For Immediate Release: Date: July 19, 2012
Contact: Deborah Greel, Director Marblehead Arts Assoc.
781-631-2608, DeborahG@marbleheadarts.org        8 Hooper St., Marblehead, Ma

“At the Ocean’s Edge” Digital Photo Exhibit by Fran Gardino

August 4 through September 2, 2012

Artist’s Reception: Sunday August 5 from 2 to 4pm

Marblehead, MA – Fran Gardino will be exhibiting his large format photography at the Marblehead Arts Association, 8 Hooper Street, Marblehead from August 4- Sept
2 in the Ballroom Gallery.

The exhibit “At the Ocean’s Edge” includes seaside photos from his recent visit to Sicily, honoring the year 2012, 100th anniversary of his grandfather’s emigration to Boston. All of Fran’s grandparents were born in Sicily, and those on his father’s side were fisherman. His ancestors were told that the ocean was “full of gold”, cod that is. The Old Italian expression “America was made for me” indicated the abundance of “new world” resources available to the arriving masses of immigrants. Fran’s new Italian American expression “Sicily was made for me” refers to the abundance of photographic subjects that he has recently discovered in Sicily, some of which will be shown in this show including a 10 foot long panorama photo on canvas of the yellow rock laden Sciacca Italy coast, and a 7 foot long print of the Capri Harbor sunset.

Following Fran’s 2010 MAA photo show “Down by the Riverside” in the ballroom of the Hooper mansion, this show represents an expansion of his horizon in several ways. First, there are coastal images from many locations including Boston’s north and south shore, Canadian Maritimes, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, Grand Isle Louisiana, Malibu California, as well as the Sicilian cities of Sciacca, Taormina and Siracusa. Secondly, the prints on Moab Unryu rice paper of naturally formed calligraphic markings found on the beach in Brewster MA. Quoting his friend and calligraphy artist Michiko Imai, “These photos are beautiful and new, unlike any other”.

Finally, there are several large and small photos printed on Hahnemuhle Bamboo paper. This paper was specially chosen to present the striking tone and detail of his “Cactus Plant over Taormina Bay”.

The exhibit runs from August 4 through September 2, 2012 with an opening reception on Sunday, August 5, 2-4pm.

On August 31 Fran invites all to visit the southern end of Revere Beach at sunset for the “Low Sun Moon Celebration” on the occurrence of a simultaneous Low Tide, Sunset and Moonrise, which was inspired by, and the location of Fran’s 10 foot photo image “Revere Beach Sunset” that happens to be currently showing until August 5th in the Off the Wall” exhibit juried by MFA’s Cody Hartley at the Danforth Museum of Art in Framingham MA.

In addition to having 2 large-scale photo installations at Logan airport, several long panorama photos in the offices of the Charles River Conservancy in Harvard Square, the Mystic River Watershed in Arlington MA and 12 photos in the Wellness Center in Dedham MA, Fran has participated in local solo and group shows with a constantly evolving series of photographic work. His landscape photos reflect the combination of photographic and painterly influences accumulated while earning a BFA in Painting from Mass College of Art.

All of his panorama photos are shot in multiple shot sequences and stitched together using Photoshop Merge. The images reflect the process of him panning and tilting his camera to capture the scene, much like a cinematographer would capture a movie scene. Like watching a wide screen movie or TV, his panorama photos are a series of curiosities assembled into one image.

He has managed to generate an appeal to a variety of age groups, tree huggers and ocean and river lovers and city dwellers alike, through his careful photographic observations, sense of humor, high-octane artistic energy and total devotion to art. He has shown his work in numerous shows including the Danforth Museum in Framingham, the Print Triennial in Krakow Poland, the Brighton/Allston Historical Museum, Allston/Brighton Open Studios, NewTV and the Vermont Artisans and Gallery 2 in Brattleboro VT. Jurors from the Boston MFA and DeCordova Museums have accepted his work.

Fran has self-published two blurb.com photo books named “Paint the Sky Fiery” of the Boston Pops fireworks and “Touch the Sky” of cloud photos taken from the cabin of commercial flights. In the spring of 2012 twenty of Fran’s “Touch the Sky” photos on canvas were exhibited in the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art of the Midland Center for the Arts in Midland MI. He has hundreds of photos posted on “Google Maps” and “Sewers of the World Unite” websites.

Fran Gardino
www.frangardino.com