Meet Samantha Johnston of Colorado Photographic Arts Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Johnston.

Samantha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Manhattan and grew up traveling back and forth between the suburbs of Connecticut and New York City. My parents often took me to museums, and that really inspired my love of the arts.

In high school, I took a photography class and fell in love with the darkroom. I decided to pursue photography as a career, and studied visual arts at Alfred University and earned an MFA in photography at Lesley University College of Art & Design.

In 2010, I moved to Denver and spent 12 years teaching photography and visual arts at high schools. The Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC) had always been on my radar because of its history, outstanding exhibits, and education programs. Many people don’t know that CPAC has been in Denver since 1963! Ansel Adams helped establish CPAC’s collection, and over the years CPAC has presented more than 400 photography exhibitions to the Denver community for free. Today CPAC is the hub of the photography community in the Rocky Mountain region – and remains the only nonprofit organization in Denver dedicated exclusively to photography with year-round exhibits, workshops, and events.

I became Executive Director in 2015. For me, it’s the role of a lifetime, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to CPAC’s legacy.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

Running a nonprofit organization definitely comes with challenges! For me, one of the hardest experiences was moving CPAC’s physical location — twice. First we moved from Highlands to RiNo, then RiNo to our current location on Bannock St. That made it really difficult to get people in the door and raise awareness of our programs. Unfortunately, because of Denver’s high rent prices, this experience is not uncommon for nonprofit organizations. In 2017, we were incredibly fortunate to sign a long-term lease in the heart of Denver’s Golden Triangle Arts District. We have a beautiful gallery space within walking distance of the Denver Art Museum, Clyfford Still Museum, and Civic Center Park. This has helped increase CPAC’s visibility and has enabled us to partner with other galleries and museums in the neighborhood.

What else should our readers know?
If you have any interest in photography, come visit us! Our gallery is free and open to the public, and we present up to ten exhibitions each year that showcase contemporary works from local and national artists. For example, The Denver Post just published a great review of our current show, Unveiled, which explores women’s sexuality, motherhood, and reproductive health through the lenses of three contemporary photographers.

Education is a big part of CPAC’s work. We have an incredible team of 12 instructors that teach about 50 classes per year in digital photography, film, alternative processes, career development, and more (visit cpacphoto.org/education for the current schedule). We also provide resources for photographers, including an onsite digital lab, darkroom, and photo book library. Our Permanent Collection holds 600 fine art prints, including works by Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Bernice Abbott, and many other well-known artists.

Finally, as a nonprofit, we believe in giving back to our community. We offer free photography workshops for local U.S. military Veterans through our Veterans Workshop Series and scholarships for teens.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
CPAC is extremely excited and proud to be taking on the Month of Photography festival for the first time in March 2021. Every other year, “MoP” transforms the Denver Metro region into a feast of photography, with more than 100 exhibitions, events, and works by over 500 photographers from around the world on display. It’s an incredible opportunity to delight your eyes, get inspired, and explore Denver’s amazing arts community. Stay tuned to CPAC’s website and social media for updates!

Pricing:

• CPAC Membership starts at $45/year
• please visit cpacphoto.org/membership to view benefits and join our community of 500+ photographers

Contact Info:

• Address: 1070 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204
• Website: www.cpacphoto.org
• Phone: 303-837-1341
• Email: info@cpacphoto.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cpacphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cpacphoto/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cpacphoto
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/colorado-photographic-arts-center-denver-3

Image Credit:
Keiko Matsuno (C0044), Keiko Matsuno (C0078), From the Hip Photo (0149), From the Hip Photo (0052), From the Hip Photo (0073), Photo of Samantha by Roddy MacInnes

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.