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On the Wall
The world through a lens
By Penelope Bass
Published on 03/04/2010
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From the ethereal glow of a sunset over the San Francisco Peaks to the rippling gold of the changing aspen trees, it’s safe to say that there is a ridiculous amount of beauty to be found in northern Arizona. And maybe that’s one of the reasons that Flagstaff seems to serve as a Mecca for photographers. Whether local to the region or drawn from elsewhere, these artists offer us a glimpse at the world through their camera lens.
So this month’s First Friday Art Walk happens to serve as a kind of homage to a medium that captures our surroundings—both here in the Southwest and across the globe—in one of its purest forms. Head out this month to see some truly fantastic photography presented by local and international photographers.
Hidden Light
Putting the spotlight on phenomenal local and international photography, the PJ/One student and community photojournalism group will be opening its third annual photography auction at Hidden Light. Each year local photographers donate pieces for the auction, along with featured guest artists. This year, international photojournalist and National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale will be attending the opening reception and donating two photos to the auction. Her work has been exhibited and appeared in magazines all over the world, and Vitale herself has been named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association and won the Canon female photojournalist award for her work in Kashmir, among many other recognitions.
Meet Vitale and see her work, along with the rest of the stunning collection of photographs up for bids. The show will hang for the entire month of March, with the auction ending on April 2. All proceeds support PJ/One, which funds student projects, internships and photojournalism efforts throughout the region. 427 S. San Francisco. For more info about the auction or PJ/One, call 523-0460 or visit pjoneblog.blogspot.com.
Arizona Handmade
Photographer and longtime supporter of the arts Mike Frankel (who is also currently the president of the Artists’ Coalition of Flagstaff), fell in love with photography at the age of 8 when he got his first camera.
By age 15, he combined it with his passion for music and photographed the Beatles on their first American tour. Since then, he has taken photos of everyone from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Janis Joplin and Jerry Garcia, with much of his work ending up in album artwork and box sets. Swing by the Arizona Handmade gallery where Frankel will be showing a collection of his rock ‘n’ roll photos from over the years and probably telling some pretty awesome stories. 13 N. San Francisco. For more, call 773-3790 or check out www.mikefrankel.com.
Beaver Street Gallery
Never ones to shy away from controversial topics or “hot button” issues, the Beaver Street Gallery will be opening a new art installation by gallery owner David B. Harton titled “In the Name of God: What happens while we claim to be doing God’s work.” With the installation, Harton intends to illustrate how followers of organized religion often use faith as an excuse to steal, kill and manipulate the truth. Got an opinion on the subject matter? Check out the exhibit and meet the artist. 28 S. Beaver. To find out more, call 214-0408 or visit www.beaverstreetgallery.com.
Flagstaff Photography Center
Always promoting the best in local photography through exhibitions, workshops, competitions and community events, the Flag Photo Center is displaying its annual Year in Review exhibit. With selected pieces from each of the shows that adorned its walls throughout 2009, FPC is showing work by folks like legendary photographer John Running, up-and-comers from this year’s portfolio review competition, Keiji Iwai’s gorgeous black-and-white prints from summers in Japan and many more. Check it out to see what the photo center has been up to and where they’ll be headed this year. 107 N. San Francisco. For more info, call 774-2544 or see www.flagstaffphotographycenter.com.
Echo Canyon Art
Even if you missed the opening at last month’s Art Walk, “The Way of the People” is still on display at Echo Canyon Art. Featuring the incredible paintings of renowned Navajo artists Charley Singer and David K. John, the exhibition juxtaposes traditional Native American work with a more contemporary approach to the style. Be sure to see this gorgeous, culturally revealing show while it is still on display. To know more, call 255-0349 or see www.charleysinger.com or www.davidkjohn.com.
West of the Moon
As one of the consummate supporters of local art and artists, Carolyn Young is celebrating her 10-year anniversary for the West of the Moon Gallery. Though it’s a small space, Young displays the handcrafted work and fine art of more than 50 local artists, with a spotlight exhibit on one artist each month. Helping her ring in the decade, fine art photographer Gary Karcz will be displaying a selection of his nearly abstract, nature-related photos in a show titled “Monsoon Clouds and Temple Koi: Images of northern Arizona and Japan.” There will be live music by Kirk Burnett and friends, along with tasty treats and general good cheer. Stop by to see the artwork and offer congratulations to a true supporter of the arts. 111 E. Aspen, Ste. 2. For more info, call 774-0465 or visit www.westofthemoongallery.com.
Desert Glasshopper Studio
As this month’s Art Walk “Hot Spot,” the Desert Glasshopper Studio is getting hands on with its artwork with fused glass demonstrations and beautiful examples on display in the gallery. Feeling inspired? Sign up for classes while you’re there, and then stick around for multiple drawings and giveaways and live music by local masters of the beat Sambátuque. To get more info, call 779-2123 or visit www.desertglasshopper.com.
Utopia
With titles like “Glaciers have surprises inside” and “Just Beyond the Broccoli,” the paintings of current local Jason Eli are as intriguing as they are bizarre. Check out the colorful, surreal images of his show “Observing the Inner Being” at Utopia. While there, don’t hesitate to admire the myriad of crafty local creations while enjoying the auditory selections of Flagstaff DJ The Shape of Us to Go. To know more, call 286-7174 or check out www.eliflagstaff.deviantart.com.
Missing Frame Photography Studio
Local photog extraordinaire Michael Bielecki, whose handiwork has captured album-worthy images of many local musicians and bands, has opened up his own full-service photo studio to lend his artistic eye to portrait sessions of all kinds. Check out the new space, located next to Tacos Locos, and chat with the always-amiable photographer at his open studio this Friday. For more info, call 380-2577 or see www.missingframephotography.com.
La Bellavia
Nature photographer Joe Findley first started taking pictures while in the Air Force in Mississippi before relocating to the Rocky Mountains to capture the sweeping landscapes that inspired him. More recently, intrigued by the beauty and history of the Southwest, Findley moved to Flagstaff where he currently operates his photography business, taking pictures of the non-stop majesty of our region. See a collection of his photos from local landscapes all the way to Alaska at La Bellavia, 18 S. Beaver. Call 774-8301 or check out www.findleyphotography.com to see a gallery of his work.
Woodland’s Café
Though based here in Flagstaff, photographer Joel Wolfson has worked across the globe with work published in mags like Newsweek and Elle and has amassed an enviable gallery of stunning photos from Europe, as well as across his native Southwest. It’s worth straying from the typical downtown route to see a special exhibit of his work at the Woodland’s Café in the Radisson Hotel, 1175 W. Rte. 66. For more, call 773-8888 or visit www.joelwolfson.com.
To see recent Flag Live cover story features, click here.
Additional photos for this story:
"Gliding" by Joel Wolfson.
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"Sogen-chi Koi" by Gary Karcz.
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"Sacred Prayers in the Ganges" by Ami Vitale.
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"A New Light in the World" by Ami Vitale.
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"A Mother's Comfort" by Ami Vitale.
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"Calidarium" by Joel Wolfson.
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