Geoffrey Lea Winningham (born March 4, 1943) is an American photographer, journalist, and filmmaker best known for his photographs and documentary films focusing on Texas and Mexican culture. Geoff's work was first recognized in the early 1970s when he published the book Friday Night in the Coliseum,[1] featuring his photographs of professional wrestling and recorded conversations with wrestlers and fans. The book was followed in 1972 by a 16mm, black and white documentary film of the same title.
Over the course of his career he has received two Guggenheim Fellowships,[2] five grants from the National Endowment for the Arts,[3] and numerous commissions. He has lived in Houston, Texas, and taught photography in the Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts at Rice University since 1969.[3] In addition, he directs the Pozos Art Project, Inc., a non-profit enterprise offering art and photography opportunities to children in Texas and in Mexico.
Early life and education
Geoff Winningham was born on March 4, 1943, in Jackson, Tennessee. At the age of 13, he became fascinated with cameras, immersed himself in photography, found a part-time job as a studio and darkroom assistant, built a darkroom in his family home, and made his first photo-book, a handmade volume of portraits of his friends. At the age of 14, he left home to continue his secondary education as a boarding student at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee.
In 1961 he moved to Houston, Texas, to study at Rice University, majoring in English literature. While studying at Rice he renewed his interest in photography, encouraged by several English professors, most notably Professor Gerald O'Grady, his first and most important mentor. After earning his bachelor's degree from Rice, he entered the Master's program at the IIT Institute of Design in Chicago, Illinois, where he studied with Aaron Siskind, Arthur Siegel, and Wynn Bullock, completing his MS degree in 1968.
Books
In the Eyes of Our Children: Houston, An American City, Houston: Pozos Art Project, 2017.[4][5]
Of the Soil: Photographs of Vernacular Architecture and Stories of Changing Times in Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press, 2014.[6]
Going Back to Galveston: Nature, Funk and Fantasy in a Favorite Place, College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, Text by J. Killingsworth, 94 photos. 2011.[7]
Traveling the Shore of the Spanish Sea: The Gulf Coast of Texas and Mexico, College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2010.[8]
The Pozos Art Project: Art from the 2009 Workshops, Houston, TX: Pozos Art Project, 2009.[9]
Going Texan: The Days of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, New York, NY: Horizon Press, 1972.[17]
Friday Night in the Coliseum, Houston, TX: Allison Press, 1971.[1]
Films
In Our Fathers' Sweetest Dreams: High School Football in Texas, (16 mm, 30 min.), produced with funding from the Southwest Alternate Media Project, 1993.[3]
The Pleasures of this Stately Dome, (16 mm, 54 min.), produced with funding from the NEA, Public Media Section, 1976.[18]
Ned Shank Award for Outstanding Preservation Publication, Preserve Arkansas, 2015.[49]
John Brinkerhoff Jackson Book Prize – Special Recognition for the best book on the American landscape for Traveling the Shore of the Spanish Sea, Foundation for Landscape Studies, 2011.[50]
Ron Tyler Award for the Best Illustrated Book on Texas History and Culture for Traveling the Shore of the Spanish Sea,Texas State Historical Association, 2010.[51]
Urban Investment and Development Company, commission to photograph "Central Houston," 1983–86.
^Geoff., Winningham (September 2017). In the eyes of our children : Houston, an American city. Houston, Texas. ISBN978-1532317316. OCLC989873404.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Geoff, Winningham (2014). Of the soil : photographs of vernacular architecture and stories of changing times in Arkansas. Fay Jones School of Architecture. (First ed.). Fayetteville. ISBN978-1557286598. OCLC866937403.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Jimmie., Killingsworth, M. (2011). Going back to Galveston : nature, funk, and fantasy in a favorite place. Winningham, Geoff. (1st ed.). College Station: Texas A & M University Press. ISBN978-1603442947. OCLC747411367.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Geoff., Winningham (2010). Traveling the shore of the Spanish sea : the Gulf Coast of Texas and Mexico (1st ed.). College Station: Texas A & M University Press. ISBN978-1603441612. OCLC680622534.
^Geoff, Winningham (2008). MI PUEBLO – The Pozos Children's Project: Photographs and Monotypes by Children of Mineral De Pozos, Mexico. Houston, TX: Jung Center of Houston (2008).
^Geoff., Winningham (2003). Along forgotten river : photographs of Buffalo Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel, 1997–2001 : with accounts of early travelers to Texas, 1767–1858. Austin: Texas State Historical Association. ISBN0876111894. OCLC51059366.
^Geoff., Winningham (1997). In the eye of the sun : Mexican fiestas. Le Clézio, J.-M. G. (Jean-Marie Gustave), 1940– (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN0393315843. OCLC35086198.
^Geoff., Winningham (1987). Rice University : a 75th anniversary portrait. Boles, John B., Calhoun, Fryar. (1st ed.). Houston: Rice University Press. ISBN0892632658. OCLC16003967.
^Geoff., Winningham (1986). A place of dreams : Houston, an American city. Reinert, Al. (1st ed.). Houston, Tex.: Rice University Press. ISBN0892632631. OCLC13859188.
^Geoff., Winningham (1979). Rites of fall : high school football in Texas. Reinert, Al. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN0292770200. OCLC5264336.
^Winningham, Geoff (1974). Geoff Winningham: Photographs. Houston, TX: Houston Museum of Fine Arts.
^Winningham, Geoff (1972). Going Texan: The Days of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. New York, NY: Horizon Press.
