For weeks, I’ve been preparing for my first significant photography exhibition hosted by Greenwood’s triple threat—print shop, art gallery, and now micro-brewery—Stretch and Staple. This prep included settling on a theme, selecting the right exposures, getting feedback on the set, deciding the materials and dimensions to print said selected photos, and then ultimately pricing the individual pieces.
In parallel, I spun up a variety of marketing and awareness generating efforts with the goal of getting a good-sized crowd to the big event.
Then finally—after initially getting the invite by the Stretch and Staple crew on July 23rd—the big day arrived yesterday (Friday, September 14th). My first major shindig would be featured among other shows and showings of the September edition of Art Up PhinneyWood’s art walk.
I arrived at the shop about 30 minutes before the metaphorical kickoff of the event at 6p. I found Taylor McAtee and Vishal Goklani putting the finishing touches on the seventeen photographs that would comprise my “On Black and Blue” show.
I was awash with a mix of feelings: Amazement and awe upon seeing these pieces printed on the mix of metal and canvas, as well as anxiousness about whether or not these exposures would have the impact I hoped for during the show. It didn’t take long to see my gallery wall complete.
Will all of the pieces hung just right, the crew at Stretch and Staple shifted gears to readying their bar. My show would also serve as a soft-launch of the gallery’s recently launched micro-brew venture: Snapshot Brewing. Having these tasty and super fresh libations made the evening even more fantastic. I’d recommend the Golden Hour Pale Ale and the Low Key Stout.
And, before I knew it, the crowds started to come through. I was both humbled and stoked to see so many of my friends and colleauges make the journey from near and far (in some cases nearly 40 miles!) to see my art.
I was also touched and humbled by the kind words and reviews of the various pieces. It was such a blast and really hope the positive vibes continue as my exhibit remains on display at Stretch and Staple for the next 30 days. Which means if you missed last night’s show, you can still swing by and see the set at time that works best for you.
A huge thank you to everyone—those I know and those just passing through as part of the art walk—for taking a few minutes to check out my stuff.
And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t again thank Taylor and Vishal of Stretch and Staple for the opportunity. Thank you!
I’ll do a separate post soon with a little more detail on each of the exposures that were shown, including some background based on the questions I received by folks during the event. Stay tuned!