Using ground-breaking advances in printing technology and a bold approach to graphic design, the RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press presents Colleagues, a visually stunning collection of portraits by John Retallack with a companion poem, “Enter the Eyes” by Anne C. Coon. The interplay of images and words, introduced by a conversation between Retallack and Coon, challenges the viewer’s understanding of the art, aesthetics, and dynamics of portraiture. Retallack’s photographs reveal his subjects at rest, at play, and in unguarded moments, while Coon’s poem reflects metaphorically on the transformation that takes place when those accustomed to lecturing and performing are caught by the camera’s lens.

In 2008, Anne C. Coon and John Retallack began putting their work together—his photographs and her words.  Since then, they have collaborated on several works combining photography and poetry. Anne C. Coon is Professor Emeritus in the College of Liberal Arts at RIT.  Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies.  John Retallack is a “photographer of people” and Assistant Professor who has taught photography classes for 27 years in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at RIT.