The photography show "Madison in Motion" offered thoughtful reflection on the concept of motion, interpreted by three different Focal Flame photographers. The result was both surprising and compelling.
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Sport Art: "Homeward" by Clint Thayer Chosen by National Art Museum of Sport
by Deborah Proctor
The National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS) offers a unique collection of fine art. Like other art museums, many forms of art are represented — from sculpture and paintings to mosaics and of course photography. Yet, unlike many art museums, the focus is on one thing, and one thing only, sport — or more specifically, the ART of sport. "Art must depict or evoke sports, celebrating athletics or the athlete as a subject, whether individual or team, competitive or recreational, participant or spectator remembered, or studied still life, figurative, or landscape," states their annual competition materials.
Selected as part of the museum's 3rd annualInternational Commitment to Excellence in Art & Sport Competition is"Homeward," a fine art photograph by Clint Thayer, owner of Focal Flame Photography, Madison, Wisconsin. Thayer's work was selected from among hundreds of sport art entries representing 50 sports from 10 countries around the globe. The exhibition runs September 5-21, 2013 at the ArtCenter Manatee in Bradenton, Florida. The opening reception and awards presentation is on Thursday, September 5, from 5-7 pm.
In "Homeward," Thayer uses light and shadow to depict the Trek Midwest cycling team near the end of a long day's journey. This classic black and white sets the mood, while a strikingly simple composition captures the essence of the cyclists' story and draws the viewer into the scene. The description accompanying “Homeward” reads:
Lengthened shadows sweep across the road at the end of a training ride. A cadre of cyclists from the Trek Midwest Team head homeward after hours of drills over asphalt shared with milk trucks visiting dairy farms. Finely tuned to each other’s cadence, the teammates settle into tight formation as defense against the wind. At the top right corner of the frame, one rider trails behind the others. His presence raises questions: was he dropped from the pack? Is he fighting to keep pace with the others, lungs searing and breath ragged with effort of regaining his place? Will he overtake his teammates? Frozen in time, only shadows remain to tell the riders’ story.
When asked why he enters fine art competitions when his primary focus is capturing athletes participating in events such as 5K runs, cycling races, and triathlons, Thayer commented, "It's important to challenge oneself. I believe artists need to push past the boundaries of known risks and open ourselves to a higher degree of possible failure...With my camera,...I have an opportunity to welcome an audience into a scene where the known and unknown provide a rich environment for the story...How could I not submit?"
Thayer feels it is an honor to be among the artists that represent"some of the best our generation has to offer." NAMOS obviously recognizes Thayer's talent for creating art from sport — his work has been selected as some of the most compelling sport art in the world in the 2nd Annual Competition; in a by-invitation-only Artist for the 2012 NAMOS exhibit entitled Speed and Motion: Racing to the Finish Line, and now the 3rd Annual Competition.
Founded in 1959, NAMOS maintains one of the largest collections of fine art depicting sport in the United States. The museum is dedicated to encouraging artists engaged in the genre, and also to collect, preserve, and share the best examples of sport art NAMOS can acquire. The museum’s first home was in Madison Square Garden in New York. It has been in Indianapolis since 1990 and is currently seeking a new home for its growing permanent collection
About the Photographer: Clint Thayer’s artistic projects have ranged from following individual athletes throughout months of training, 15-hour Ironman triathlons, and 6-mile ultraswim events to photo essays of speed skaters racing on frozen ponds. He has exhibited and won awards internationally, notably: National Art Museum of Sport, Indianapolis, IN (2011, 2012, 2013); Center for Photography at Madison (2010); Lakeside, OH, Photography Show; Adorama iPhone Photo Contest (2009); and XI Concurso Internacional de Fotografía Apícola.
At Focal Flame Photography, we believe that sport art captures the essence of human perseverance, dedication, and passion. What are your thoughts about sport art? Share them with the Focal Flame community – we’d love to hear!
