Local photographer feature in art exhibit
The Good Earth Church of the Divine is hosting an art exhibit featuring the photography of East Troy resident Wayne Christensen in the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute Gallery, W2493 Highway ES, East Troy.
An opening reception for “Wisconsin Thru My Lens” will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Michael Fields. The exhibit will run until Dec. 17.
“A friend showed me some hot air balloon photos back in the ‘70s and I was awed by the color and clarity,” Christensen said. “Soon after, I purchased a Canon AE 1 camera and started a journey that continues to this day.
“Over the years, I switched to digital format and really enjoy the post processing aspect of my work. Photographing nature and wildlife in particular, requires a lot of patience as well as a basic understanding of the subject.”
That’s why Christensen will said he sometimes rises very early in the morning to be on site just after sunrise in order to capture a flock of snow white herons in a marshy sanctuary, or why he will wait and watch for the tilt of a head and the curling tail of a wolf in relaxation in another sanctuary, or capture a sunlit hummingbird poised to sip.
He said it takes determination, patience and a willingness to endure all types of weather to get that special photo. Among Christensen’s favorite Wisconsin “shooting sites” are the Milwaukee lakefront, the Baraboo area, Greenfield Park, Horicon Marsh and a private sanctuary in West Bend. He said loves to capture birds in particular.
“There is such a variety with so many different behaviors and habitats that represent a true photo challenge,” he said.
Christensen divides his time between hours on the shoot and hours at the computer post processing photos, when in previous years similar hours would be spent in the darkroom with chemicals. Today, he can even print on canvas using current technologies.
But as much as he loves the processing part of his art, “I love to be outdoors in nature,” he said. “That’s my church where I enjoy what has been created for us to see.
“My wife Joan is also a nature-lover. The two of us are so fortunate to live in an area of Wisconsin where we can express our appreciation of nature and share our work with larger audiences. This is my first formal exhibition,” Christensen continued. “While it is a lot of work to mount a show like this, I am finding it very rewarding. We are making these images available at reasonable costs so that we can share our love of nature with many others.”
Wisconsin Thru My Lens will run from Sept. 19 to Dec. 17. All sales of artwork are direct to the artist.
For more information, visit www.goodearthchurchofthedivine.org.
