Jean E. Kreiling is a self-taught digital photo artist who recently published Cranford Kaleidoscope a book of photos and photo art of Cranford, New Jersey. About her work, she recently said:

“I painted in acrylics for many years.  My paintings were fairly realistic and they took a long time to make.  As a result, my output was small. I had always loved photography and when digital cameras became available, I bought one. The camera had an editing program that let you quickly correct and enhance photos. I was amazed.

“I moved to Cranford, New Jersey in 2005. Cranford is a town that is rich in architectural styles and parks. It has a railroad stop and a pretty downtown area. It also has the Raritan River where people can go fishing or rent canoes. Whenever I went for a walk, I carried my camera. I took pictures of interesting scenes. Later, when I downloaded the pictures, I saved ones that had a painterly quality.  At the time, I had no idea that those photos would form the basis of my book Cranford Kaleidoscope.”

        Kreiling is a graduate of Brooklyn College. Before moving to Cranford, she lived in Brooklyn, New York where she was the co-founder of a grass-roots civic association dedicated to preserving the quality of life in southern Brooklyn. For many years, she acted as either its president or vice-president.