Photography is Central at Gallery One Visual Arts Center in March

First Friday Opening Reception: March 2, 2007, 5-7 pm
Artist Introductions: 5:45 pm

Ellensburg, WA- Gallery One Visual Arts Center announces three shows this March by the Central Washington University Photography Department. In the Main Gallery, Michael Sherwin, faculty member in the Department of Art, exhibits work developed from appropriated web images in Mysterious Transmissions. In the Mezzanine, CWU photography students, Steve Aldous, Stephen John Ellis and Melissa Hogrefe exhibit recent work in the group show, likeness. Upstairs in the Eveleth Green Gallery, Farrell Merit recipient, Stephen John Ellis presents a photographic exhibition, Loss of Innocence. All shows will be on display at Gallery One March 2 – 24, 2007 and an opening reception will take place during the First Friday Art Walk on Friday, March 2 at 5:00 pm, with opening introductions beginning at 5:45 pm.

Sherwin’s Mysterious Transmissions Bridge Art and Science

In Mysterious Transmissions, Sherwin sets his camera down, opting to use appropriated images from the web to examine issues of context, aesthetics, signification and meaning. Downloading low-resolution visual data from locations, such as the North Pole, Ellis Island and Antarctica, Sherwin raises the question of perceived objectivity of surveillance camera systems, and the ultimate futility they present. The seemingly abstract images underscore Sherwin’s interest in the unintentional aesthetic acts of everyday life, which are normally associated with science. By creating a new context for these images, he bridges art and science together, suggesting a mysterious commonality across the fields.

Michael Sherwin is Central Washington University’s Visiting Artist and Lecturer in Photography and Digital Imaging. He first moved to the Northwest in 1999, and in 2004 received his MFA in photography from the University of Oregon. His work has won numerous awards and has been exhibited and published widely. Sherwin is also a member of the PUNCH Gallery in downtown Seattle. More information about Michael Sherwin can be found online at www.michaelsherwin.com.


CWU Students Develop a Likeness to Photography

In Gallery One’s Mezzanine, likeness, features recent photographic work by CWU students, Steve Aldous, Stephen John Ellis and Melissa Hogrefe. Their work explores an underlying theme of psychological and physical space through the use of multiple images, while also addressing the issues of one’s self-image and personal environments. Collectively, with Sherwin’s show, the exhibit emphasizes the teacher-student relationship and the visual conversations that occur when shown together. “I think it’s imperative that professors begin sharing ideas, motivations, and research with students, encouraging them to actively participate in their own creative endeavors,” states Sherwin.

Loss of Innocence Affirms Ellis’ Ferrel Merit Award

Loss of Innocence is a photographic exhibition of works by Farrell Merit recipient and CWU photography student, Stephen John Ellis. These quietly powerful works capture and document the lives of teen moms and their children. Ellis himself was born from a teen-aged mother and his sister had her first child at 18 years of age. Informed by his own family experiences, these works aim at exploring the unique relationships that exist between a young parent and their child. By photographing them in their homes, Ellis is able to not only examine their interactions with each other, but also look at their environment as a defining aspect of that relationship. The project documents the lives of six families; five of which reside in Washington and the sixth in North Carolina.

For more information about Gallery One’s events and programs, contact the gallery at 509.925.2670 or visit us at 408 N. Pearl, in the heart of downtown Ellensburg.

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