National parks photography exhibit at arts center

LUDINGTON – In September, Ludington Area Center for the Arts will be hosting an exhibit of original photography from Karen West entitled National Parks Road Trip.  The images chronicle Karen’s journey over the past four years as she visited many of the National Parks – a journey she will continue in October along the East Coast and in the Southeast states.  An artist reception will be held on September 5.

Karen West began showing and selling photography in 2004 in preparation for an early retirement from a full-time position as associate dean at Penn Valley Community College.  Her National Parks road trip began in 2010 at Zion National Park. Since then, she has photographed 40 parks and lakeshores and traveled over 50,000 miles in “The Little Red Diner,” her 1960 Shasta trailer. As a nature photographer, her goal is to capture and express the aesthetic experience of “being there.”  “It’s been an awesome dream come true and I am indeed a lucky woman”, proclaims West.

West processes all of her images with the objective of highlighting the quality of the image while maintaining the original integrity of the subject. She prints on canvas, aluminum, and traditional glossy and mat premium paper to create a final object of art.

National Parks Road Trip Photography Exhibit will be on display in the LACA Main Gallery from September 5 through September 27.  An artist reception will be held on Friday, September 5 from 5pm-7pm that will include a short presentation by West at 6 p.m. about her National Parks project.  Light refreshments will be served and the public is encouraged to attend.

LACA Main Gallery is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5pm.  LACA is located at 107 S. Harrison Street in downtown Ludington.  LACA’s current exhibit, Botanicals, is on display through the month of August and features the artwork of more than 20 artists from the West Michigan area.