Nathan Labecki: Cyclocross Photography at the National Art Museum of Sport
By Robyn M. Perrin
Walking through the National Art Museum of Sport evokes an odd sensation. Wherever the eye gazes, it is met with images of athletes – sprinting, swimming, hurling javelins, launching themselves into full-body tackles. Amidst so much motion, it hardly seems appropriate to stand in stillness and take in the colors and textures of the human figure.
Hugging one wall of an exhibit named “Speed and Motion: Racing to the Finish Line,” a fine art photograph is displayed as a five-foot-by-nearly-four-foot canvas. Entitled “Focus,” it shows a cyclocross racer. The compositional elements include strong lines and angles: an oblique tree trunk frames the right side, a slash of red barrier tape provides a directional blaze, and bike handlebars tilt to support the rider’s powerful pedal strokes. Mud draws the viewer’s attention. It is spattered across everything – glasses, bike components, helmet, face.
And that face itself is a study in determination. Gazing at the path ahead, the rider is fully immersed in the throes of competition. His entire figure is poised to explode with forward momentum. A competitor is visible a mere bike length behind him.
Who is the subject of the photo? None other than Nathan Labecki, an up-and-coming cyclist from Milwaukee, WI. Labecki was in the fall semester of his senior year of high school when the photograph was made by Clint Thayer in September, 2011. Nathan’s love for cycling was encouraged by his father, Jay Labecki, who shares a passion for the sport. Throughout Nate’s high school years, father and son had trained together and traveled to race after race – not only in cyclocross, the human steeplechase of the cycling world in which riders traverse unpaved courses and carry their bikes over obstacles – but also road cycling and mountain biking.
“There’s never a bad day on a bike,” said Jay, while describing Nathan’s experiences at the USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships in Madison in January, 2012. The Championships were plagued with an unusual warm spell that made the course the consistency of modeling clay, followed by a cold snap that left stone-hard 3-inch-deep ruts. Nathan started the day intending to race on tubular tires, a type of racing tire that is glued directly into the rim – fast, but leaving no options to swap the tube if the tire flats. The tires did flat, but thankfully during the warm-up.
“It worked out,” said the elder Labecki. “He’s a strong rider.”
Strong, indeed. Nathan spent the spring of 2012 racing in Belgium. “He had a good series of races,” said his father. “He took a 3rd place in one of the races, a 4th in a field sprint in one of the other races, and led his teammates out for several good finishes.”
Nathan spent the rest of the summer competing in the U.S. and Canada against some of the fastest juniors in the world. Jay Labecki said that during the Tour of America’s Dairyland, Nathan “…was on the podium everyday, won the Downer Avenue race, and in the end took the overall yellow jersey for the Junior series.”
It’s no wonder that Labecki was recruited by Marian University – which, like the National Art Museum of Sport, is located in Indianapolis. Marian runs one of the most competitive cycling programs in America. Now, nearly a year after “Focus” was taken, Labecki is racing at the collegiate level for the first time. He is planning on racing at upcoming National Championships in multiple disciplines, including track, mountain biking, cyclocross, BMX, and possibly road cycling.
When asked about his thoughts on his son leaving for college, Nathan’s father paused for a moment. “We’ve biked together for so many years,” he shared. Although he is overjoyed at his son’s successes, “When he leaves for Marian, it’s not only a matter of seeing my son leave the nest. I’m also losing my training partner.”
But, in “Focus,” the intensity of Nathan’s competitive spirit as a junior rider on a brilliant autumn day remains forever frozen in time.
Editor’s Note: “Focus” is one of six works that have been displayed at the National Art Museum of Sport. All are available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds supports the museum.
Signs of Labor: A Fine Art Photography Exhibit hosted by the Center for Photography at Madison
Photographers are a breed apart. When the dedication – or even compulsion – to make sense of the world through photography truly takes hold, it shows.
It shows itself in eyes ever-tuned to composition and the interplay of hues and light. It shows itself in the ability to visualize not only images apparent to the unaided eye, but those hidden scenes that would remain forever hidden without the photographer’s knowledge of lenses and f /stops, ISO and shutter speed. It shows itself in the photographer’s respectful interplay with his or her subjects, bearing witness to their countenance by creating images that ring true.
