St. Asaph's Gallery Opening Reception: Al Wachlin Jr.

Saint Asaph’s Gallery presents the opening of an exhibit by local artist Al Wachlin, Jr., featuring evocative photographic images of potato barns in Maine.  The exhibit runs from October 28 through November 27. Regular Gallery hours are Mondays through Fridays, 9am to 3:00pm or by appointment.

Al Wachlin Jr. is a native Philadelphia fine art photographer; he lives and works in the Art Museum area of the city. He first became interested in photography while attending Northeastern University. This interest continued and grew after transferring to Temple University where he studied finance. He is not just an artist; he is also an organizer.  In 2001 he co-founded the Light Room, a non-profit darkroom, with the mission to promote photography in Philadelphia through community outreach, public exhibitions, and darkroom facilities.  He has coordinated studio tours and helped to host artist exhibitions including two regional photography competitions. He has exhibited his works in numerous area group and solo shows.
 
Artist Statement
The images in this exhibit focus on the northern most county of Maine, knownas Aroostook, and its potato farming industry. The images are potato barns, or "Potato Houses" as they are called in Aroostook.  The old wooden barns, which served as large “root cellars” for winter storage, are vanishing from the landscape.  Some are torn-down and rebuilt using more modern energy efficient materials, others are abandoned, left in the field to decay and be reclaimed by the elements they once guarded against.  I used a variety of photographic processes to help emphasize the changes between the old and the new. These include traditional black and white for the older barns printed on hand-coated paper.  The newer barn images are shown in color, printed on specially coated sheet metal. The old barns, in black and white, speak of a tradition nearly gone; the color images printed on metal speak of technological change.

St. Asaph Gallery's Opening Receptions are unlike other gallery openings.  The well-lit Parish Hall with its soaring wooden Victorian-period ceiling is an effective exhibition venue for realistic, non-objective, and abstract contemporary art.  The atmosphere provided by the Church and its members is warm and welcoming.  Once you've attended an opening here, chances are you'll return for many more.  The artists are exceptional, the refreshments are inspired, and the ambiance for appreciating art is notable.  Come with a friend, or meet new ones here.

For more details, contact Roy Harker, Director of Music and the Arts for the Church of Saint Asaph, at arts@saintasaphs.org.