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Cole Weston
Cole Weston, born on January 30, 1919 in Los Angeles, was the fourth and youngest son of famed 20th Century photographer, Edward Henry Weston. Cole received his first camera, a 4 by 5 Autograflex, from his brother Brett in 1935. Cole graduated with a degree in theater arts from the Cornish School in Seattle in 1937 and then served in the Navy during World War II as a welder and photographer. After his discharge from the Navy in 1945 Cole worked for Life Magazine. In 1946 he moved to Carmel to assist his father Edward. During this time Eastman Kodak started sending their new color film, Kodachrome, for Edward to try out. Cole took this opportunity to experiment with this new medium and eventually became one of the world’s great masters of fine art color photography. In 1957 Cole began shooting his first color photographs of the magnificent Big Sur coast, Monterey Peninsula and central California. At this time he carried on his own portrait business while assisting his ailing father, who passed away in 1958. Edward had authorized Cole to print from Edward’s negatives after his death, so Cole continued printing Edward’s work while pursuing his own fine art photography.
In 1988 after three decades devoted to printing his father’s work, Cole at last set aside his responsibility to Edward’s legacy and refocused on his own photography. Cole had his first solo exhibition in San Francisco in 1971. Since then, his work has been featured in more than sixty exhibitions worldwide and has been collected by museums throughout the United States and Europe. His work has been featured in numerous gallery shows and publications with three monographs and numerous articles having been published on his exquisite photography. Michael Hoffman from Aperture Publications once quoted, “In the history of photography there are but a few masters of color photography, Cole Weston is assuredly one of these masters of the medium whose dramatic powerful images are a source of great joy and pleasure”. Cole passed away from natural causes on April 20th, 2003.
SELECT HERE to link to the official Cole Weston web page.
The work of Cole Weston is featured in these exhibitions.
(Select the image to view the exhibition page)
The Weston Legacy
A Time & Place
The work of Cole Weston is featured in these Theme Collections.
(Select the image to view the theme page)
Abstraction – Color
Landscape – Color
Seascapes – Color
Cole Weston's 100th Birthday
January 30th, 2019
Cole Weston (January 30, 1919 – April 20, 2003) was the 4th and youngest son of photographer Edward Weston and brother of photographer Brett Weston. He dedicated his life to photography and the theater. Cole was best known for his evocative color photography and, as stipulated by his father’s will, Cole continued to print Edward Weston’s negatives after his death in 1958 until 2003.
Lumière is proud to feature Cole’s work in our exhibition – The Weston Legacy.
Additional information can also be found on his artist page.
The Weston Legacy
Atlanta History Center
A lecture and presentation on the history and legacy of the photography of the Weston family, was followed by a panel discussion with several experts. Panelist included: Julian Cox, Curator of photography at the High Museum of Art, photographer and art collector Lucinda Bunnen, and Asheville photographer, Tim Barnwell.
Brett, Cole & Neil Weston, Discuss Their Father
James, along with his wife Sue James were owners and operators of the Eikon Gallery in Monterey California in the early 1970’s.
13:44 – video length