It shows in the absent-minded gaze of a photographer who reflexively reaches for his or her camera while thinking, “There is something happening. There are photographs I must make. I must be there.”
For many photographers in and near Madison, Wisconsin, this was a mantra repeated for weeks on end beginning in mid-February, 2011.
The series of events started on Friday, February 11, when newly-elected Governor Scott Walker announced a proposed budget bill that greatly diminished the collective bargaining rights of unionized public local and state employees. It was the largest change to labor rights since the state of Wisconsin provided collective bargaining rights to public employee unions in 1959.
Within days, crowds of protestors had begun gathering at the Capitol building in Madison. The number of protestors swelled to tens of thousands and at the peak of the protests the crowd sizes were estimated at well over 100,000.
Protestors filled the Capitol day and night, establishing an information center to track news on the ever-evolving legislative scene and filling many walls of the Capitol building with handmade signs. Union members marched at the protests, including those of firefighters and law enforcement employees who were exempted from the provisions of the bill. Over the weeks that followed, speeches were made by civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, filmmaker Michael Moore, and a performance was given by musician Peter Yarrow (of the former band Peter, Paul, and Mary), among others. In late April, a counter-protest speech was made at a Tea Party rally by former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. While Madison residents have long been accustomed to news coverage of University of Wisconsin athletic events, the sight of dozens of media trucks from every major U.S. news organization parked around the Capitol square served as evidence of the historic nature of the events.
And in the midst of it all, photographers – even those not classically trained as photojournalists – felt a responsibility to serve as both artists and documentarians.
This led to a conversation months later between members of the Center for Photography at Madison when it became apparent that gallery space owned by the Center would be available during the summer months.
“CPM member Rich Armstrong…mentioned that he, and many other CPM members, have been taking thousands of photos down at the Capitol,” said Paul Nylander, organizer of the show. After discussions between Nylander, Armstrong, and past CPM president Reece Donihi, plans were made to host the “Signs of Protest” show as a juried exhibition.
Jurors Wayne Brabender, Becky McKenzie, and Paul Nylander selected 29 photographs from nearly 80 entries. Five of the selected entries, including “Stand Up” by Focal Flame Photographer Clint Thayer, were chosen as jurors’ top picks. “Stand Up” was described by a juror as “…a very powerful image in its stark contrast and bold, converging lines.”
Nylander said, “The selection [of the 29 exhibited photographs] was based first and foremost on photographic merits (composition, lighting, etc.) and not on political message. But we also wanted images to clearly convey a story in their own right, and preferably one that related to the protests. An ideal image would be photographically strong, and through image alone deliver the story of the protesters.” Nylander added, “We are somewhere between photojournalism and fine art in this exhibition.”
When asked about themes that emerged, Nylander noted that the show includes a great deal of thematic variety. “Everything from the blatant to the subtle, from the somber to the humorous, and from the emotional to the contemplative,” he said, while noting the inherent compositional challenges that “working” a crowd presented to local photographers. “But when, through good planning, plain luck, or some combination of the two, you get the great shot, you really know it,” said Nylander. “Many of the images submitted fit this category: truly well composed shots, technically good in their own right, and doubly so when considering the difficult environment the photographer was working in.”
The opening reception for the show was held on July 7 and was attended by over 130 people. News coverage of the exhibit appeared on WKOW 27, WORT radio, and other local news outlets.
Several photographers provided comments about their work. Clint Thayer of Focal Flame Photography (photograph entitled “Stand Up”) said, “I made the photograph on the evening of February 14, 2011, at one of the earliest points of the labor protests. While photographing near the Capitol at night, I came across a small group of protestors and was struck by both the intimacy and the intensity of the moment.” Thayer asked the subjects for permission to photograph them and used an off-camera flash to provide backlighting. The resulting image is angular and starkly lit, with the Capitol rising at an off-kilter angle relative to the subjects. The shadows cast by the protestors’ figures are elongated and the writing on one homemade sign appears luminous. “Many viewers have asked me if the image was altered using Photoshop,” said Thayer. “Aside from cropping and grayscale correction, it was not. The visual elements you see were achieved in camera.”
