Nyack’s Franklyn Antiques Center Presents 'The Eye of the Beholder: Art Through the Lens'

From Nyack's Franklyn Antiques Center:If you don’t think of photography as art, you are in for a most pleasurable surprise.

“The Eye of the Beholder: Art Through the Lens,” at My Own Little Gallery in Nyack’s Franklyn Antiques Center, 142 Main Street, presents the works of three extraordinary photographers who imbue their subjects with intense and moving visual artistry.

The opening reception is Saturday, February 11, 4 to 7 p.m.

“In a world where everyone thinks their phone and the ease of snapping a good shot makes them a photographer, the art of photography may not be receiving the appreciation it so well deserves,” says My Own Little Gallery owner Elaine Schloss. “A visit to this exhibit will amaze and engage anyone who doubts that photography is art.”

Photographer David Schloss gives us the movement of a caterpillar on a leaf, expresses the elation of a triumphant athlete, and captures the silent tender moment between parent and child. His works bring a whimsical, personal and unusual view to the ordinary.Schloss is Editor in Chief of Digital Photo Pro and Digital Photo magazines.

Doris Wiese journeys to exotic locales to document the stunning landscapes and wild, wonderful creatures whose very existence is threatened by the melting glaciers and disappearing forests of the world. She juxtaposes the power and fragility of the massive creatures against the sweeping landscapes of their disappearing worlds.

Laurie Peek’s palette is drawn from reflections on such surfaces as car hoods, puddles, and windows, creating abstract canvasses that draw the viewer in and ignite a gut response. Peek also "paints", with her lens, fantastical landscapes in which reality meets magical fantasy.

Schloss has included a display of her own exuberantly painted abstract nudes to complement the photography exhibit. “I work mostly in acrylics, and always feel my work is a communion with the model. I feel their emotion, and am thrilled when painting their nose or shoulder, intent on the angle and color and feeling. Likewise, I believe the photographers in “The Eye of the Beholder” commune with their subjects, be they animals, athletes, icons or babies. And the result, I know, is art."

My Own Little Gallery is especially fascinating and idiosyncratic because it shares space with My Own Little Corner Antiques, one of Nyack’s oldest antique shops. Combining the two galleries was Schloss’s way of offering art lovers the chance to browse among original paintings while also enjoying a fascinating and eclectic mix of small collectibles, vintage jewelry and toys games and dolls.

Admission is free. Gallery hours: Wednesday - Sunday 1:30 to 5:00.

Images Courtesy Of Nyack’s Franklyn Antiques Center