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Image City Photography Gallery
Newsletter
Issue: # 68June 28, 2013

We publish our brief Newsletter during each of our exhibits to pass along information and reviews of the exhibit, photographic tips, selected images and news of other participation opportunities at Image City. We thank you for your interest and we look forward to another great year of fine photographs and events. We hope to see you at each of our 13 shows in 2013. 

 

In This Issue
Our Current Show: Spiritual Moments by Jim Hartsen
Peter Marr Picks from the Exhibit
Additional Gallery Picks from the exhibit
Image City Critiques -- Wednesday, July 10th at 7pm - NOTE Date Change
Calendar of Upcoming Events at Image City

Spiritual Moments by Jim Hartsen

Current Show Runs Through Sunday, July 7

 

Join Us!! July 5th is First Friday Gallery Night  

 

Jim Hartsen Showcard The current exhibit at Image City is Spiritual Moments by Jim Hartsen. In describing the exhibit, Peter Marr has commented that "Jim's exhibition is a dazzling tour de force of brilliant, spellbinding images, that have a spectacular rhythm of lines, shapes, forms, textures and values, together with extraordinary saturated colors, giving an organic coalition of every visual element possible. These exceptional prints are not emotionally neutral, the result of the complete absence of constricted awareness, freedom from a sense of self, and the reawakening of a creative and intuitive ability that has enhanced the author's visionary skills."
  
Gil Maker, Gallery Partner, has an exhibit In our East Gallery, and additional Guest Photographers are Josh Bulriss, Mary Colclough, Pablo Gavilondo, Clay Gehring and Jane Hopkins. The Camera Rochester exhibit has competition-winning photographs by Sue Alden, Sa Kim Tran, Andrew Kettles, Lily Marroquin, Michael Edwards, and Thomas McGlynn.
  
We round out the show with Gallery Partners and Artist-in-Residence Dick Bennett, Carl Crumley, Steve Levinson, Don Menges, Dan Neuberger, Jim Patton, Betsy Phillips, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, and Sheridan Vincent.
  
Click here for a link to the details and a preview of images in the show. First Friday Gallery Night is July 5 from 6 to 9 pm. The exhibit runs through Sunday, July 7.  There is no admission fee at Image City and the Gallery is accessible to all.
  
Note that the Gallery will be closed on the July 4th holiday and open on Wednesday, July 3 as well as the rest of the week starting Friday July 5.
 Peter Marr's Picks from the Exhibit

 

Peter Marr picked four photographs by the guest photographers in the exhibit for his Peter's Picks of the Show. We include a portion of his commentary on his selections. You will also find the full discussions and larger images by clicking here.

  

 Peter's first selection from Jim Hartsen's exhibit is H1038. Peter observes that "Like in all of Jim's exquisite prints, the visual impact is outstanding and electrifying, jarring a viewer's expectations of reality by taking one into an enchanting and mystical world of wonder and breathtaking beauty. The powerful saturated colors arouse the viewer's emotions and captivate one's subconscious, resulting in seeing the image as something transcending the ordinary, and the liberation of one's vision. Fully aware of Ralph Gibson's apt quotation, namely, 'Reading things into a photograph is the prerogative of both the artist and the photographer,' I will attempt to convey what I saw in this stunning print. My immediate first thought was that I was looking at a surrealistic graphic representation of the cerebral cortex of the brain, where both hemispheres, instead of being joined by a large bundle of interconnecting fibers, were in fact being separated by a forceful stream of liquid that emptied violently into the base of the skull. Then immediately breaking through stereotyped perception, I was excitedly aware that I was clearly envisaging a large, enraged animal plunging into the water, displaying an inflamed, flared nostril and a wide open eye, both of which were clear evidence of a possible threat, or of some delectable prey in its vicinity......  I hope that every observer will take the time to visualize for themselves what they see in this stunning and dramatic image...... more
  

In a second selection, Peter observed "I hope that every observer who has the good fortune to view Jim's prints, will be cognizant of the fact that it is not what you look at, but what you see that is so important. In H1041 there is a regeneration of a sense of wonder, that meaningful art is both mind changing and challenges the prejudices of conventional thought. The color palette is expressively awesome, with an exceptional range of deep, saturated hues, that totally integrate with all of the other visual features. I am very aware of that I am looking through a stylistic network of perhaps a cracked paint surface that is outlined in black to form powerful interstices, through which there is a metal mesh covering , that reveals extraordinary fine texture and surface detail. The center of these grids have been peeled away to reveal the secrets beyond. Against the background of a dark dome that is silhouetted against the deep blue sky, one is keenly aware of a highlighted, irregularly shaped water expanse. In the latter are ghostly reflections of a city's skyline, where skyscrapers that once towered above the landscape, are now reduced to irregular fingers of dripping paint. If that were not enough, there is spectacularly present a halo of fiery red, reminiscent of a sea of hot flowing magma, issuing from a volcanic caldera. I hope that other observers can add their own interpretations as to what they see in this truly creative and compelling image. "

 

