SNPs First-Ever, Artist in Residence, is in the news again! This is a lovely piece about this artisan, who was financially supported by SNPT, from Rappahannock News entitled: The camera as portal... At the Byrd Visitor Center at Big Meadows last Thursday, photographer Sandy Long, Shenandoah National Park’s first-ever artist-in-residence, shared her experience and presented an eight-minute slideshow of some of her more than 4,000 images shot during her two-week residency. “In an artist-in-residence program,” explained Ranger Bob during his introduction, “an artist is given the opportunity to live in the park with the purpose of documenting that park with their own skills and talents. While Sandy has many skills, she documented her experience in Shenandoah with her camera.” Long’s passion and enthusiasm for connections with nature are evident. Although she is from the Poconos of Pennsylvania, Sandy credits her inspiration to work as an “advocate for wilderness” to her childhood experiences in Shenandoah National Park on family camping trips, and her little Instamatic 126 camera with the rotating flash-cube as her introduction to the world of photography. “These past two weeks, I have been prowling around with a camera, visiting peaks, valleys, trails, overlooks and literally sticking my nose into the meadow, which is a highly satisfying experience!” she said. Her recognition of the importance of all senses in connecting to nature leads her to immerse herself in her subject matter. That total immersion is evident in the details of her photographs of spider webs, lichen on rocks, fallen leaves and acorns juxtaposed against her dramatic images of sunsets, misty mountains and valley views capped with dramatic clouds. On the “casual exploration” of Big Meadows she led during her first week, she was joined by a group whose ages spanned 12 to 90. “Photography is not just about seeing. It is about looking and feeling and hearing, about capturing with a camera, rather than taking. The camera is a portal to explore the world and the lens allows you to focus on a direct experience with the natural world. I think that is the kind of thing that wakes the love of nature in us. That is why it is so important that children have the opportunity to experience that, so they will care for special places like Shenandoah after us.” Long will donate one of her original images to Shenandoah National Park. Her images will also be available on her website at heronseye. The park’s artist-in-residence program is supported by the Shenandoah National Park Trust.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:24:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015