As recently announced, for the third consecutive year Rich Smukler will be exhibiting at The Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts’ annual juried exhibition. The opening reception and award presentations will be Thursday, June 26th from 6PM to 8PM. Artists whose works are exhibited for three shows are bestowed with the honor of elected member.
“Given the quality of the art in the CAFA exhibitions, I am extremely honored.”
Date: June 09 – July 25, 2014
Location: The von Liebig Art Center
On view in The von Liebig Art Center from June 9 through July 25, 2014.
The fine art exhibition will be installed on the ground floor and second level of The von Liebig Art Center in six galleries and will be on view from June 9 through July 25, 2014. The von Liebig Art Center is located in Naples, Florida in the heart of the 5th Avenue South shopping, dining and arts district. The Naples Art Association’s Founders Exhibitions are a long-held tradition honoring the founding members of the Naples Art Association. The exhibition will feature recent work in all media by Naples Art Association members. Erin Wright, Director of Artist Initiatives and Special Projects for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will serve as juror. Wright will travel to Naples to discuss and share her projects at LACMA. She will give a free lecture entitled “Reinventing a Museum: How I Learned to Move a 340-Ton Boulder” at The von Liebig Art Center at 5:30 pm on June 4, 2014. Erin Wright received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and English from Simmons College and completed additional studies at the Courtauld Institute in London. She has been an advisor for the LEF Foundation and a member of the Catalogue Raisonné Scholars Association. The film A Brief History of John Baldessari, which she commissioned and produced for LACMA, Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, earned a nomination of Best Documentary Short from South by Southwest Film festival in 2012.
See more of Rich Smukler’s work at http://www.richsmuklerphoto.comFor more information about the show, call 239-262-6517
It was a cold and dreary day in Stonington, but The Lady Neptune stood tall.
It’s been a long hard week in Death Valley and it is time to pack it in. I only introduced you to some of the many wonders that the area has to offer. It is really something that needs to be experienced personally and in your own way. On a great tip, I headed towards Rhyolite, Nevada on my way back to the airport in Las Vegas. I have an affection for architectural decay and this old town does not disappoint.
Located in the Bullfrog Hills in Nye County, Rhyolite is about 120 miles (190 km) northwest of Las Vegas near the eastern edge of Death Valley. The town started in 1905 is response to the discovery of gold in the nearby hills. It is reported that the population rose to near 5,000. Unfortunately, by 1911 the mine closed and the town soon died out.
With a few more shots in my pocket, it is time to head home. Thanks for joining me
Happy Shooting!
http://www.richsmuklerphoto.com
Getting ready for your trip into Death Valley is no simple matter. It requires careful thought and preparation. Our first stop will be to Eureka Dunes, but we need to be on top of our game. There are plenty of good reasons. Death Valley is no simple jaunt to your neighbor’s garden party!
Death Valley is located in Eastern California and situated within the Mojave Desert. It is the lowest and driest area in North America. It holds the record for the highest reliably recorded air temperature on earth (134 °F (56.7 °C) at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913). The previously-claimed world record air temperature, 136 °F (57.8 °C) was in Libya. Badwater Basin, which will be another of our stops, is the point of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. This point is only 84.6 miles (136.2 km) east-southeast of Mt. Whitney (which was briefly mentioned in my previous post) and is the highest point in the contiguous United States with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m).
You may want to rent a high clearance vehicle. Be sure your rental car has a good spare tire. I know that when I first landed at the airport in Las Vegas and went to select my vehicle, I was so anxious to get on the road that I didn’t give as much thought to the process as I should have. Fortunately, my Jeep withstood the punishment meted out. The last 10 miles into Eureka Dunes are very rough; there is essentially no cell-phone service; no service stations for many many miles; you may drive for long stretches and never see another vehicle; you are pretty much on your own so give yourself the best chance to avoid chaos.
Camera Equipment you will need includes but is not limited to: a backup camera body (always a good idea, but a must if you intend to use a second lens), your camera manual, spare batteries, extra flash cards, a tripod and a polarizing filter. You may want a headlamp (exceptionally handy for your early morning shoots). I was introduced to a rubber eyepiece cup (only around $10) which clips over your LED and makes viewing under glare conditions so much more manageable. It has become an indispensible part of my travel pack.
Field Equipment suggested includes sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottles (2 quarts minimum; you should drink about 1 gallon/day to avoid dehydration), any food or meds that you might need that day (I always pack several energy bars and fruit for snacks), and extra layers of clothing. You will need a lightweight pack to hold your field gear.
Clothing. Typical temperatures will range from possibly below freezing (it can be as much as 25 degrees colder than the valley at 5500 feet in the early morning wind at Dante’s View, (another of our locations), to an average daily maximum of 72-80 F and an average daily minimum of 46-53 F in Death Valley in late February. Dressing in layers will allow you to adjust to a wide range of conditions. I suggest a fleece jacket (or two), a fleece vest, gloves (see prior post), a warm hat, a sun hat, lightweight, loose fitting long pants and long-sleeved shirt, light hiking boots and hiking socks, and a parka or windbreaker that can fit over all your layers. Long underwear for early morning and high altitudes is a good idea.
Some stray tips. The park service provides a helpful Morning Report which has the daily weather forecast, yesterday’s temperatures and current road conditions; Death Valley National Park’s seasonal newspaper will help you make the most of your visit, and if you are without prior knowledge of the area or are not travelling without someone familiar with Death Valley, you can enhance your experience of Death Valley by joining a ranger guided tour.
OK OK! I know you are anxious to get out there and burn some gigs, so saddle up pardner as we are pulling up to Eureka Dunes! Yeehah!
Happy Shooting!
http://www.richsmuklerphoto.com
See Rich Smukler’s work “Jessie” at The Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 101st Annual Exhibition (CAFA).
“Jessie” was also exhibited at the (SDAI) San Diego Art Institute / (MOLA) Museum of the Living Artist (San Diego, California 2009) and is currently part of The American Juried Art Salon: Fine Arts Show 2011 (on-line). It is also published in Photographer’s Forum Magazine / Best of Photography 2011 (Serbin Communications), and was exhibited at The Elliott Museum (Stuart, Florida 2012) and The Saco Museum Mill-ennial 2012 (Saco, Maine).
The CAFA OPENING RECEPTION AND AWARD CEREMONY is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, JUNE 7, 2012 from 6 to 8 PM at the Mystic Arts Center located at 9 Water Street, Mystic, Ct., 06355. Phone: 860-267-6023 for further information.
Rich Smukler’s works can also be seen at www.richsmuklerphoto.com
Rich Smukler Fine Art and Landscape Photography 
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