June is Photography month at the FMAA

FORT MADISON - June is Photography month at the FMAAA. This year we are hosting work by two very different photographers – one with a lens on landscapes in the Midwest and the other who captures the visual textures of urban settings around the Chicago area. The opening reception for the exhibit is Thursday, June 6 from 5pm to 7pm at the FMAAA Art Center located at 825 Avenue G and it takes place during the Downtown Summer Market. Just drop into the Art Center to take in Reflections on Place, photography by Amy Clark and Stan Lester before checking out the Summer Market.

Amy Clark is a photographer living in Southeast Iowa. Most of her photography is centered around some element of nature. Her favorite thing about photography is how it can open her eyes to the beauty in the world around her - a lovely slant of light or the velvety softness of a flower petal. She hopes that her work can help us all to let go of our daily stresses while being reminded of how amazing our natural world is.

Clark has participated in several art shows over the past 10 years, including in Fort Madison and Washington, Iowa. During the summer of 2023 Clark had photographs in three national and international art shows in Missouri and Michigan.     

Stan Lester was born and raised in the Bronx in New York City. He became an options trader in New York, moving to Chicago to continue trading options on the floor of CBOE (Chicago Board of Options Exchange,) later coming to reside in Highland Park, IL just north of the City. His perspective of place is reflective of the urban to suburban corridor, with the many textures and moments-within-moments that dwelling close to a major city can bring. He takes photos every day since digital photography came available, actively learning to refine his compositions. He too, enjoys capturing flora, fauna, and landscapes like Amy Clark does, but his meanderings take him places that Clark’s lens would rarely find. This exhibition creates a true juxtaposition of place for the two photographer’s work to explore. In addition to Amy’s lovely landscapes and her quite moments, this exhibition features recent photos by Stan Lester the refined visual textures, colors, and the quiet moments that he encounters.

In addition to the opening reception, you can meet Amy Clark and hear a gallery talk about her work during the Lunch ala Art at noon on Friday, June 28. This exhibition will be on display through Saturday, June 29, 2024. This month’s exhibition is sponsored by Greene Acres Art of Niota, IL.