Everyone takes pictures with their iPhones and Androids. No big deal. Victoria Demos Stevens’ iPhone photography exhibit at City Hall Gallery is a very big deal. Stevens’ photos are a kind of visual poetry. They speak to me of beauty, love of process, atmosphere, and her visual intrigue.

Victoria says that every image has a story behind it. The gallery visitor can feel that. Much of the subject matter is local with many photos from Pierce and St. Croix counties. It’s enjoyable to be able to imagine yourself in these places. There are also a few photos from Thailand and the Minnesota State Fair that will grab you.

Stevens’ unique approach with an iPhone explores properties of color, texture, and shape like every artist should. It also explores the edit capacity of the cell phone as an artistic paint brush. Is her iPhone different from mine? Or, has Stevens simply gotten a higher level of art out of her phone? Steven’s says she has an iPhone 13 ProMax and that she has her photos printed here in town at Hub70.  The result of her iPhone editing makes her photos resemble paintings, drawings or etchings. Wander through the gallery. Look twice. It’s Victorian harmony.

Stevens said that she would be available to teach iPhone photography at some point in the future. Watch the C.A.B. website for announcements. River Fall’s City Hall gallery will feature Victoria Demos Stevens’ art through September.

The next show in the Art’s House gallery will be River Urke, Kay Fritz and Nina Allen-Young. The opening 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 31. From 8-9 p.m. River Urke will host an open mic with the topic of a poem to go along with an illustration.