Kirk Gittings

KIRK GITTINGS BIOGRAPHY I was born in Alaska Territory but have resided in Southwest since the fourth grade. My father was an avid photographer and I grew up with a darkroom in my house. My first camera was a hand-me-down Leica. A career photographer since 1970, I first formally studied at the University of New Mexico's famous photography department and ultimately received a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Calgary. Since college, I have widely published and exhibited photographs throughout the country. My architectural photography has appeared in hundreds of magazines and in 75 books, while my black and white art photography has been shown in over 100 exhibits and represented in many leading museum, corporate and private collections here and abroad. In 2005 a 30 year retrospective book and exhibit of my work were presented by The Albuquerque Museum entitled SHELTER FROM THE STORM: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF KIRK GITTINGS. In addition, I was an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Mexico (11 years) and currently am contributing faculty at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (16 years) and at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design (3 years). I have been fortunate to receive many prestigious honors including a major grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, appointment to the Polaroid Artist Support Group and Freestyle's Advisory Board of Photographic Professionals. The State Legislature of New Mexico honored me for my life's work in 2006. .................................................................................................................................................................................