FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lanchi Vo, (408)-223-8419 or (408)-931-5304

RAY MCSAVANEY: "VIEWPOINT - Thirty Five Years of Photography"
November 1 - December 24
Reception: Saturday, November 1, 2008 5-9 PM

This retrospective offers a rare opportunity to view images from several of McSavaney's photographic projects, many of which are on display for the first time. Besides the exquisite natural and urban landscapes for which he is renowned, the exhibit showcases a series of striking portraits of people he just happened to pull off the street of Los Angeles, and a series of floral studies. In these botanical photographs, his experimental techniques resulted in images with backgrounds as fascinating as the subjects themselves, blurring the line between composites and what he calls his own "reality".

Well-known for his masterful darkroom technique, McSavaney is one of the few contemporary photographers who handprints his own photographs, one by one, orchestrating his large format negatives into symphonies of light and shadows. McSavaney possesses an uncanny ability to distill beauty from the mundane. But more than meets the eye, his work illustrates the interaction between human and their natural (or not-so-natural) habitat. Following his viewpoint, the viewer is taken from the pristine wilderness, through the remnants of ancient ruins, into the heart of modern Los Angeles, bypassing abandoned towns and factories, raising questions about environmental and social issues along the way. His work reminds us with forceful clarity of the impact we have had on this beautiful and fragile planet.

McSavaney left a career in urban planning in the late 1970s to focus on his photographic pursuits. As a participant in the Ansel Adams Photography Workshops, McSavaney continues to pass on the tradition as co-founder of the Owen Valley Photography Workshop. He has been teaching photography since the 1970s. During his 35-year career, Ray overcame a misdiagnosed condition that interfered with his visual perception, suspending his photographic activities for a period of time. He then had to battle a severe allergic reaction toward darkroom chemicals through controlled diet and limited exposure. Against all odds, McSavaney remains active as a respected teacher and one of the masters in photography today. His work has been published in View Camera, "West of Eden: A History of the Art and Literature of Yosemite," and Outdoor Photographer among other publications. His book of urban and natural landscapes entitled "Explorations," was selected by the American Institute of Graphic Arts as "One of the Fifty Best Books of the Year."

Please join us to celebrate the highlights of Ray McSavaney's work in this retrospective at the artist reception on November 1st, 5pm-9pm, and stay tuned for the "Explorations" book signing and lecture in early December at the gallery.

For information and photographs: Lanchi Vo, (408)-223-8419 or (408)-931-5304