of paper, which is then exposed to a film negative using ultraviolet light. The solution becomes hard where the light hits it, and soft where it does not.
Camp then uses water to wash away the soft parts to reveal the image.
A new exhibit, titled, 'Donald E. Camp: Faces,' will feature the Dust Shaped Hearts. It is located at The List Gallery at Swarthmore College. The gallery is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm and admission is free.
The exhibit is open now and runs through April 6th, 2025. Camp will host an artist's reception on March 20th.
For more information, visit the gallery website.
Watch the video above to see the full story.
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