California arstist shares unique view of Glacier
The above image, a double exposure, and the single exposure image below were some of the first images captured by October Artist in Residence Jamie McHugh along the shores of McDonald Lake after arriving in Glacier National Park earlier this month. McHugh hopes to capture even more natural beauty as he explores more of the park.
Mendocino coast resident Jamie McHugh will be looking to capture the natural beauty of Glacier National Park this month as he explores the area as part of the Park’s Artist in Residence Program. (Jeremy Weber photo)
For the month of October, California artist Jamie McHugh will be calling Glacier National Park home.
As part of the Park’s Artist in Residence Program, McHugh will be exploring Glacier’s natural beauty and capturing it for his unique photo and video projects.
McHugh is a multi-disciplinary artist and movement specialist who focuses on the interplay between the inner landscape of the human body and the outer landscape – or larger body – of the natural world.
“I consider myself primarily and advocate for the wild. One of the reasons I do my artwork is to be an emissary of what I consider the profound magnificence of this creation,” McHugh said. “Very often, people living in urban environments, or the policy makers in Washington, do not understand the value of the wild.”
McHugh, who says his first experience with photography was 45 years ago when he picked up a vintage RolleiFlex camera at the age of 17, sees his art as one of the only ways he can voice his growing concern for the quickly disappearing natural beauty of the planet.
“Sometime the only way I can find a voice for my outrage and for the depth of my concern for what is happening to the planet is through the expressive process,” he said. “We know the facts, but if it doesn’t penetrate the human heart, then we are lost.”
McHugh’s work, showcased on his website www.naturebeingart.org, focuses on the “ephemeral aesthetic of nature” and the light, motion, color and form on the planet.
McHugh says he takes special interest in life unfolding at the water’s edge, which he has already captured with a series of photos taken along McDonald Lake during his first week in the park. He says it is a tranquility that all park visitors should experience.
“My invitation to the visitors of this park is to give yourself one unplanned day, one day to stroll with no agenda. If you do that, you will find that nature moves at a different frequency than our minds.”
McHugh will offer a 90-minute experiential session on Oct. 25, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the West Glacier Community Building.