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James H. Dawson

James H. Dawson

Jim Dawson mounted his first one-man show at the Edmonton Public Library in 1969. At age 18, he moved to Toronto, where for over two decades he owned and operated a photo studio in the “Studio District” (Riverdale neighborhood), producing images of people and products for every conceivable commercial purpose. Although his staple was business and real estate, he has photographed a wide range of musicians, actors, celebrities, and political personalities over the years. His photographic work has also been featured on TV; his shoot with the Al Sinclair real estate team was featured in a CP-24 Toronto News television spot and he was featured as a photographer in the reality TV show Skin Deep. Alongside his commercial success, Dawson has remained fiercely loyal to photographing Toronto’s streets. His images allow the city to speak dispassionately, with a tone that reveals a slight disconnect or distancing from the tropes of everyday urban communication.

Dawson’s creative work has been exhibited variously, notably at the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, ON) and the Harbourfront Gallery (Toronto, ON). His work has appeared regularly in publications, including Time Magazine, McLean’s Magazine, Performance Magazine, Our Homes Magazine, Canadian Photo Annual, Western Report Magazine, the Toronto Star, the Globe & Mail, and the Toronto Sun. Corporate clients include Kasian Architecture, Bosley Real Estate, Haliburton Broadcasting Group, Castek Software, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, and EI Television. Dawson lives and works in Toronto, ON.