Kurt Westbrook (photograph entitled "PM WATCH") made his photograph at 4:46 pm on February 28th, 2011. “My plan that day was to look for a photograph with the late afternoon sun highlighting the capitol building and its flags, and whatever scene I might encounter,” Westbrook said. After walking up King St., he noticed a backlit building and a small group of law enforcement personnel wearing blaze orange vests, watching protestors from their post. Westbrook added, “The protesters were angry but respectful, and the chant to come said it all: ‘Whose house?...Our house.’"
Bill Pielsticker (photograph entitled "Liar!") made a composite of 165 images from three rallies. Pielsticker said, “I created a 'Pinocchio Walker' poster for the Feb. 19 rally and brought home as many images of people photographing my sign as I did of the great signs others made.” He continued to photograph the sign-viewers at rallies on February 26 and March 12, and compiled the composite of the photographs-of-photographers. He included a single image in the composite of the original "Pinocchio Walker" protest sign.
Another composite was contributed by Peter Patau (photograph entitled “This is What Democracy Looks Like"). The image included nine black-and-white images taken with an iPhone. “The protests were unique among my photographic projects, because I was as much a participant as an observer,” said Patau. “As time went by, I started leaving the D90 at home and shooting more with the iPhone. Its casual informality erased many of the barriers between the observer and the observed. It made for a more natural interaction with people than when hiding behind a DSLR,” said Patau. [Author’s note: learn more about cell phone photography in another Focal Flame Photography blog post.]
Michael Rauch (photograph entitled "Charlie V.") submitted a photograph of Charlie V. Gasser, the lead singer for a local band named Bascom Hill. The band was performing during a protest rally at the Capitol. Rauch said, “I was fortunate to be asked by a member of the band to photograph their performance….This protest was marked by cold and snow which did not dampen the crowd [estimated to be] up to 100,000.” The image of the crowd was reflected in the sunglass lenses of Gasser, and the photograph shows a sea of people stretching down State St. next to the Capitol. Remembering his experiences during the protests, Rauch recalled, “I was there early in the protests when the teachers were the primary leaders of the protests. They often brought their children with them. They were polite and so were the police. It was shocking to me to hear [later] news reports about ‘thugs’ after witnessing the interactions between the police and protesters.”
Tom Miller (photograph entitled "A Teacher Thanks a Farmer") contributed a photograph taken with a 70-300 mm telephoto lens during labor protests on March 12, 2011 in which a parade of pro-labor farmers drove their tractors to the Capitol from farms throughout Wisconsin. Miller said, “The image shows a teacher holding a sign thanking farmers for their support of the protest. There is part of an out-of-focus John Deere tractor in the foreground to provide context for the image.”
Ken Halfmann (photograph entitled "Shamester") documented a group of protestors who had constructed “a large (about 8 foot) orange cutout of a hand pointing a finger of shame at the Capitol building,” said Halfmann. He noted that the group had been carrying the cutout to protests in the area and maintained a web site about their efforts.
Interested in seeing the entire exhibit? The “Signs of Protest” show will be open to the public every Saturday from July 9 through August 27 at the CPM studio, 303 S. Paterson St., 2nd floor.
Any political opinions expressed in this article are those of the interviewees, and are not necessarily the views of the Center for Photography at Madison or Focal Flame Photography.
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Artistry of Endurance Sports - Clint Thayer Exhibition at National Art Museum of Sport
Photos by Clint Thayer Selected for Exhibit on Racing at National Art Museum of Sport
Madison, WI and Indianapolis, IN – April 25, 2012 – The artistry of endurance sports is featured in a series of fine art photographs by Madison, WI photographer and Focal Flame Photography owner Clint Thayer. The photo essay has been selected for exhibition by the National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS) in Indianapolis, IN. The exhibit, entitled Speed and Motion: Racing to the Finish Line, will run at NAMOS from May 23, 2012 through September, 2012.
“The five images I am showing in this exhibition highlight the artistry of endurance sports, including triathlon, cycling, cyclocross, and swimming,” said Thayer.
