Opening Reception for "Captured: The Photography of Seven"

Gallery West will host an exhibition of seven photographers whose work covers a diverse range of subject matter.  The exhibition will run from September 15 through November 1, 2015. All are welcome to attend a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception in the galleries on Tuesday, September 15 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

The subject matter in Captured: The Photography of Seven is in fact so diverse that it feels as if there are seven separate exhibitions under one roof. Each photographer has their own distinct vision and focus, yet share the common goal of asking the viewer to observe and enter the world through their eyes and lens.  

Participating photographers include Frank Baker, Jim Hoyle, Russell Jeffcoat, Katie Purnell, Dalvin Spann, Francis Schanberger, and Olaf Wegner.

Frank Baker, a Columbia native, though long intrigued, only turned seriously to photography four years ago. He became fascinated with the Great Blue Heron and other fantastic birds who live near to and depend on coastal and lake water. His intimate shots capture these birds when they reveal themselves only to those who have the utmost patience to wait for the moment.

Jim Hoyle, based in Greensboro, NC, uses the camera as a means of self-expression. His work “exists solely for the joy of creating it.” His stunning exhibition series brings together the three subjects he is most inspired by – the outdoors, still-life, and the nude. 

Katie Purnell of Columbia SC is an internationally published portrait, lifestyle, and fine art photographer. Her current work explores the presence of color and light and the surprising weight of small experiences. 

Russell Jeffcoat’s subject matter ranges from classical portraits to luminous nudes. Based in Columbia, SC, his art is renowned, appearing in museums and galleries both in the US and around the world. The richness of his work reflects his expert use of vintage cameras and film, an art form lost to many today. 

Francis Schanberger began collecting parts of native trees upon his move to Dayton, OH from the California coast. This past-time became the focus of a photographic project. Nineteenth century naturalists recorded their researches in photogenic drawings. Some 170 years later Schanberger returned to their photographic investigations using his gatherings, scanning the specimens and creating images from them using the historic Vandyke Brown Print process. 

Born and raised in Columbia, SC, Dalvin “Mustafa” Spann has been exploring the world of art from an early age, graduating with honors from the Governor’s School for the Arts and later from the Savannah College of Art and Design. As a founding member of the artists’ collective, Izms of Art (IOA), Spann has participated in the tri-state area with other members and was recently part of a featured exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art. His exhibition series “Enlightenment” explores his subjects’ physical expression of a deeper search for their own spirituality.

W. Olaf Wegner of Columbia, local “artisan/creative,” is best known for his work in sets and props for TV, short films, and theater and dance. His craftsmanship in copper bar and counter tops, tables, and ceilings can be seen in many familiar and popular restaurants in the area. A byproduct of his work with copper became the “Macro Copper Patina” series, photographs of the unseen world of color and texture within a small area of the oxidized copper. Though the configurations were “accidental,” each natural design is expertly captured and offered to us from thousands of images in what appears as both abstract and repetitive design.