Orphans Ruth Thorne Thompson  Ruth Thorne Thompson is a major respected photographer already in the history books. Her most familiar works have been soft, small, delicate photographic narratives about dreams, the unconscious, and Jungian landscapes inhabited with unlikely juxtapositions of objects in altered spatial settings. She has worked quite extensively with pinhole camera and the paper negative to create this world. In her current exhibition at the Schmidt/Dean Gallery on Spruce Street she has left behind her camera and everything else related to photography to produce a series of paintings of imaginary faces/busts. The painting is primarily a gray/white wash on black board (about 11x14" and matted to 16x20") with the matte board painted in design patterns. On each image is a facial feature (nose, hair, mouth, etc.) attached to the face in the appropriate place. These are photographic snippets that gives each face a distinguishing identity. The feeling these pieces give off is one of sophisticated naiveté that seems to be laughing or joking at the idea of a photographer taking on an entirely different medium and method of operation. The childlike painting techniques and the materials used; photographic mattes and snippets, are very confusing as to why there are so many of these on exhibit. It conjures up the thought that the sum of the parts is the sum of the parts. My guess is that this is one of those opportunities of freedom that artists need to grow. It is ironic that they are being exhibited in a strictly commercial gallery as opposed to another venue. They seem awkward in that context. Ruth Thorne Thomsen photographs have in the past been strictly editioned, and according to Chris Larson, one of the gallery directors, sold quite well around the country. These are unique pieces and are probably not as commercially viable as her other works and are really symbols of artistic freedom. Its always interesting and seldom rewarding for an audience when an artist known in one medium decides to work in another and that is the case here for myself. But I do applaud the audacity she displays in presenting this work in this venue. It will be interesting to see if her major New York gallery will follow suit in exhibiting this work and what her next step will be. - Roamer