Alan Brown’s “First 75 Years” photo exhibit

Alan Brown, photographer and president - Gallery One

On February 16, Gallery One’s Alan Brown will celebrate his 75th birthday with the opening of a retrospective exhibit representing his half century love affair with photography.

Brown’s fascination with photography began in high school when he photographed events, historic buildings and even used his telescope to obtain “Life Magazine” worthy images of the moon.

He first journeyed to Kenya and Tanzania in 1990, recording images of exotic animal life and fascinating African tribesmen. In 1994, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History launched a three-month one-man exhibit featuring his images of the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Now, 25 years later, Brown’s original photographs are available as vibrant giclées on canvas, and his works are prominent at Gallery One, the company he founded with wife Norah Lynne in 1974.

The opening of Brown’s “First 75 Years” will feature a 2 p.m. lecture, followed by a celebration complete with giant birthday cake for all attendees. His photographic images will hang through February and will include wildlife, landscapes, florals and landmarks, both local and exotic, from 8” x 10” to 40” x 60.” Many are based on his extensive travels to the Galapagos, the Amazon jungle, Machu Picchu, China, Alaska, Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Brown’s lecture will center on his unusual approach to photography. His choice camera is Contax. “I’m sold on Zeiss lenses, and while Contax is an northodox choice for outdoor photography, it works for me.” He scoffs at auto-camera features, shoots prints instead of slides - and handles his own color processing. The results are powerhouse images that have appeared in national magazines and won numerous awards including honors from USArt Magazine, Popular Photography, Wildlife Art Magazine, American Photo, Photographer’s Forum and Lake Metroparks.

Please join us for this extra special celebration!

Countdown to Robert Bateman’s show

Norah Lynne Brown, Robert Bateman, Alan Brown
(30 years ago)

Things are all abuzz here at Gallery One! Robert Bateman will be with us again this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.! Jen has completely re-arranged the exhibits to make way for more of his works. The exhibit is as spectacular as it always is when she gets a show ready. But this one features a huge variety of his older papers and the best selection of his newer giclées that you’ll ever find anywhere; and they’re all beautifully framed! You’ll find a big shipment of his newest book displayed on the front counter too.

Staffing arrangements have been made for refreshments, sales and security. We’ve had a technical rehearsal of the A/V equipment and believe we have everything as ready as it can be for now. Final set-up will wait for just before the show.

Even though Robert Bateman has been here 15 times before, each of his visits generate an almost electric excitement in each one of us and in so many of our clients. His long and illustrious career with his devotion to conservation and his incredible body of work is a big part of the reason. But he’s also a good friend. Don’t miss this chance to spend some time with a true legend in the world of art!  In the meantime, browse his artwork.

Introducing New Landscapes By Photographer/Activist, Anthony Cook

Gallery Giclees, our sister company, produces giclees which are printed IN HOUSE using the latest giclee printing technology along with inks and canvases of the highest quality. Giclees are expertly coated with a UV protectant to extend the image life and provide a water-resistant surface.

We duplicate and then rotate 1.5" of each edge of an artist's image so that the canvas can be stretched over a standard stretcher strip or a 1.5” thick stretcher strip... with stapling on the rear...leaving finished sides. Thus the canvas can be hung unframed, framed in a traditional manner or float framed with no loss of the artist’s image and with nary a staple in sight! Each giclee has been inspected again and again prior to being shipped to you. Our goal - perfection!  That's why we can guarantee your satisfaction!

Winter Awakening by Anthony E. Cook

This Saturday, December 10, Anthony Cook will present his first five original photographs on canvas, produced by the giclee method.

Here's a little background about him:

In 1928, lumber baron, Anthony Wayne Cook, deeded his cherished 7200 acres to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Today, that acreage is known as Cook Forest State Park, and Anthony E. Cook, grandson of this visionary, is a tireless conservationist and noted photographer.

With two hard-cover books under his belt, young Anthony is an acknowledged master of landscape photography. Now, a selection of his stunning photographs has been captured as signed originals on canvas by an Ohio company, Gallery Giclées.

These signed works, in sizes as large as six feet by five feet, will be released to collectors December 10 at 10:30 a.m. at Gallery One, 7003 Center Street, Mentor OH. Cook will lecture informally at 11 a.m. as gallery guests enjoy coffee and bagels.

A native of Pennsylvania, Cook grew up exploring the forests surrounding his home. He attended college in New England, majoring in geology. As a dedicated conservationist, he serves on the board of The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, The National Aviary, and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

His work has been featured in such publications as “Outdoor Photographers,”  “U.S. Air Magazine” and “Sierra Magazine.” An exhibition of his photography, “Fall Colors Across North America,” opened at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh and toured throughout North America.

“The Cook Forest — An Island in Time (Falcon Press, 1997), his first photo-essay book, was a best seller. His second book is “Fall Colors Across North America (Graphic Arts Publishing, 2001). Both books are available now at Gallery One.

Today, Cook with his wife Sandy and their children live in the Cook Forest family home built by his grandfather more than a century ago.

Please join us in welcoming this exciting artist to the GalleryGiclees collection.

Hi!  I'm Guhonda!  The Browns brought me back from their trip to Rwanda in 1974 and I've taken up residence at Gallery One ever since.  I like to think of myself as their mascot.  (Unofficially, of course!)

Look!  I already have FIVE wonderful gifts under the tree.  I can't open them yet.  I have to wait.  But YOU don't!  You have FIVE wonderful gifts too!  Just go to the Gallery One Specials page and take advantage of all of them.  Or choose your favorite from the new Dean Morrissey book, Small Business Saturday, the Wysocki ($1) print special, the Kinkade Highlighting event. or the gorgeous new Anthony E. Cook giclees.

Dean Morrissey is coming Dec. 2 & 3 to sign his books and Anthony Cook is coming Dec. 10 to introduce those incredible landscape photographs.  Also, on the 3rd, Felicia Zavarella Stadelman is coming to lecture on Norman Rockwell!  Check out our last blog post for more details.  I like to think of myself as a fly on the wall for these exciting holiday shows. . .even though I look more like the 800 lb. gorilla!  (hahaha)  Everybody that attends these events is in such a festive mood and it's not just the wine & cheese or bagels & coffee that cause that effect.  They come because there is so much beauty found here and there's always something new!  Why not make Gallery One a regular part of your holidays.  And come see me at the front counter.  (You can't miss me!  They made me wear this stupid holiday nightshirt!)

Guhonda

Ohio's own Florian Lawton at Gallery One

It was like old-home week when distinguished Ohio watercolorist, Florian Lawton, visited last Saturday. Appreciative friends, students and collectors gathered to listen as he spoke of the stories behind his various collections, the Amish way of life and a bit about "whiskey paintings."

Lawton, now 89, has exhibited at the Cleveland Museum of Art and in the shows of the numerous professional art associations with which he is affiliated: American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Whiskey Painters of America, National Arts Club, Audubon Artists and the Salamagundi Club.

While widely acclaimed for winter landscapes in which he achieves subtle tones and a remarkable level of detail through the use of opaque white, Lawton is also lauded for outstanding sporting scenes, seascapes and portraits. His collectors, critics, peers and students speak of his technical expertise. But more often, they speak of his ability to capture the moments of daily life — children walking down a path, or looking over a fence, a woman waiting in a carriage, a man looking over a horse or just standing in a barn, looking out the doorway.

Collectors at our May 15 event chose from his new book, DVD and of course the paintings themselves. All sales benefit the Florian K. Lawton Foundation scholarships. His work will be on exhibit through June at Gallery One.