The beginning of my art show season for 2008 starts this Mothers Day weekend at the 46th annual ” Meet The Artists and Artisans” in Milford, CT. Rated as one of the top 10 (#8) fine art shows in the Northeast by Sunshine Artist, America’s premier art show and festival magazine, I’m looking forward to being an exhibitor for the first time.

The first art show of the year is always somewhat hectic as I try to make sure everything is packed and ready to go. I have a new 5 x 8 trailer which should make getting all of the equipment and artwork to and from the shows much easier than before. Once the trailer is stocked with the usual items I need at each show, I won’t have to worry as much about having left something behind (a common occurrence last year I’m afraid). I also have more space now, so in addition to what will be on display, I’ll have a separate stack of prints from my catalog that I can mat or frame on demand for any interested customer. A laptop will allow anyone to preview the catalog (which eliminates initial handling of the the actual prints), and it will contain thumbnails and full screen previews. This will give visitors a broader selection to choose from, and help them find that special print they have in mind.

I’ll also be debuting a few new items this weekend, including the canvas Gallery Wrap that is quite popular these days. This is basically a canvas print that is then mounted onto a wood frame similar to a traditional painting. Though initially I wasn’t too keen on the canvas look, it has grown on me each day every time I look at one hanging in my living room. While there is a slight loss of detail, the wonderful texture and color is truly amazing, as well as the non-glare aspect I have always loved about the ColorBox mounting.

I’ll have more info on the show and post photos on my return Monday. Happy Mothers Day to all of the moms out there!

My new show titled “Edges of Light” opens today at the RiverWinds Gallery in my hometown of Beacon, NY. I am their featured artist for the month of April, and the show will run until May 5th, with an opening reception tonight April 12th from 5-8pm.

Containing many new photographs I’ve made in the last 6-9 months, I’m quite happy with the prints and hope they will be well received. I have received great support from the staff at the RIverwinds Gallery, with multiple ads in local publications, postcards, flyers, and even some local radio air time. I’ve also created a 360° panoramic of the show for those who can only visit virtually.

After all is said and done, sharing my work with others and hoping they are moved in some way by the images is really the ultimate goal. Whether I succeed or not rests with each individual viewer, but I am grateful for having an opportunity that represents passion, hard work, and determination. That alone makes it very special for me, and in may ways already successful.

We finally setup the show yesterday and had a great opening reception with live music, great food and wine. I got a chance to show and discuss my work with a few executives and lots of very interested and supportive employees. Many thanks to Mariana from ArtVue Inc for making this happen in a very professional and high quality manner. It was great to meet Chip Forelli as well, and his black and white photography was both inspiring and impressive.

Bubble Pond Light, Acadia

I will be one of two photographers featured in a new exhibition opening tomorrow at the Bayer Healthcare Corporate offices in Montville and Wayne, New Jersey. Titled “Serenity” and sponsored by ArtVue Inc., it will include 23 large framed color prints by yours truly, and 23 prints by black and white photographer Chip Forelli. The show will be on display for 3 months, and you can view the curators statement here. The image above was chosen for all of the promotional materials, and it’s one I’m very fond of.

This exhibition was in the making for 3 months, and I’m really excited about the opening and the opportunity to display my work in a new setting, and answering questions about my love and passion for landscape photography.

Continue on to read details about the show preparation and printing…

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“Coastal Twilight”

My landscape photography exhibition at the Marlboro Public Library opens this Sunday March 9th. I’ll be on hand from 3-5 pm to say hello to everyone, so if you’re in the area, please stop in. You can read more about it in today’s Poughkeepsie Journal. Hope to see you there!

I just finished the 45th On the Green Fine Art & Craft Show this past weekend, which was held in a beautiful park in Glastonbury, Connecticut. It was my first time exhibiting outside of New York, and it was nice to meet so many people who were familiar with the Hudson Valley and surrounding areas. I was repeatedly told how lucky I was to live on the Hudson, and how beautiful this part of the country was to so many people. It’s so easy to take things for granted, and believe in old cliche “the grass is greener on the other side.” I certainly have even more appreciation for this region now, and I’m more motivated now to create unique perspectives of the landscapes around the valley.

In addition, this show also had awards and cash prizes for the best exhibitors, and I’m very honored to have won the Second Best Award for Photography. I was happy and surprised considering there were over 35 photographers in this show, and I saw lots of great work. Thanks to the Glastonbury Art Guild for their award and support. I will be back next year for the 2008 edition.

I’m in the midst of several scheduled art fairs, including two coming up over consecutive weekends. I’ve also been traveling quite a bit, and have two major trips scheduled for the fall, one to Acadia National Park, and the second tentatively to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. To say I’ve been busy is an understatement, but when it involves what you are passionate about, the effort and work involved comes easy for me. I really enjoy the art fairs, and always look forward to meeting new people, and answering questions about my work. Having someone purchase a print is always a highlight. I’ve made several observations that seem to repeat themselves at every show, and I thought I would share those here.

The most common question I get is whether or not I manipulate my images, to which I always answer a simple “yes”. Trying to explain what “manipulate” means for me is not always an option either because of time, or because the person asking has already decided that I’m not practicing “pure” photography. Occasionally I can elaborate and explain my philosophy and workflow, which I’ve also written about extensively here, and usually find people receptive and satisfied with my explanations. Many find it difficult to imagine the variety of colors and moods that are present at different times of day, especially sunrise and sunset when I shoot most of my images. Many are used to seeing familiar landscapes at “normal” hours, and wonder how it has been transformed by my clever “computer” manipulation. A simple explanation of how sunlight changes throughout the day, or how rain and fog interact with light to transform a scene, usually ease any suspicion of “fakery”. Perhaps the pervasiveness of Photoshop forgery in the media is at the root of these questions. I don’t resent them, except when I’m “guilty” before proving my innocence. I had one person walk into my booth sporting a very expensive camera and when he overheard me answering “yes” to another manipulation question, he quickly added “I don’t feel so bad now about my shots now.”

Another common question or set of questions revolve around my use of camera, printer, paper, etc. This is often the sign of another photographer trying to get some “undercover” info about my own work and methods. I am certainly not one that believes in trade secrets, and if they would tell me who they were, I would be more enthusiastic about sharing my knowledge, most of it garnered from other generous artists. Some of the most inspiring artists’ I’ve met, both in terms of their creative work and energy, have also been some of the most generous and humble people I’ve known. In this world of so much competition, many artist’s forget that we’re a tiny minority and need to work together to make art more appreciated and accepted in the mainstream population. I do meet many hobbyist’s and serious amateurs, and I’m always enthusiastic about their questions, and enjoy sharing tips and techniques.

And finally, most people who make a purchase usually spend a long time looking at the image they’re interested in, and eventually just say they want to purchase it. Rarely are there any technical questions, and usually the discussion centers around either their reaction to the image, or my “story” about the image. This has always been the goal for me as a creative artist, whether in music or photography. And when I can achieve this “connection” with a viewer, it fuels my determination and commitment to achieve my goals as a landscape photographer.