First Fridays: March '09

John Henley

My second First Friday experience was very much like my first. Overwhelming. It is not easy to view art while immersed in a swirl of talking, laughing, drinking people. However, I did mange to enjoy myself and to get a glimpse of some beautiful and inspiring art. My favorite show of the night was at the gallery Art6 . Titled "Shoot the James," the show was comprised of 54 pieces, all centered on and shot at the James River. There were 18 artists represented in the show, the majority of whom were photographers with two to four related works displayed together. There was one digital video on display and an interesting trypic of scans of live insects.

Three of my favorite photographs -and I may be a little biased- would have to be those of John Henley, a Richmond-based commercial photographer and a teacher at VCU. John teaches Intermediate Photography, a darkroom-based class, and I am proud to be one of his students as well as one of his friends and future summer intern. His way of capturing natural beauty in an unforced and unobtrusive way, while still managing to create dynamic images, is a craft that John has honed well over his many years as a photographer. Knowing him and having experienced first hand the time and meticulous attention to detail that pours into his work has given me a greater appreciation for his beautiful landscapes.

Rita Root

Another artist whose images I found inspiring in this show were those by Rita Root. Her three digital prints of rocks in a dried up James River were unlike anything I've ever seen before. The images were purposefully pixelated, giving them an original look. Printed on watercolor paper with quaintly torn edges, the images were then framed by thin, black pastel lines and graphically drawn circles as well as a large title and signature in artsy penmanship at the bottom. The combination of all these elements together gave these pieces an exciting and original look that I greatly admire.

Doug Hayes

I found the three photographs by Doug Hayes to be beautiful and inspiring as well. The portraits of nude women in the James River, shot on black and white infrared film, were hauntingly eire and gorgeous at the same time. Long exposures caught the swirling water of the James in a way that added to the mystery and beauty of the photos. I have never used infrared film before and am looking forward to the possibilities. As the last pieces I spent time with before heading out, I left the show with an excited feeling and an appreciation for being able to view art on a regular basis, even if it happens to be with hundreds of my closest friends.