For the past 2 months Image City visitors have been able to enjoy the unique perspectives of photos created by Michael Shoemaker and d dargan teska, who have been a Visiting Artist team at the gallery. Michael’s collection is an exploration of the interaction between the natural and the manufactured. His images of metal, which include intricate close-ups of rusted cars, reveal the material’s cold unyielding nature, yet imbue it with raw beauty. His photographs of Callicoon Creek and the Niagara River illustrate serene tranquility.
Deb, on the other hand, invites the viewer into a world of forgotten and overlooked stories. Her images of an abandoned luncheonette, with its faded colors and silent echoes of days gone by, evoke a poignant sense of nostalgia and loss. Debby’s Abandoned Luncheonette images were taken near Liberty, NY and she says she “was charmed by the European feeling of the place.”
Debby’s dying jellyfish series is deeply moving, highlighting the fragility of life and the impact of human intervention on the natural world.
Deb’s latest display includes her infrared landscapes, which transform familiar scenes into otherworldly vistas. She says “I felt like they looked like fairy tale imagery.” This surreal approach not only challenges our perceptions but also emphasizes the hidden beauties that lie beyond the visible spectrum.
Hiking in the outdoors, no matter the season, is a favorite activity of Deb and Mike. Two of Mike’s displays reflect their love of nature. His Callicoon Creek images came from a week-long trip in the Catskills, and he says “the Niagara River images were taken on a rather dreary day at the river.” Additionally, Mike says, “I have always been attracted to color and texture,” and he was delighted to discover the metal cars while hiking with his son-in-law. He is particularly proud of his image entitled “Past Glory,” which is a close-up of one of the junkyard cars he encountered. He says, “The colors and shapes just really spoke to me.”
When Deb was in Cape Canaveral, Florida, she spent hours on the beach, where there were hundreds of jellyfish washed up. She says, “They looked like brilliant tiaras to me.” Deb’s favorite image in her recent displays is called “Dying Light,” an image of a dying jellyfish on the beach, taken as the sun was setting.” She says that it seemed like a metaphor. Deb discovered the jelly fish when she was taking care of her dying father. She said she would spend time walking on the beach to try to unwind and “these poor, deadly creatures were washed up on the beach.”
Because Deb and Mike are constantly taking photos, they said the challenging part of being Visiting Artists came from searching through their files for the best images to display. They were looking for a coherent group of photos that represented fresh perspectives.
Mike and Deb hope the viewers of their images walk away with the idea that “Beauty surrounds us.” They suggest that photographers don’t have to travel to exotic locations because photo opportunities exist everywhere.
Mike and Deb enjoy displaying their photos at Image City because “having a place to show our work gives us a reason to print.” They also point out “Anytime we are at the gallery, we are engaged in wonderful conversations about the craft and creation of photographs—from the technical to the fine arts points of discussion.”
If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment about Mike or Deb’s show, please do so in the comment box below.