Summer photo Gallery:
by Joe Donohue

A Peculiar Trancendence

By Bonnie Brotman Shore / photos by Joe Donohue

This article was previously published on August 16, 2016

We recently learned the sad news that Joe Donohue has passed away. Joe was one of our first contributors and it was an honour to exhibit his exquisite images through this web site. Joe will live on in our hearts and minds through his beautiful photography.

Patricia Dumais and Andrew Burlone
Publishers, WestmountMag.ca

On his 15th birthday, Joe Donohue was given a camera by his brother, and that launched him on a life-long love affair with photography—something that allowed him to express his deepest emotions. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University, Joe took his first job as a medical photographer at the Montreal General Hospital, and by 1970, he was following his calling.

While photographing in Canada, Joe seems hardly aware of the climatic discomforts of the cold and wet. Rather, he is transported by his passion for what he observes through the lens.

Joe and his wife, artist Susan Ross Donohue, took their first trip to Paris in 1979. As soon as they arrived there, Joe felt as though he had somehow come home. This legendary city continues to awaken all of his senses. The heightened taste of the rain, the rush of the wind in his face, the sensuousness of the sounds and colours that are uniquely Paris have stimulated Joe to produce some of his most intriguing and beautiful compositions.

His photos may be in black-and-white or in colour, but they all reflect his great love of the outdoors. His landscapes capture the stark frigidity of the Canadian winter, his cityscapes the fascinating creativity of humanity’s finest architects, and his florals the lush delicacy of Nature’s artistry.

Joe has been especially inspired by the work of Frederick Evans, whose early 20^th century photos of cathedrals in the English and French countryside convey a particular sense of place.

Joe and Susan Donohue have frequently exhibited together in Montreal, Toronto and New York. In 2007 Joe had a solo show at Harry’s Bar in Paris. His work can be found in many private and public collections, notably La Bibliotheque Nationale du Quebec and the Art Gallery of Ontario. In 2008, he received a prize from the Applied Arts Photography and Illustration Magazine Awards for “Le Vieux Port”.

Joe has been especially inspired by the work of Frederick Evans, whose early 20^th century photos of cathedrals in the English and French countryside convey a particular sense of place.

Other photo galleries by Joe Donohue:
Autumn photo gallery
Winter photo gallery
Spring photo gallery