“Racing is primal and intense, and I wanted to depict the fear, trepidation, anxiety, tension, and resolution that many endurance athletes experience during a race.”
Thayer is one of seven internationally recognized artists whose work will be displayed. Additional artists include Chris Bucher, Scott Fincher, Sayaka Ganz, Walter Knabe, Thomas Allen Pauly, and Mina Papatheodorou-Valyraki.
Elizabeth Varner, Executive Director of NAMOS, said, “The exhibit features over 30 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations from many top sport artists worldwide. Representing a wide range of artistic media, Speed and Motion: Racing to the Finish Line captures the heart-pounding drama of racing [in 9 different sports]… we wanted pieces that would capture the power of racing, because everything about racing is larger than life – the crowds, the chaos, the loudness.”
In describing Thayer’s unique approach and perspective, Varner said, “His work ‘Driving Rain’ was selected for exhibition during a juried 2011 competition [The 2nd Annual International Fine Arts Competition: Commitment to Excellence in Art & Sport]. There was tremendous reaction to ‘Driving Rain’ - just about everyone who saw it stopped in their tracks.”
Varner continued, “I like his photography immensely. I feel he is within the top three sport art photographers I have seen….While Clint Thayer has the technical capacity for conventional sports photographic technique, I think what sets him apart is that his style really crosses the boundary into true sport art. His work is so different; it captures the emotion and intensity of sport. They’re some of the most dynamic images I’ve seen.“
“I think that the power of motion in fine art photography is that it can be a bridge between representational images and abstractions,” said Thayer. “I use motion like I use light: to help frame and sculpt the visual narrative that’s in front of me.”
Ms. Varner was particularly concerned about selecting artistic works capable of showing well in the expansive exhibition space of the museum. “The exhibition space at NAMOS is really best suited to large format art, and while many photographs are acceptable at small to medium format, not all work well at large format,” said Varner. “I knew from his previous showing that the scale of his pieces would really hit the mark, that it would really transform the exhibition space….When you present a photograph in large format, everything has to be absolutely perfect. I knew Thayer’s work could give that larger-than-life sense to viewers.”
Photographer Tom McInvaille, a past special assignment photographer for the United States Olympic Team, said, “Clint Thayer’s sport photography gives a fresh approach to an overly clichéd and highly predictable genre…Clint gives us a glimpse into the larger world of an athletes life. Putting a Minor White admonition into the world of sports journalism: ‘... show us not the object but what the object represents,’ is courageous and reasonably unique. At a time when simple technical proficiency and overly saturated color seem to be the primary aesthetic principles driving today’s imagery, Clint’s sensitivity to narrative and metaphor is a welcome change.”
McInvaille concluded, “I’ve had the pleasure of watching Mr. Thayer’s work evolve into easily accessible yet complex stories. This is an attribute found in only the best of photographs, sport or not.”
Founded in 1959, NAMOS maintains one of the largest collections of fine art depicting sport in the United States. The museum is dedicated to encouraging artists engaged in the genre, and also to collect, preserve, and share the best examples of sport art NAMOS can acquire. “The founder of NAMOS, Germain G. Glidden, was a portrait artist and champion squash player,” said NAMOS Executive Director Elizabeth C. Varner. “Glidden believed that sport art is like the Olympics: it has the power to bring together people from all over the world in peace,” said Varner.
Over 40 sports are represented in the over 900 paintings, sculptures, and photographs at NAMOS. Artists whose works are included in the permanent collection include George Bellows, Ogden Pliessner, Winslow Homer, Ray Ellis, James Fiorentino, Joe Brown, and Alfred Boucher.
The museum’s first home was in Madison Square Garden in New York. It has been in Indianapolis since 1990 and is located at 850 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN. NAMOS is open free to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. For group tours and weekend hours call 317.274.3627 or e-mail ecvarner@iupui.edu; for more information see http://www.namos.iupui.edu. An opening reception for Speed and Motion: Racing to the Finish Line will be held from 5:30-7:30 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012.
The series by Clint Thayer is presented as 60” x 40” limited edition giclée archival prints on canvas, and all of the works are available for purchase. The series was sponsored in part by members of the Trek Midwest Team.
