Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer St., Hopewell, N.J., presents an exhibit featuring the work of Phillip “Dutch” Bagley and John Stritzinger from March 11 to April 2.
Both are known for their explorations of shape and form, both natural and man-made. For this exhibit they have taken a meditative approach to their images.
In his exhibit, “Expressive Trees,” Stritzinger looks at how the trees’ various parts create special shapes and personalities.
“Tree limbs emerge from trunks in a most engaging way, their shapes svelte, stocky, ramrod straight, inexplicably curved. Some limbs pair up as if cohorts in fun. Others seem very proper, regal even, soaring up or tapering in an expected way. A few trees draw attention to their roots, sinuous fingerlings that clutch the earth,” he said.
“While some trees bear a unique presence and stand on their own, in others the shapes of limbs and roots grow anthropomorphic and suggest feelings and character.”
Stritzinger spends time understanding how those parts create special visual personalities.
In “Structured Haiku,” Bagley goes an extra step in looking at man-made structures by writing Haiku poems to accompany his images of shapes and forms in the buildings. Just as the buildings have specific structure and form, his poetry using the highly structured form of the Haiku interprets the physical imagery. Each image will be joined with a Haiku poem.
He asks, “Can a man-made structure inspire a sense of peaceful reflection and contemplation?” His poetry reflects the feelings captured in his images.
Join the artists in their meditations as you explore their images.
The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. There will be a Meet the Artists event from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 11.
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