Karla J. Levi

Karla J. Levi has been an active member of the local arts community for over 30 years.  In 2003, she learned about Locust Street Art, a center for the visual arts located in Buffalo’s inner city. She began to use Locust Street’s darkroom facilities and learned much about photography and film processing from their staff. During her time at Locust Street, she concentrated her efforts on black and white photography.  Since then, she has expanded the scope of her work by capturing the colors of the world when she travels.  Although the subject matter of her work is wide-ranging, Karla specializes in photographs that explore the structural elements inherent in nature, landscape, and architecture.

In 2020, Karla retired from her position as a teacher with the Buffalo Public School System.  In addition to holding a Master’s Degree in Education from SUNY College at Buffalo, her educational background has also included numerous classes to expand her photographic knowledge and skills. For many years, Karla took part in classes offered by Bonita Chimes at the Amherst Community Church. In 2022, after a hiatus of several years, Karla returned to Bonnie’s Viewfinders classes.  In 2011 and 2014, she had the opportunity to participate in workshops offered by the George Eastman House in Rochester, NY. In addition, she has taken part in numerous outdoor photography workshops, including WildSide Nature Tours at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming; Aperture Academy at Mono Lake, Bodies Ghost Town, and Yosemite National Park in California; and Slonina Nature Photography at Zion National Park, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, and Bryce Canyon.

Karla has had the honor of presenting her work in a number of shows in the Buffalo area. In 2022, she exhibited three of her works in the first all-photographic show at the Art Dialogue Gallery. She also exhibits as part of the yearly Catalogue Shows of the Buffalo Society of Artists.  She received an honorable mention in the 29th Annual Juried Member Exhibition at the Art Dialogue Gallery. Karla is especially proud to have had one of her works included in a juried show, The Buffalo Society of Artists 2014 Spring Exhibit.  This work, Spotlight, received a favorable review in ArtVoice, a former local arts-oriented publication. In 2009, her entry, In God’s House, was juried into the Collectors Gallery at the former Albright-Knox in Buffalo. Also, In 2009, one of her dreams came true when her book Sign Stories, containing over 50 photographs of advertising signage in the city of Buffalo, was published by Western New York Wares, Inc.

Karla has never been content “to rest on her laurels.” She is always eager to explore new subject matter for her photographs and new ways to present her images. No matter what image comprises an individual photograph, Karla’s eye -- and lens -- are always focused on composition, detail, and the interplay of light and shadow. Her work is truly one of a kind.