A Study of Time and Motion in the West
During a recent trip to Colorado, Focal Flame photographer Clint Thayer created photo essays using time-lapse photography, light painting, and other techniques to help convey the astounding natural beauty of expansive land and starscapes. Here, he shares his thoughts on the experiences, as well as several favorites from the series.
It is no secret that I enjoy creative uses of motion and time in my work to help show the spectacular beauty of the passions and achievements of athletes in full flight. Motion in combination with light can create what I refer to affectionately as a soupy mix of goodness...in fact, the effect is usually so good that it’s hard not to stop in your tracks and wonder a little. (I like creating that stop-in-your-tracks experience so much that I plan on coming out with our own branded Focal Flame brake lights so we can rest easy knowing we are not going to hurt anyone. Safety first!)
During my time in Colorado I thought it might be interesting to take this idea of motion, light, and time but point the lens at the world itself. What better area to study the elements and effects of time then the outcropped, weathered landscape of the Rocky Mountains and the unfettered sky at altitude. Below is a sampling of the full Colorado collection. Feel free to browse all images here and order prints or postcards.
Click image to view, and purchase
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Guided Tour to the New Focal Flame Web Site
Sometime when you're in the thick of things, it's hard to slow down enough to capture it all. And ever since we founded Focal Flame Photography, being "in the thick of things" has definitely been one of the best aspects of what we do. But after over two years, it was clear: the time had come to update our web site. This was more easily done during the winter season, when the pace of any outdoor pavement-related endurance sports scene slows in the upper MIdwest (although there was plenty of off-road fun to be had, to be sure.) Because, really, hibernating is overrated.
So after many sessions of coffee-fueled writing and coding, we present (drum roll, please) the new and improved Focal Flame web site. For a behind-the-scenes look, here's the guided tour.
Home
The home page has been completely redesigned. Our goal was to present a full-screen slideshow of images with a clean, minimalistic design that kept the viewer's focus on the photographic composition. The navigation bar is subtly placed at the lower right-hand portion of the screen, and social media buttons allow one-click sharing. The photo changes every 10 seconds. Now, try this: resize your browser window by dragging. The home page automatically resizes to fit the new dimensions. How sweet is that?! (OK, we're geeks...but you have to admit, it's pretty cool.) In a nutshell, the home page looks really simple by design, but it's kind of like a sports car: under a sleek hood, there's a lot of power. We've tested it on every browser we can think of and so far it has been bullet-proof and dishwasher-safe, but if you notice any issues please let us know. It's also mobile-friendly for viewing on smartphones and iPads.
Custom Photography
Next, check out the Custom Photography page. We've added some description that helps address many of the most common questions we hear about custom sports photography, and there are links to other pages that describe the process for starting a custom photography project and how you can arrange a session for your sports team or club. We've also added a page about other types of photography services we offer, such as career portraits, family and birthday party photography, weddings, and real estate photography. But the feature that we're most honored to include is the set of testimonials from past clients. Each one represents a custom photography project that was borne out of their determination and dedication as an athlete, and it's hard to express just how meaningful it has been to play a part in recording their journey.
Event & Race
From there, take a look at the Event & Race page. We describe a little bit about our approach to sporting events, because we know that competition day isn't just any day - it's the day that you've been working towards, sometimes for months or even years. You can also see an at-a-glance overview of events that Focal Flame Photography will be covering in the near future. Check back often, because we are adding new events all the time. There are also special pages just for Race Directors/Event Organizers and helpful tips for anyone needing assistance with finding their images and purchasing photo products. The Event Status page provides up-to-the-minute updates on photo availability for events that we've covered.
We'll just take a brief pause in the guided tour to point out that the new site is extremely social. Every page can be shared with your contacts via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or via e-mail with a single click. So go ahead - chat it up.
Commercial Photography
Next, let's take a look at the Commercial Photography page. We admit it - we love visual storytelling, and businesses and organizations are just bristling with both energy and photo opportunities. For several case studies, take a look at the links on the right-hand side of the page.
