About

Barney Taxel, Photographer:

You start a business to make a living. And that’s what photographer Barney Taxel did when he opened his studio- still in the same converted warehouse space now as then. But it’s always been about more than that. It’s a way to make a life, a good life, a meaningful and fulfilling one built on creativity, community and civic engagement.

He’s developed a solid reputation as an artist and a craftsman, a dependable professional that holds himself to the highest standards. He’s known as a person who pursues excellence no matter what the project, how big or small the job. Taxel focuses on his clients, and how he can help them meet their needs, tell their story, and convey their message. He brings a special skill to that task: an aesthetic and very personal sensibility that enables him to produce bold beautiful visual statements.

The same desire to integrate commerce with purpose is also why he invests effort and energy in the urban neighborhood where his studio is located and in Cleveland Heights, the inner ring suburb where he lives, making them better places for everyone. Taxel volunteers, sits on public service boards and committees, donates fine art photographs to charity fundraisers; collaborates with colleagues. It is the reason he finds time to mentor student interns; teach digital and analog photography at Case Western Reserve University; mount exhibitions; and create a book of fine art images, The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs from Cleveland’s Historic Landmark (University of Akron Press).

Cleveland is a city that’s experiencing a true renaissance. And Barney Taxel has been there, part of it, and proud of it.

Watch a short film of Barney Taxel shooting food

Barney’s food photography career is profiled by food writer Doug Trattner here.

Education:

Book Credits:

Memberships, Affiliations & Recent Awards:

Curriculum Vitae:

Barney Taxel                                               August 2024

Select Fine Art Photography Projects, Exhibitions, Lectures, Collections:

2024- Artist Archives of The Western Reserve (AAWR), New Now, juried show of select NE Ohio artists- two pieces accepted from Origin.

2024- The Chateau Gallery, Louisville, KY. Juried Exhibition: SHADOW AND LIGHT. Phases of the Solar Eclipse, 2024.

2024- Foothill Galleries of the Photo-Succession, Cleveland, Ohio. Invitational Show: Eclipsing the Photosphere. Two works.

2024- Artist Archives of The Western Reserve (AAWR), Annual Members Show. Panama + L, 2023.

2024- Broadview Gallery & Studio, Cleveland, Ohio. Recent Work: Origin

2023- Artist Archives of The Western Reserve (AAWR), Annual Members Show. Winter, 2019.

2022- The Shape of Things- Praxis Gallery- Photo Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN. Juried international group show. Richmond Bros No. 8 selected.

2022- New Now, Artist Archives of The Western Reserve (AAWR). Biennial juried show. Pat’s Tavern Little Italy 2022, selected.

2022- Colors; The Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, Kansas; Juried group exhibition. Surfboards, Encinitas selected.

2022- The BIG Photography Show at 818 Studios, Invitational Group Show, Cleveland, OH. Three large prints.

2022- Americana; The Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, Kansas; Juried Group Exhibition

2022- Two works selected for the Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, Kansas, 2022 JURIED EXHIBITION. Documentary and People categories.

2022- Artist Archives of The Western Reserve (AAWR), Annual Members Show. Forest Hills Winter, 2020, sold.

2021- Two works selected for the Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, Kansas, 2021 JURIED EXHIBITION. Portrait and Close-up categories.

2021- Selected for the Waterloo Invitational Photography Exhibit, Photocentric Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio

2020- Photographs selected for The Midwest Center for Photography Annual 10X10 juried show- three images in this show of worldwide photographers’ work.

2020- Foothill Gallery of the Photo Secession, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Cleveland Heights NOW- group invitational show.

2020- Recipient- Case Western Reserve University Learning Fellowship

2020- Photographs selected for The Midwest Center for Photography Suburban Architecture, Walkabout and Isolation juried shows- one image in each show of photographers’ work worldwide.

2020- Two works selected for The Midwest Center for Photography 2020 Juried Exhibition. Landscape and Close-up categories. DIRECTOR’S CHOICE AWARD- CLOSE-UP CATEGORY.

2019- Three works selected for the Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, Kansas, ELEVENTH ANNUAL TEN X TEN SMALL WORKS EXHIBITION.

