PHOTOS PROVIDED
Artworks, clockwise from left: “Endeavor to Persevere” by Bruce Wallace, “Hyner View” by Dean Marshall and “Becoming” by Pam Dillet are inset against the image of Earth captured by the Apollo 17 crew as they were traveling towards the moon in 1972.
LOCK HAVEN — The Clinton County Arts Council’s juried photography show has become an event that many look forward to every year.
It not only showcases the work of talented photographers in our area; it also provides an opportunity for visitors to Lock Haven’s Station Gallery, 2 E. Bald Eagle St., to view the world in fresh and sometimes surprising ways.
The theme of this year’s photo show is “Worth Protecting.” Since the start of the show corresponds to the CCAC’s annual Earth Day celebration, its highlighting those many things in our lives that are worth protecting from the effects of climate change and environmental damage — with an emphasis on the precious, the fleeting, the precarious and the fragile, as well as the persistent and the tenacious.
This year’s show features close-ups of natural wonders, stunning portraits, meditative reflections and local scenes from a variety of both interesting and inspiring perspectives.
Nature, as seen through the lenses of this year’s photographers, can be magical; it can also be provocative.
“We invite you to think along with us about the natural world and our place in it,” a release from the CCAC said.
The exhibit will officially begin with an opening reception at the Station Gallery on Friday, April 21, at 6 p.m.
This year’s judges will be Steve Getz and Rich Wykoff.
Steve was recently elected as the CCAC Board President. A graduate of Lycoming College, he has been a professional artist and marketer for over 40 years. He has worked with companies including Sesame Street, Universal Studios, Mattel Toys and Marvel Comics in product development, design, licensing, photo styling, corporate branding and advertising. As a fine artist, his primary focus has been oil and digital painting, photography and graphic arts. His work has been shown throughout our region, and he is the recipient of the prestigious PA Wilds Artisan of the Year Award.
Steve has served as a jury or awards judge for many fine art and photography exhibits throughout the region.
These have included the CCAC/Keystone Central Annual Student exhibits, the Northern Tier Student regional art exhibit at the Gmeiner Gallery in Wellsboro, the Hameau Retreat Plein Air exhibit, the CCAC regional photography and art exhibits and the Shutterbugs Annual Photography exhibit at the Taber Museum in Williamsport.
Over the past year, he served as the awards judge for the Art Alliance Figurative Exhibition and was co-judge for the Images 2022 Juried Exhibition, which is part of the Central PA Festival of the Arts in State College.
Rich Wykoff is a retired elementary teacher and has been a CCAC board member for 15 years. He received a B.S. in Elementary Education from Lock Haven State College, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State, and was a PhD candidate in Instructional Systems at Penn State.
Rich has a life-long interest in the arts. In high school it was music and theater. In college he took electives in graphic design and painting and assisted in building the “Cactus Rose” fountain that is in the patio at Raub Hall.
Since the late 1970s, he has been involved with mural projects at Renovo Elementary, Dickey Elementary, Renovo Library, 16th Street Park in Renovo, the Railroad Heritage mural at Lingle’s at 16th Street and the WWII Fly Boys mural that will be unveiled May 28 at Tony’s Hardware in Renovo.
Photography has been an interest since childhood when his mother taught him how to use her box camera. His primary interest is landscape photography and covering events. As a member of the CCAC Education Committee, he coordinates the annual “Shutterflies” summer photo camp for middle school students.
The judges will award the prizes for the show at 7 p.m. at Friday’s opening, after which they will talk about the decisions they made in their judging.
A People’s Choice contest will follow, in which participants will vote for their favorite images. Ribbons for People’s Choice will be given out at the end of the night for those photos that receive the most votes.
This year’s show will be sponsored once again by Robert C. Gleghorn, President and Principal Agent of the Mountain Top Insurance Agency, Inc.
“We are extremely grateful for Mr. Gleghorn’s continuing support for our photo show,” said Carol Cillo, board member and past president of the Arts Council.
The exhibit is free of charge. The public is invited to attend the reception to see the show, have some refreshments, talk with the photographers and vote for the images they like best.
