For those residing or traveling through the quaint section of Ghent, NY, proudly known as Omi, they've had the amusement of seeing a playful art installation sitting atop the crest of a hill in a field near the intersection of County Route 22 and Orchard Road. It is a brightly painted round bale of hay. Many have wondered where it came from and who placed it there. Some assumed that it was connected to Art Omi. For others, it was simply a perfect photographic opportunity. Doug Stalker, a local photographer, is one such person.
Big Red, as it was artfully named by the artist May Tveit, arrived late this past spring and is one of many large-scale sculptures presented as part of the field sculptures at Art Omi.
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| "Big Red" by May Tveit, photo by Doug Stalker |
The Photographer
In 2005, when Doug Stalker was nearing an early retirement, having worked at General Electric for 27 years as a major home appliance technician, he took a photography course through the International Writers and Photographers Association. "My interest in photography had actually started much earlier. My first camera was a Canon Range Finder, one of the first 35mm slide cameras. I got it when I was in the Army in the late '60s," shared Stalker.
His "passion" for photography and continued desire to learn resulted in his completing and receiving a certificate from the New York Institute of Photography in 2009. "I am constantly working towards increasing my skills and abilities," he continued. "I want my photography to be artistic."
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| Ryder Cooley, photo by Doug Stalker |
"I've done freelance work for the Chatham Courier and the Register Star [local newspapers] and have done volunteer work for the Columbia Land Conservancy, too, all of which I like doing," said Stalker. However, he continued that it's the landscapes of Columbia County and the portraits of its residents and visitors that are most appealing and rewarding to him as an artist of photography. "I like to create a photographic essay by capturing the personality of the person I am photographing. The photo of Ryder Cooley is a perfect example--this photo captures her personality." He further expressed that he likes "getting out" to see what we have here in Columbia County, "the stuff we see and drive by every day without really noticing." Photographing these places and landscapes in HDR (high dynamic range) sheds new light on familiar places for him and those who have seen his work. The photograph of "Big Red" sitting atop the crest of the hill in Omi is a perfect example of his photographic insight. Another such photo is currently on exhibit at the Berkshire Museum.
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| James Burnett, photo by Doug Stalker |
Stalker also happens to be a member of the Camera Club at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA. An exhibit celebrating the works of the club members entitled, "The Big Picture: Berkshire Museum Camera Club 75th Anniversary Exhibit" is currently underway at the museum. The exhibit includes a wonderful photograph taken by Stalker of a Columbia County resident (and artist), James Burnett, running down Angel Hill Road in Chatham, NY.
Stalker's recollection and reflection of this particular photo is, "The light looked great and I shot several photos of him from near the top of Angel Hill. I kind of had the thought that the whole photo, in a way, represents man's journey through life: headed for the light at the end of the road." On many a morning commute, I've seen this man running, and the photo truly captures the essence and spirit of what Stalker expressed.
The exhibit at the Berkshire Museum concludes September 16, 2012.
Although Stalker is "retired" and recently celebrated his 65th birthday, he has no intention of slowing down. "There are more techniques to learn, people to meet, and places to discover and rediscover," all, of course, through the lens of his camera.
The Artist
"Big Red," a large-scale, site specific art installation, was created by artist May Tveit in 2009 and was originally featured in prominent locations in Wellfleet, MA (Cape Cod) as part of a public art project called Field Test. According Adam Hall at the Omi International Arts Center located in Ghent, NY, Tveit was later inspired by the fields in Omi while visiting a friend who was an artist in-residence at the center and, subsequently, in 2010, became an artist in-residence herself. During Tveit's residency at Art Omi, she had a series of discussions with Art Omi (and the owners of an offsite field) about bringing "Big Red" to Omi. "Big Red" was installed this past spring.
According to Tveit, "Big Red" is a 1500-2000 pound round hay bale from the Wise Family Farm located in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The hay bale is coated with urethane and painted with car paint so that it doesn't fade or disintegrate from the natural weather elements.
Unique, quirky, fun, odd, whatever adjective you choose to describe this art installation, it certainly has added a splash of color to the field in which it currently resides. The juxtaposition of the red against a blue or storm-laden sky is striking.
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You may contact Doug Stalker via email at: stalkerdoug@mac.com or
visit his website at: www.dougstalkerphoto.com to see additional work and inquire about his photography services.
For more information on the exhibit at the Berkshire Museum, visit: http://berkshiremuseum.org
Additional information about the artist May Tveit and the Omi International Arts Center (Art Omi) can be found on at:
The photos used in this post are used with Doug Stalker's permission.
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