CWC exhibit features photos shot "Close to Home"

MARGARETVILLE, NY, Feb.18, 2009 - A new exhibition of 20 photographs by Delhi resident Barbara Onasch is now on view at the offices of the Catskill Watershed Corporation, 905 Main St., Margaretville.

"Close to Home" may be seen weekdays from 8 to 4:30 through April 30.

The exhibit is a colorful collection of digital images taken near the confluence of Elk Creek and the West Branch of the Delaware River in East Delhi. This area includes an active beaver pond and swamp, the meadows of a farming valley and the woodlands of the surrounding mountains. Says the photographer, "I think it is a national park; it’s just that no one else knows about it!"

Onasch, who served for 20 years as the Children’s Librarian at the Cannon Free Library in Delhi, says she has always been drawn to photography, which was her father’s profession.

"While I loved every moment in my career, my interest in taking pictures was always bubbling in the background. Retirement has given me the opportunity to pursue my passion for photography. Initially it was travel photos I snapped, but when we became caregivers for my elderly father, my focus changed. I’ve discovered the incredible wealth of nature close to home."

"Tuning into my local surroundings has provided beauty, challenge and learning opportunities aplenty. I look for scenes that record a story, crackle with texture and celebrate color. I do not manipulate my images, but endeavor to honestly and creatively portray the wonders I observe in creation."

The photographs in the CWC show range from a young beaver ready for his close-up, to a pair of Canada geese and their newly hatched family of goslings, to an unusual blue-headed mallard whose plumage matches the reflected blue of a brilliant April sky.

For directions to the CWC and information about its programs to assist residents and businesses in the New York City Watershed, call 845-586-1400, or go to www.cwconline.org.