Artist Statement
Charles Mingus said "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity". Favoring simple over complicated has always been one of my core motivations when creating things including photographs. Simplicity is for me about reducing the noise, creating intimacy, reaching to the viewer's own feeling and interpretation. I like to take my time and immerse myself into the surroundings, and take one photograph at a time.
My main focus is on the ocean riders scene, mostly around Santa Cruz, where I am trying to capture the connection between man and the ocean, and the life around the ocean. My other main ongoing project is documenting the journey of a Norcal family in California and around the world.
Biography
Jeff Merlet, software architect with a Ph.D. in Computer Science, is of French descent, born and raised in Morocco, who is a happy husband and father enjoying his life in Santa Cruz, California, playing in the ocean. His personal interests include spending quality time with his family and wave riding.
Awards
2013 SCCF 2013, 1st place and honorable mention.
2013 Light & Dark, Photography Now, judged by Elizabeth Bernstein, Top 20 Finalist.
2013 ONWARD Compé '13, judged by Mark Steinmetz, Top 50 Finalist.
Juried Exhibitions
2014 Dreams and Hallucinations, juried by Russell Joslin, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Junction, Vermont, USA.
2014 Holga out of the box, juried by David Burnett, TCC Gallery, Longview, Texas, USA.
2014 Black and White 2014, juried by Cris Moss, Black Box Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA.
2014 Fresh Art 2014, juried by Dr. Stephanie Hanor, Marin Society of Artists, Ross, California, USA.
2013 29th Annual Juried Show, juried by Jonathan Fung, Coastal Arts League, Half Moon Bay, California, USA.
2013 Black & White, juried by George Rivera, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, California, USA.
2013 Plastic Fantastic Show IV, juried by Susan Burnstine, LightBox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, Oregon, USA.
2013 Light & Dark, Photography Now, juried by Elisabeth Bernstein, PAL Gallery, Palo Alto, California, USA.
2013 ONWARD Summit '13, juried by Mark Steinmetz, Project Basho, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Group Exhibitions
2014 This is Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, California, USA.
2014 Local Essence 2014, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, California, USA.
Publications
2012 Logjam 2012 folio, selected by Doug Walker, The Photographers Journal (web), USA. 7 photographs.
2012 O'Neill Cold Water Classic 2012 folio, selected by Doug Walker, The Photographers Journal (web), USA. 9 photographs.