After more than 50 years as a cinematographer in the Bay Area, Rick Wise pivoted to fine art photography, but with his own variation. All his images begin as a single or group of photographs, often five or more shots. The final images are merged into a new interpretation of the original scenes. Rick Wise will be the featured artist at Sutter Creek Gallery in August, with an opening reception on Saturday, August 6, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Using Photoshop, Wise takes multiple photographs of everyday items—kitchen utensils, shop tools, florals, stairs, street scenes—and crafts them, as he says, “scrap by scrap” into a new image. As a result, there is so much to see in one of his pieces. They require more than a brief glance to appreciate the intricacies of the individual “scraps” that have been brought together and fused onto an aluminum plate.
Wise’s photography is characterized by vibrant colors, swirling movement, geometric shapes and fascinating juxtapositions. A favorite of viewers is “Across the Street” in which a house is embedded within its own doorway. “Whacker” features vertical, horizontal and diagonal images against a border of abstracted snippets. Wise generally produces series of images such as Everyday Things, Fusions, the abstract Glass Bricks and Time Flows. Besides the images displayed in the gallery, additional work can be viewed at www.rickwisedp.com.
We invite you to the August 6 reception to view Rick Wise’s images and enjoy refreshments. He is one of twenty local artists exhibiting at the gallery located in the heart of Sutter Creek at 35 Main Street. Along with original paintings and photography, the gallery offers numerous affordable items, including prints, cards, jewelry, pottery, sculptures and gourds. Framing and layaway services are also available. The gallery is open Thursday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, call 209-267-0228, email suttercreekgallery@gmail.com, or visit www.suttercreekgallery.com.