Beth Dow: Biographical Sketch
b. 1965, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Beth Dow, the daughter of a photographer and filmmaker, studied fine art at St. Olaf College in Northfield. On graduation, she moved to London to work in gallery administration at the Association of Photographers. During her eight-year residence in Great Britain, Dow perfected a pictorialist aesthetic with small black and white images of gardens and city streets. The handmade quality of her subtly toned pictures contrasts markedly with the crisp detail and objective feel of documentary photography.

Since returning to Minnesota in 1995, Dow continues to focus on gardens and parks. The photographer feels that the small scale and muted tonalities of her work invite intimate relationships with viewers. “I print small and somewhat dark, as I like the viewer to step up close and spend some time with each image. If you look carefully, people can be found passing through my pictures, small and anonymous. My garden pictures often feature people intently inspecting plants, much as the viewer inspects the photograph.” For Vantage Points, Dow was drawn immediately to Carleton’s outdoor sites, including the Cowling Arboretum and the Memorial Garden in front of Boliou Hall.


Beth Dow: Photographs | Artist's Statement