Fine Art Photography
The Fine Art page is our creative playground. We believe that art is essential, and that fine art photography really does have the power to change the world. In addition to an Artist's Statement by Focal Flame Photography founder Clint Thayer, there are links to descriptions of exhibits and projects on the right-hand side of the page. We have several creative projects in the works at any given time, so check back for updates.
Portfolio, About Us, and Store
The Portfolio page provides several galleries featuring sample images in a range of subjects, and once again, content will be updated periodically. The About page tells a little of our own journey, and also provides a link at the right-hand side to some of our Photolanthropy efforts. (Not familiar with the term "photolanthropy"? Visit the page to learn more.) The Store is, of course, your one-stop shop for dozens of galleries from events we've covered, and the Blog is...well....if you're reading this, you're already familiar with it!
So there you have it. We've tried to illustrate the range of photography services we offer, and the types of creative projects we undertake. Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear them. Just drop us a line.
And as always, thanks for your support. Your passion, dedication, and determination is what inspires everything we do. Let's get ready for a terrific 2012! On your mark, get set.....GO!
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Photograph by Clint Thayer Selected for Exhibition at the National Art Museum of Sport
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
WORK BY WISCONSIN ARTIST SELECTED BY THE NATIONAL ART MUSEUM OF SPORT
Madison, WI – October 24, 2011 – A fine art photograph entitled “Driving Rain” (2010) by Madison, WI artist Clint Thayer has been selected for exhibition placement in the 2nd Annual International Fine Arts Competition: Commitment to Excellence in Art & Sport. The juried competition was conducted by the National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS) in Indianapolis, IN. The exhibit will run at NAMOS from October 27, 2011-February 29, 2012.
Over 300 entries were submitted by artists from 44 states and 9 countries. Thayer is the only artist in the state of Wisconsin whose work was selected.
“Driving Rain” depicts Arrietta Walker Clauss of Madison, WI during the Mid-America Time Trial Series Finale in September 2010. Clauss holds the 2010 and 2011 USA Cycling National Time Trial championship titles for her age division. “To me, ‘Driving Rain’ represents complete and utter determination,” said Thayer. “In seeking to bridge the worlds of art and sport I focus on composition and on finding the emotional element where sport and the human experience overlap, and both were aligned within this image,” said Thayer.
Founded in 1959, NAMOS maintains one of the largest collections of fine art depicting sport in the United States. The museum is dedicated to encouraging artists engaged in the genre, and also to collect, preserve, and share the best examples of sport art NAMOS can acquire. “The founder of NAMOS, Germain G. Glidden, was a portrait artist and champion squash player,” said NAMOS Executive Director Elizabeth C. Varner. “Glidden believed that sport art is like the Olympics: it has the power to bring together people from all over the world in peace,” said Varner.
Over 40 sports are represented in the over 900 paintings, sculptures, and photographs at NAMOS. Artists whose works are included in the permanent collection include George Bellows, Ogden Pliessner, Winslow Homer, Ray Ellis, James Fiorentino, Joe Brown, and Alfred Boucher.
The museum’s first home was in Madison Square Garden in New York. It has been in Indianapolis since 1990, and will present events related to Indianapolis’ hosting of Superbowl XLVI on February 12, 2012.
The National Art Museum of Sport at 850 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN is open free to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. For group tours and weekend hours call 317.274.3627 or e-mail ecvarner@iupui.edu; for more information see http://www.namos.iupui.edu. A free opening reception for the 2nd Annual International Fine Arts Competition will be held from 5-7 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011.
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Collectors
Sometimes you have to take a little break from capturing photos of super humans from a speeding scooter and take the opportunity to smell the roses. Literally. Recently, while exploring a native wildflower garden maintained by our dear friend Brook S., Focal Flame photographer Clint Thayer did just that. In the process, he found a completely different sort of athlete.
The following photo essay shows the power of motion in the natural world - bringing the perspective of pollinators within our grasp, and often showing them at angles that are both unfamilar and irresistable. Enjoy!
Wing It
A selection of these images are available for purchase in print sizes ranging from 4x6 to 20x24 in the Store. Custom framing services are available for Madison customers.