2019- CWRU Art Studios Little Gallery- Group exhibition of the Art Studio Photography Faculty.

2019- Chairman, Society of Photographic Education (SPE) Local
Conference Committee.

2018- 2019  Fifty poster size food photographs exhibited in a one-person
show- The Kelvin Smith Library, Case Western Reserve University.

2018- Four photographs selected for inclusion in the Midwest Center for
Photography TENTH ANNUAL TEN X TEN SMALL WORKS EXHIBITION.

2018- First Place (editorial), Third Place (Advertising) and Honorable Mention (Advertising)- American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) TASTE 2018.

2018- UNSTRUCTURED: Pulses of Light and Shadow– One person
show. The Gallery at Old Stone, Cleveland, Ohio.
2018- One person show- Lake View Cemetery vintage black and white
prints- CWRU Alumni House, Cleveland, Ohio
2017- Taxel’s gift of five archival Lake View Cemetery prints
accepted into the permanent collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art.
2017- Group juried show- Photo Now– Artist Archives of the
Western Reserve
2016- June- Cleveland Print Room- Annual Juried Members Exhibition
2016- March- Spice Kitchen + Bar, Cleveland, Ohio- one person show-
Spring
2016- March 17. Lecture- Cuyahoga Valley Photographic Society-
The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs From Cleveland’s Historic Landmark
2015- Spice Kitchen + Bar, Cleveland, Ohio- one person show- Winter
2015- June- Cleveland Print Room- Annual Juried Members Exhibition
2015- Lake View Cemetery portfolio- Parabola Magazine web edition
2015- Featured Presenter- Brews & Prose. Market Garden Brewery
2015- Photo Now. Juried group show- Artists Archives of the Western
Reserve.
2015- Lake View Cemetery Photograph- J.H. Wade 2000 accepted into the Cleveland
Museum of Art permanent collection. Gift of Tom Hinson and Diana Tittle.
2015- Solo Exhibition of Fifty Photographs from The Lake View Cemetery:
Photographs From Cleveland’s Historic Landmark in The Public Gallery-
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. August 2015-February 2016
2015-  CAN Journal- Lake View, Barney Taxel’s Meditation on
Cleveland’s Landmark Cemetery by Henry Adams, PhD.
2015- Athens (Greece) Photo Festival 2015, finalist- photography book
competition for The Lake View Cemetery book.
2015- Best of Cleveland, Scene Magazine, for The Lake View Cemetery
book
2015- Nominated for the Cleveland Arts Prize
2015- Bruno Casiano Gallery Cleveland, Ohio Group Show,
March 20 to May 22.
2015- Cleveland Creates: A Juried Exhibition. ArtNeo. Group Show
2015- Cleveland Botanical Gardens Eleanor Squire Library Annual
Botanical Book Talk The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs From Cleveland’s
Historic Landmark
2014- Inaugural Exhibition for The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs From
Cleveland’s Historic Landmark. One person show- Lake View Cemetery Community Mausoleum.
2014- The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs From Cleveland’s Historic
Landmark, University of Akron Press (200 photograph monograph)
2014- Awards Artist for 38th Annual Cleveland International
Film Festival- Photograph ‘Love Is Possible’ (2012)
2014- Spice Kitchen + Bar, Cleveland, Ohio- one person show- Summer
2013- Nominated for the Cleveland Arts Prize
2012- CityMusic Cleveland- Brundibar, The Opera- Media Director and
Creator of media to accompany performances.
2012- Spice Kitchen + Bar, Cleveland, Ohio- one person show- Spring
2011 to Present- Intern and Assistant Portrait Project- Large
format portrait sittings with students and associates.
2011- American Advertising Association- Inducted to the Advertising Hall of Fame.
2010 to 2012- Cleveland’s West Side Market: 100 Years & Still Cooking
(principle photographer)
2004- University Hospitals of Cleveland- one person show- Cleveland Cityscapes.
2004- Shoreby Club, Cleveland, Ohio- one person show- Lake View Cemetery.
2003- 40th Street Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio- one person show-
Cleveland Cityscapes.
2002- superior (an exhibition space) Cleveland, Ohio. Two person show.
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 Lake View Cemetery Foundation Artist Grants
2000 to Present- The Lake View Cemetery
1999- Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, University of Akron Press
1997- Cleveland: Continuing the Renaissance, Towery Press.
Photography editor.
1997- Photographs From The American West, one person show- Rothenfeld
McDermott Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio.
1996- Images from the Heart– Cleveland Bicentennial Book Project
1995 to 1997- Photographs From The American West
1994- Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil- commission
1989- Riverdance Series- Julie Gentry, dancer
1989- North Carolina Landscapes
1988- Cleveland Society of Communication Arts- Rose Show-
Best In Show
1987- Michigan Landscapes
1979- Ascherman Gallery, Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio-
Two person show
1973, 1974, 1980, 1990- Cleveland Museum of Art May Show-
Special Mention, 1974
1972- Ten Artists- group show, Hessler Road, Cleveland, Ohio
1971- Haifa, Israel One person café show

