The Ramblin Rose Report: Spirit of the Hills 3rd Annual Photography Show

3 by 3 -- 3rd showing and 3 local winners reprise a winning event
Taking in the 3rd annual Photography Show at the Spirit of the Hills event timed to coincide with the Warkworth Long Lunch was a cool way to spend a sweltering Sunday in August.
The Warkworth streetscape gleamed with white canvas shade cover and long checkered tables as the lunch was served up yet again under a sun-drenched sky.
Some of the really interesting action took place in the 31 Main Street Offices of J. Bruce Taylor Accounting, however -- not a venue that would appear at first glance to lend itself lightly to fine art visuals. But J. Bruce Taylor is a smart cookie, so right along with the rest of Warkworth's main street, his storefront was open for viewing staffed by Spirit of the Hills regulars.
The 3rd place finalist, Bob Leahy, has long been a vibrant part of the local arts scene, producing and showing some stunning photos of the surrounding area: his offering for 2009 was sold before the show was over and off the wall like it had legs of its own. The Ten Horses depicted in his entry faced in every direction in a snowy landscape, somewhat symbolically for these times -- change comes to us from unexpected quarters, frequently in a flurry and at speed.
Jennifer Gibson took home the 2nd place honours for depicting "Essence" - a floral closeup writ large on a pristine background. It was a summery note in a panorama of chills: the humid scented air flowing through the display space could have been a surrounding greenhouse for her dewy, cool-toned work.
Winter scenes swept us away to a brisk, chilly February day once again with the winning entry, by Gerald (Jerry) Taylor. The ambient temperature dropped by ten degrees while we viewed this piece -- the biting, snow-laden wind seemed to drift right out of the image into the display area. Looking at this, one forgot entirely the damp and warm August day and came back to the present with a start, shivering a little in the sudden heat. The evocation of an often cold and lonely day on the farmstead, entitled "Bad Day for Chores" surely earned its ranking in this excellent show.
Warkworth and Spirit of the Hills have long been kind to the photographers among them. Such kindness is clearly reciprocated by the talent emerging locally. The town boasts a strong arts presence with many established, long time artists and artisans operating there, encouraging newcomers and wooing the summer crowds back to visit in the shoulder seasons, perchance to dream a seasonal cycle round.