2008 Woodie Awards
Photojournalists inspire May Gallery's featured photographer
By: Lee Rice
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: Lifestyle
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A steady stream of visitors passed through the May Gallery Nov. 2 for the opening of Simple American Places, a photography exhibition by Peter Robert Thompson.
"I don't normally like landscapes, and I haven't seen black and white photography in quite some time, but this is really nice," said Ntessa Bernhartt, a Webster University graduate who came to the opening. "It's really great work."
Megan Waltemyer, a junior photography major, first heard of the exhibition from one of her professors.
"I just thought that it would be a great idea to meet the photographer and other people who are in the photography business," Waltemyer said.
Thompson, who was on hand to discuss his work with those who were visiting his exhibition, said his art serves several purposes.
"This work is my homage to the Earth," Thompson said. "It's a celebration of the common things that we see every day and that we take for granted. I think that we need to pay more attention to the things around us, just pause and try to take in
the beauty."
Thompson expresses this in his art by showing scenes and vistas that would ordinarily be considered bland in a new light. Simple plains and meadows are displayed in a way that brings to mind the beauty and grandeur that can be found in even the humblest of settings.
Thompson said he also hopes that his art will help draw people's attention to the distress that the Earth is in, making them more environmentally conscious.
"I see so much abuse of the land when I travel," Thompson said. "You can be in the most remote stretches of land, walk 10 feet from your campsite, and see some junk that has traveled from the nearest human settlement. Pizza boxes, aluminum cans, basically anything that people can pick up and carry gets taken out there and dropped off. I hope that by showing people their own land in a beautiful way, they might decide to take care of the planet."
Bill Barrett, the professor of photography in charge of the May Gallery exhibitions, said Thompson has great enthusiasm for his work.
"I don't normally like landscapes, and I haven't seen black and white photography in quite some time, but this is really nice," said Ntessa Bernhartt, a Webster University graduate who came to the opening. "It's really great work."
Megan Waltemyer, a junior photography major, first heard of the exhibition from one of her professors.
"I just thought that it would be a great idea to meet the photographer and other people who are in the photography business," Waltemyer said.
Thompson, who was on hand to discuss his work with those who were visiting his exhibition, said his art serves several purposes.
"This work is my homage to the Earth," Thompson said. "It's a celebration of the common things that we see every day and that we take for granted. I think that we need to pay more attention to the things around us, just pause and try to take in
the beauty."
Thompson expresses this in his art by showing scenes and vistas that would ordinarily be considered bland in a new light. Simple plains and meadows are displayed in a way that brings to mind the beauty and grandeur that can be found in even the humblest of settings.
Thompson said he also hopes that his art will help draw people's attention to the distress that the Earth is in, making them more environmentally conscious.
"I see so much abuse of the land when I travel," Thompson said. "You can be in the most remote stretches of land, walk 10 feet from your campsite, and see some junk that has traveled from the nearest human settlement. Pizza boxes, aluminum cans, basically anything that people can pick up and carry gets taken out there and dropped off. I hope that by showing people their own land in a beautiful way, they might decide to take care of the planet."
Bill Barrett, the professor of photography in charge of the May Gallery exhibitions, said Thompson has great enthusiasm for his work.
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