MARCELLUS — The quiet beauty and underlying emotion of winter are illustrated in an exhibit of work by photographer Chris Murray now on display at Baltimore Woods Nature Center.
“Meditations on Winter,” may be seen now through Feb. 24 in the John A. Weeks Interpretive Center at 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus.
The public is invited to attend the reception on Saturday, Jan. 15 from 2:30 until 4 p.m.
In addition, the exhibit may be seen when the Interpretive Center is open on Saturdays from 10 to 4 p.m.
The public is also most welcome to view the exhibit on Monday through Friday from 9 to 4 p.m.; those interested are asked to call 315-673-1350 in advance to confirm that the gallery is available for viewing. There are no admission or parking fees, and all the artwork is for sale.
Murray’s collection of work for this exhibit is a visual expression of his views on the coldest time of year.
“No season transforms the landscape quite like winter,” he said. “The bare trees expose vistas heretofore unseen; snow covered landforms are revealed. Nature is reduced to its simplest and most basic elements. The beauty to be found in winter is as varied as it is limitless. Lines, shapes, patterns and contrast all have an added emphasis in winter as the snow simplifies the landscape. It is a time of solitude and peace, qualities that I prize while out in nature and strive to express in my photography.”
While the beauty that Murray finds in winter is evident in this exhibit, his ultimate goal is to creatively document the inward significance of his chosen subject matter.
Over time, he has come to realize that his most meaningful work comes from places that are familiar to him – the varied landscapes of New York State.
This exhibit will transport gallery visitors to local areas of Central New York as well as the Adirondacks.
Each viewer of Murray’s photographs will bring their own ideas to the emotional interpretation of his images.
Gallery coordinator Karen Jean Smith suggests these possibilities for consideration: “In ‘Frosted Trees’, a monochromatic piece based on the color blue, our eyes are drawn to the frost on the deciduous trees, while tree trunks provide a soft and muted texture in the background. The effect is fresh but quiet. ‘Winter Grasses’, a black and white composition of simple lines, calls our attention to the life that once existed there, and will inevitably return again. Finally, we are reminded that winter can be joyously colorful and surprising by ‘Silver Mountain Lake,’ an image taken as the sunlight was changing in the Adirondack Mountains.”
Murray is a professional photographic artist, instructor, and writer living in Syracuse.
He photographs primarily in the landscape of his home, the woods, lakes, mountains, and streams of New York State.
His work has appeared in several magazines including On Landscape, Popular Photography, Adirondack Life, Life in the Finger Lakes, and New York State Conservationist, among others. Chris leads photography workshops independently and through the Adirondack Photography Institute.
