Pinhole photographs on view at CWC

MARGARETVILLE, N.Y., October 4, 2007 - "By the Water’s Edge." an exhibition of unique photographs taken with a hand-made pinhole camera by artist Margaret Helthaler, is on view through November 30 at the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC).

The exhibit can be seen weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CWC offices will be closed Oct. 8 and Nov. 22 and 23.

Helthaler, a fine art photographer, educator and graphic designer, lives in Woodbourne, Sullivan County. She grew up in a farm house built by her great-great grandfather along the Rondout Creek in Grahamsville. "During the construction of the Rondout Reservoir, my ancestral home missed being included in the massive land acquisition by just a few miles. Many other families were displaced and the topography of the valley was irrevocably altered. When I stand by the water’s edge, I am deeply aware of a sense of place, the passage of time and the inevitability of loss."

She began exploring alternative photography a few years ago, mixing old and new technologies: She uses a pinhole camera to capture evocative landscapes as well as a flatbed scanner to examine fine details in the environment more closely.

"The intuitive process of pinhole photography makes it the perfect medium for exploring my attachment to the landscape of my youth. It requires the use of my senses and a willingness to rely on chance while capturing evocative images that transcend time. Most of the photographs in this collection were taken locally with my handmade pinhole camera. It is made out of black mat board and duct tape and fitted with a 4x5 Polaroid film holder."

"The beauty of pinhole photography is that is gives you unlimited depth of field, a unique characteristic that tends to distort the sense of space so that small areas can appear larger than they really are. The camera has no lens or viewfinder and exposure time is a bit of a guessing game - so there is a huge element of chance in what kind of image is captured."

The original Polaroids are scanned and a hint of color is added before they are mounted on board and coated with encaustic medium comprised of bees wax and resin. The overall result is a grainy, soft-focused photograph reminiscent of Pictorialism.

Helthaler has taught graphic design, drawing and photography courses for SUNY College at New Paltz, as well as and Sullivan County Community Colleges. She currently teaches advanced computer graphics for the Art Institute Online, a division of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She received a BFA in graphic design from SUNY New Paltz and a MFA in visual art from the Art Institute of Boston.

She was one of 42 artist from three countries whose photographs were selected for the 2007 Members Exhibition which will be on display at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, CO later this year.

For more information on the non-profit Catskill Watershed Corporation and its environmental protection, economic development and education programs, go to www.cwconline.org, or call 845-586-1400.