The PAG welcomes Donald Lyon, chief guide and owner of Close-Up Expeditions, as our guest speaker this month. Don will talk about his nature and travel photo business, which he started in 1979, and also show some images from recent trips to Paris and Provence. Don has traveled in nearly 130 countries on five continents, leading 5-6 photo excursions each year. The 63-year-old Brownsville resident has combined his interest in other cultures with his childhood love of photography to create a long career in the business. He has lived in Lebanon, France, England and in Oakland, CA., where he was active in judging photo exhibits and competitions as well as teaching photography for over 30 years. We meet on Feb. 18 at our regular site, the basement of the Corvallis Arts Center, with the business meeting starting at 7pm and Don's presentation at 7:30.

photo by Don Lyon

The next Digital Group meeting is on Monday Feb. 15 at 7pm in the community room of Ray's Supermarket in North Albany. The meeting will be open to show work and share ideas. The technical part of the meeting will focus on masking and other tools available in Photoshop and Lightroom, so bring your favorite ideas and tricks to the meeting to share with others. A laptop and projector will be available to do demonstrations. Also, the group need to discuss a strategy for planning future meetings. For example, should future meetings be completely unstructured, or should there be some kind of a program committee? If you have any questions, email Dave McIntire at saxojazz@comcast.net.

"Grand Prismatic Springs, Yellowstone NP" by Dave McIntire

PAGer Rich Bergeman is debuting a new series of platinum prints made with a home-made pinhole camera at the Corvallis Arts Centers’ Corrine Woodman Gallery Feb. 2 through March 6. The images, all made within the past seven months, offer a "wide-eyed look" at curious details found at docks and along shorelines from Newport Harbor to Winchester Bay. The photographs were taken with a simple camera the photographer fashioned out of a wooden cigar box fitted with a 5”x7” film holder on the back and a tiny hole punched in the front. Because pinhole cameras do not use a lens, they make images that are sharper and brighter in the center than at the edges, and can be placed extremely close to subjects. And because there is no way to accurately preview the picture being taken, there’s an element of chance and serendipity involved that makes picture taking more playful. The prints themselves are done in the traditional 19th century platinum process, one of photography’s earliest and most permanent printing methods. The Corvallis Arts Center is open from 12 to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday at 700 SW Madison Ave.

"Buoys at Newport Harbor" by Rich Bergeman

UofO Museum opens exhibit on Amazonia
National Geographic photographer Sam Abell and Danish wildlife photographer Torben Nissen are showing more than 50 large color photos of the land and creatures at the headwaters of the Amazon River at the UofO's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art through May 2. The museum is open Tu 11-5; Wed 11-8; and Thu-Sun 11-5. (at left is Sam Abell's photo of a Three-Toed Sloth heading for water)

Link train photos at Hartman in Portland
B+W photos by the late, great train photographer O. Winston Link are at Charles A. Hartman Fine Art through March 13 (134 NW 8th Ave.; Tu-Sa 11-6). This series chronicles the final years of the Norfolk and Western Railway in the late 50s.

Two photographers explore Vietnam
"Unfolding Time: Vietnamese Photography Then and Now" is at Blue Sky Gallery through Feb. 28 (122 NW 8th Ave.; Tu-Sun 12-5), featuring two contemporary women photographers, Liza Nyugen of Paris and An-My Le, who lives in the U.S. A presentation on "War and Vietnamese Photography" by LA photo curator Sam Lee will be held Saturday Feb. 27 at 3pm, followed by a panel discussion led by Christopher Rauschenberg and Stephanie Snyder.

Another photographer exhibiting at LBCC this month and next is Robin Cushman, whose large scale color prints are on view in the North Santiam Hall Gallery, along with drawings by Jim Adams. Cushman's images are from her 'Spectacle of Nature" series, which shows us seemingly perfect and meticulously designed urban and suburban garden spaces that, on closer examination, are something quite different than what they first appear to be. He images will be on view through Feb. 26. The gallery is open Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm. click the 'more' link for details


'Yabba Dabba Doo' by Robin Cushman

•CAC Community Open--Deliver artwork ready t o hang to the CAC on Saturday Feb. 6 from 12-4. The exhibit opens Feb. 9 with reception+awards Feb. 18 from 5:30 - 7pm.

•The 'Nine' Show--The Giustina Gallery at LaSells seeks images of dogs and cats for an April exhibit. Deadline extended to Feb. 12. Info at oregonstate.edu/lasells/gallery/html/

•The Oregonian's annual Travel Photo Contest is underway. Deadline is Feb. 26. Info at oregonlive.com/travel

•The UofO's annual Pacific Northwest Juried exhibit is seeking work from emerging and established artists for an exhibit opening in April at the EMU. Details at culturalforum.uoregon.edu

•Albany Artists--All two-dimensional artists living in the 97321 or 97322 zip codes is eligible to enter a juried show to be held in May at the LaSalls Stewart Center in Corvallis. Deadline is March 23.

click the 'more' link for details

Instructions for viewing events using the Calendar

The PhotoArts Guild was originally formed by five photographers in 1988 who wanted a forum for feedback and critique to encourage their growth as image makers. It became affiliated with the Corvallis Art Center in the early 1990s and currently has over 40 members. For information on the PAG's goals and membership, click 'more'