Magical Forest by Jane Hopkins From Jane Hopkin's exhibit, Peter chose Magical Forest, commenting "These inspiring mandalas of nature create a fascinating series of designs that have been exquisitely constructed by the artist, resulting in visual patterns and impressions that capture our attention with harmonious impact, both visually and emotionally. It is abundantly clear that most artists carry within themselves a sense of wonder and elation, for without it, they would not produce the work that they do. Jane is definitely one of these artists, who in Magical Forest, has created a scintillating design from a scene that reawakens a sense of wonder in nature's ability to give us a woodland setting of such sublime beauty and majesty. Here, the lovely soft lighting reveals every color and subtle detail to the utmost, tracing every twist and turn of the tree trunk and part of the spectacular root system to perfection. The delightful moss and bed of green shamrock plants provide a shimmering support to the tree formations, in which every line, shape and texture are gracefully revealed by the resplendent illumination. This stellar vista by itself does nature proud, but woven creatively into a mandala, results in an image that is just priceless, one that really does take on a magical quality that defies the imagination. Looking beyond the sheer beauty and the imaginative combination of the four identical images, I am aware of an entirely different formation. I can clearly see a giant beetle, and although it lacks the legs that are normally attached to the thorax, it more than makes up for this with huge antennae which act like pincers, together with powerful legs which follow the contortions of the tree and root system impeccably. This secondary image of a beetle in no way detracts from the sheer beauty of this striking mandala, it just shows that when one forms an awesome symmetrical design, it is often very easy for a keen observer to see an entirely different design, which in this case adds to the magic and mystery of the Magical Forest."

 

Everyday Journey by Josh Bulriss And from the exhibit by Josh Bulriss, Peter noted that "The author's sublime images of entrancing and poignant scenes from his worldly travels to the Far East and the Himalayan regions, are an uplifting realization of the photographer's inward vision, his sense of wonder, and his great passion for the subject matter. Josh has uniquely captured the character and spirit of humanity, seeing his subjects in a special way, one that transcends the ordinary. Everyday Journey, which as well as being creatively photographed, relates passionately to the human presence in an enlightened way. It tells of a person's relationship with the natural world as a place of organic harmony, of which the person is a part, but not the dominant part. In a place of majestic beauty, with the backdrop of the Himalayan mountains, serenely shrouded by puffy, white cumulus clouds and a lovely blue sky, we encounter a steep mountain pass. This arduous trail is obviously on the edge of a precipitous drop, as evidenced by the line of dead, limbless trees that have been dug into the path's edge, each wooden support being connected by random rows of barbed wire. In addition, the highly exposed trail has a walkway of large, flat stone slabs, many of them missing, revealing just the dirt beneath. Along this primitive mountain way, a solitary Nepalese woman, clad in traditional dress and with only thin, open sandals on her feet, arduously makes her way slowly around a bend, walking up a route that she and her family and ancestors have travelled for countless years. Her exhausting journey is part of a way of life that goes back centuries, her only excitement is that for this day at least, she is not alone, she is accompanied by a landscape of serene beauty, which contributes significantly to the emotional and aesthetic characteristics of nature and daily life. This is a poignant and uplifting image of a way of life that does offer some serenity and beauty, but it does have its harsher side as well."

Additional Gallery Picks

 

In addition to Peter's Picks, we have made two additional Gallery selections from the exhibit.

 

Vintage Blue Car by Pablo GavilondoVintage Blue Car by Pablo Gavilondo -- Pablo has exhibited a very creative series of photographs. His fascination with old cars is reinforced by this image of a classic car in blue. He shows just enough of the car to make the subject clear to the viewer while at the same time capturing the strong visual elements. Using the semi-abstract reflections in the car body add to the composition of this photograph. The blue image reinforces the graphic elements without adding the distraction of multiple colors. Showing the part of the whole demonstrates Pablo's keen eye in finding beauty in just a small part of a beautiful vintage car. 

Palm 5 by Gil Maker 

Palm 5 by Gil Maker --Palm leaves are everywhere in tropical countries. We too often don't look carefully at them, just walking by them as part of the landscape. Gill has really looked at these leaves,finding strong graphic patterns which are further reinforced by the use of black an white photographs framed in an effective but less conventional manner. This photograph demonstrates strong motion and three dimensionality . The several fronds on top of the lager palm provide a counter to the very symmetrical background, providing a strong visual tension in this photograph.

Image City Critiques

At Image City on Wednesday, July 10 at 7pm

 

Each month the Gallery sponsors Image City Critiques, our program to provide participants an opportunity to engage in a friendly, constructive, and positive critique and review of their photographs. The sessions are normally held on the first Wednesday of the month, however, owing to the Fourth of July holiday, this month it will be held on July 10. The assignment for the July session is to make images while hiking around either Eastman Lake or Durand Lake or both.

 

Calendar of Events
Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue 

 

July 4  Gallery will be Closed for the Fourth of July Holiday

July 5  First Friday Gallery Night 5 - 9 pm

July 7 Final Day for Spiritual Moments by Jim Hartsen
July 10 Gallery Critiques Meeting 7pm
July 10 Opening Day of exhibit Four Cities by Featured Artists, George Wallace, Jessica Wallace, Brendan Wallace, and David Wallace
July 12 Opening Reception for Four Cities by Featured Artists, George Wallace, Jessica Wallace, Brendan Wallace, and David Wallace

 
Image City Photography Gallery   Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11 - 7, Sunday Noon - 4  
 

There is no admission fee to visit Image City Photography Gallery

Contact Information

 Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

585.271.2540 
website: www.ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com 

 

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