1971- to Present- Photographic Series: Israel, London, Italy, Brazil, California, New Orleans, New York, Wyoming, Washington State, Montana, Utah, Dakotas, Pittsburgh, Paris, Mexico, Florida, Martha’s Vineyard, Panama, Cleveland and environs

Permanent Collections:

The Cleveland Clinic

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Western Reserve Historical Society

Lake View Cemetery

Hyatt Place Crocker Park

Private Collections

Educator:

2010- Present Case Western Reserve University, Art Studios- Adjunct

Digital Color Photography I

Digital Color Photography II

2021- Present CWRU Art Studios- Adjunct

Photography Studio II- Advanced Black and White techniques.

1979- Present   Internships and Assistants:

Mentoring of interns, part time and fulltime associates from the following colleges to fulfill requirements for undergraduate studies and for post graduate instruction.

Baldwin Wallace University

Bowling Green State University

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland Institute of Art

Cuyahoga Community College

Kent State University

Lakeland Community College

Lake Erie College

Rochester Institute of Technology

Ohio University

1972-1985 Case Western Reserve University, Art Studios- Instructor:

Basic Photography

Intermediate Photography

Color Photography

Creative Photography

Select Book Credits:

2021 Goldberg Gardens, private edition, plus one artist proof.

2015 Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Centennial Edition, University of Akron

Press

2014 The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs From Cleveland’s Historic

Landmark, University of Akron Press

2012   Cleveland’s West Side Market: 100 Years & Still Cooking, University of

Akron Press

2008 The Science of Music as Medicine, Kulas Foundation

1999 Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, University of Akron Press

1998 Cleveland: Continuing the Renaissance, Towery Press

1996 Images From The Heart Cleveland Bicentennial book project

1994 Count Out Cholesterol Cookbook, Random House

1993 Blue Ribbon Breads

Memberships/ Organizations/ Community Service:

1979 to Present, Cleveland Society of Communication Arts (CSCA) and

American Advertising Federation (AAF)

2011- Cleveland AAF Hall of Fame Inductee

1982 to Present, American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP),

Lifetime Member- Northcoast Ohio Chapter

1982 to Present, MidTown Cleveland, Incorporated

2003-2017, Board of Trustees

2003-2017, Chairman- Marketing Committee

2017 to present- Emeritus Committee

2004 to 2012, Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S)

2006 to 2012, COSE Arts Network Advisory Board

Education:

2020  Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, Learning Fellowship

1972 Bachelor of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Bachelor of Architecture studies 1967-1971

Undergraduate Scholar for independent studies in Fine Art

Photography, including studies with Minor White (MIT) and Nicholas Hlobeczy (Cleveland Museum of Art and CWRU)

Select Publications:

The New York Times- photographs published for thirty seven consecutive

years (since 1978).

Cleveland Magazine- photographs published for forty consecutive years

(since 1975).

The Plain Dealer (newspaper and magazine)

Time Magazine

Governing Magazine

Harvard Design Review

Feast Magazine

Chronicle of Philanthropy

Edible Cleveland

Websites:

http://www.barneytaxel.com

https://www.taxelcreative.com/tigweb