Carol Mott‑Binckley will be showing her iPhone photography exhibition “Vinyl Wallpapers & Dreams” February 1-25, 2023, at Archival Gallery Sacramento.
On a trip to New York City with her best friend in 2009, Carol Mott-Binckley discovered the iPhone, marveling at its navigational capabilities between landmarks like Times Square and Central Park.
Soon after moving back to Sacramento, Mott-Binkley got her first iPhone and found a prolific use for it: taking pictures. At the rate some people use their smartphones to text or navigate social media, Mott-Binkley is taking pictures. A recent album on her current phone contained 66,114 photos when she checked it. She has estimated that she has taken at least 10 times as many photos over the years.
“I always carry it with me,” said Mutt Binkley, 60, a resident of Curtis Park. “It’s kind of a great tool for street photography, where I don’t always have a camera with me.”
Mott-Binkley’s use of the iPhone is an example for anyone trying to nurture more creativity in their life. This proves that you will have something to show for your efforts. Mott-Binkley’s latest show, “Vinyl Wallpapers & Dreams,” will run from February 1-25 at the Archives Gallery in East Sacramento.
“I’m kind of like Forrest Gump for iPhone photography,” said Mott-Binkley. “I had a very charming hobby.”
By day, Mott-Binkley worked for 18 years as executive assistant to Mark Friedman, owner and chairman of Fulcrum Property. Prior to this, Mott-Binkley worked for many years in the corporate office of Tower Records, working in marketing and advertising positions and as an assistant to corporate president Michael Solomon.
Some of Mott-Binkley’s photos come from the nearby streets of Fulcrum Property, simple scenes such as the ground in the city center after a hailstorm. Other times, she’ll have photos to share after the weekend. “She’s constantly fiddling with things on her phone and coming in and saying, ‘What do you think of this?'” said Friedman, who displayed one of her pieces in the office. “
The iPhone has also become a benchmark for Mott-Binkley while traveling, according to Lori Liberty, who took a 2009 trip to New York City with Mott-Binkley and has known her since grade school. “I’ve been on four, five, six girls’ trips with Carol,” said Liberty. “And every 10 feet you stop so you can take a picture. So you kind of get used to it.”
Mott-Binkley’s photos have appeared in a variety of local galleries or news outlets over the years. Some of her most famous venues include the Crocker Museum of Art, the KVIE Public Gallery, and the California State Gallery of Photography, where she has won ribbons.
But Mott-Binkley doesn’t always see what she does as more than a hobby, and she hasn’t yet deducted the cost of her iPhones from her taxes. She makes a small amount of money selling modestly priced photos from shows in small batches. Between shows costs like printing and framing, she’s happy to break even.
Oldham Neath, owner of the Archive Gallery, said: “It took me some time to convince her that she was making real art.” “When I first started working out, it was like, ‘No, it’s just a fun thing to do.'” “
Binkley’s death didn’t seem to matter much.
“It’s funny because a friend of mine said to me, ‘When you retire, at least you have to build on that,’” Mott-Binkley said. “But it’s like, I don’t make money. But I don’t care. I have a lot of fun, which you can’t pay for.
more information
What: Mott-Binkley’s “Backgrounds and Vinyl Dreams” exhibition will be on display from February 1-25 at the Sacramento Archives Gallery
Where: 3223 Folsom Street, Sacramento
Opening hours: 11am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday
Contact the showroom: 916-923-6204