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Of Bees and Babies
Delayed gratification. That’s the name of the game in photography contests. Unlike sports competitions, where winners are known by the end of the event, in photography contests the outcome usually doesn’t happen until weeks later. Sometimes months later. And occasionally you forget that you even entered until a message arrives.
Which explains why we were scratching our heads recently at a thick package from Azuqueca de Henares, Spain, bearing a certificate reading “IX Concurso Internacional de Fotograf√≠a Ap√≠cola – seleccionado entre las cien mejores fotograf√≠as del a√±o”. After awakening neurons that haven’t fired since high school Spanish class, we realized that the certificate was related to an apiculture photography contest that our friend, well-known Washington, D.C. urban beekeeper and self-proclaimed Bee-Vangelist Toni Burnham, had encouraged Clint Thayer to enter in April 2009.
The annual contest is held by the Town Council of Azuqueca de Henares to raise awareness of its environmental and sustainable development initiatives. At Burnham's urging, Clint photographed a beehive. Not just any hive, though. The Hive. Likely the only beehive with its own security detail, it was established in March 2009 on the lawn of the White House, tended by White House carpenter and amateur beekeeper Charlie Brandt. "The White House Beehive rocked the beekeeping world," said Burnham. "Charlie...fielded questions and was featured in beekeeping publications across the US, Australia, Germany, and many other countries."
The photo was not exactly an easy shot. “Finding the hive, to be honest, was a challenge. I didn’t know beforehand exactly where it was on the grounds,” said Clint. “I walked around the South side of the White House to find the right angle that would put the beehive at an angle that would also show off the White House itself. I remember struggling with a specific tree that was in the way. And then once I found the angle, it was about whether I had the right equipment – lenses and the like – on hand to do the photo justice.”
Whether shooting a sporting event or a beehive, the simple fact is that if you wait for the “perfect” moment, it may never come. Clint only had a few seconds to shoot when - for some unknown reason – security officers came through and insisted that the throngs of tourists disperse. (D.C. residents assured us that this is a regular occurrence.)
When asked about the significance of the photograph to the beekeeping community, Burnham described her volunteer experience with Brandt during Bring Your Child to Work Day on April 22, 2010. Brandt, Burnham, and two teenaged beekeepers presented the hive to over 200 children of White House staff members. "I often believe that the experience of being ignored by several thousand honeybees is one of the most transformative for people unfamiliar with beekeeping. But for most people, the experience has to be transmitted via photographs -- there just aren't that many opportunities for direct experience," Burnham said.
Clint's photograph showing the sunlit hive surrounded by magnolias with the White House as backdrop helped others share that experience, and was chosen as one of the top one hundred out of 746 contest entries.
Not long after, Clint found out that another photo he entered in an online contest had earned recognition. When he first mentioned he was planning to enter the Adorama iPhone Photo Contest, I was a bit dubious given the popularity of the contest - and at that point there were only a few hundred entries. By the time the contest closed, a total of 12,870 photos had been submitted – all taken with an iPhone.
Cell phone photography has actually become a genre in itself, believe it or not. The New York Times ran a post in its “Lens” blog on cell phone photographer Shawn Rocco, who shoots with a Motorola E815. Other photographers entering the field include Chase Jarvis, Allison V. Smith, and Robert Clark. In his book "The Best Camera is the One That's With You", Jarvis challenges mobile phone owners everywhere to shed their inhibitions and start unleashing their creative side. Thousands of photographers did just that in response to the Adorama contest. “In general, I’m happy that they had the contest. I think it equalizes the issue of gear versus composition, equipment versus photographic technique,” Clint said.
And a good thing it was that he ignored my skepticism, as "Mother and Daughter" was selected as one of about 320 winners. “I think what I learned from entering that contest is that there’s a third component: it’s about taking a risk. It’s about entering something that you don’t think you’re going to win,” he said.
“Photography is about composition, it’s about gear, but it’s also about taking that leap – doing something you don’t think you can do.”
Which is, most decidedly, a concept that resonates with athletes and photographers alike.
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