Charlee Brodsky Explained

Charlee Mae Brodsky (b. 1950)^[1] is an American fine art documentary photographer and emeritus professor of photography at Carnegie Mellon University. Her work often explores themes of social issues and beauty. She has received a Regional Emmy Award and the title of Pittsburgh's Artist of the Year in 2012.^[2]

Early life and education

Brodsky earned her Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and later earned a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University School of Art.

Career

Brodsky is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design.^[2] She has exhibited her work both nationally and regionally. Notably, she co-curated the exhibition "Pittsburgh Revealed" (1997) at the Carnegie Museum of Art with Linda Benedict-Jones. This exhibition, which focused on the history of photography in Western Pennsylvania, was accompanied by a book of the same name.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Publications

• "From Mill Town to Mall Town": This book, co-authored with writers Jim Daniels and Jane McCafferty, examines the transformation of Homestead, Pennsylvania, from a steel town to a commercial area with a shopping mall where steel mills once stood.
• "I Thought I Could Fly... Portraits of Anguish, Compulsion, and Despair" (2008): Published by Bellevue Literary Press, this book includes photographs and personal narratives of individuals living with mental disorders. Inspired by her own family's experience with her daughter's bipolar disorder, it aims to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.^[6]
• "Street" (2005): A collaboration with poet Jim Daniels, this collection of photographs and poems won the Tillie Olsen Award in 2007 from the Working Class Studies Association.^[7]
• Knowing Stephanie" (2003): Published by the University of Pittsburgh Press, this book chronicles the life of Stephanie Byram, who lived with breast cancer. It was selected as one of the outstanding illustrated books of 2004 by the American Association of University Presses.^[8]
• "A Town Without Steel, Envisioning Homestead" (1998): Co-authored with anthropologist Judith Modell, this project documents the former steel town of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. It has been featured in numerous exhibitions.^[9]

Awards and recognitions

• Pittsburgh’s Artist of the Year (2012): Awarded by the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.^[10]
• Regional Emmy Award (2002): For her work on the documentary video "Stephanie."^[11]
• Tillie Olsen Award (2007): For her book "Street" with Jim Daniels.^[12]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Collection Carnegie Museum of Art . 2024-06-09 . collection.carnegieart.org . en.
2. Web site: Charlee Brodsky CMU School of Design . 2024-06-09 . design.cmu.edu . en.
3. Web site: Pittsburgh Revealed: Photographs Since 1850 . 2024-06-09 . carnegiemuseums.org.
4. News: Shaw . Kurt . February 10, 2010 . Photographer Charlee Brodsky's work a study in dedication . . .
5. News: Goldberg . Vicki . January 2, 1998 . PHOTOGRAPHY REVIEW; A Group Portrait of Pittsburgh, Forged of Smoke and Sentiment . New York Times.
6. Web site: Charlee Brodsky - Carnegie Mellon University CMU . 2024-06-09 . www.cmu.edu.
7. Web site: 2015-01-28 . Jim Daniels . 2024-06-09 . wearetheindependents.com.
8. Fox . Bette-Lee . 2003 . Knowing Stephanie . . 128 . 6 . 121 . .
9. Ruck . Rob . 2000 . Review of A Town without Steel: Envisioning Homestead . Journal of Social History . 34 . 1 . 194–196 . 10.1353/jsh.2000.0122 . 0022-4529 . 3789520.
10. Web site: Raczka . Robert . The PCA Artist of the Year makes the most of couple of dogs and some classic literary works . 2024-06-09 . Pittsburgh City Paper . en.
11. Web site: 2015-11-16 . Charlee Brodsky . 2024-06-09 . Master Visual Artists: Preserving the Legacy . en-US.
12. Web site: WCSA Award Winners . 2024-06-09 . Working-Class Studies Association . 6 December 2015 . en-US.