by MITCH GRIMMETT, A&E Editorial Intern
After four years of nonstop traveling, photographer Jeffrey Murray is ready to showcase his masterpieces in his latest gallery, opening for June’s First Friday Artwalk in Bend at 118 NW Minnesota. One only needs to glance at the enticing assortment of snapshots for a moment to tell that this collection was a long time in the making.
Ranging from photos of rundown cars in barnyard fields to giant canyons in the approaching dusk, it is obvious that Murray has a great talent and passion for his line of work. It is also apparent that Murray holds a great love of nature and that he has interwoven these two major loves, photography and the environment, together. “I always liked looking at photos of nature,” Murray explained. “My family went skiing and hiking and I’ve always been interested in doing things outdoors.”
This passion for the earth’s natural beauty does indeed ring true in the vast majority of Murray’s shots and his keen eye truly makes them stand out. Murray has another ace hidden up his sleeve that will undoubtedly make his photos pop even more. As opposed to displaying his photos in frames and printing them on traditional photo paper, he displays his images on aluminum. But, how exactly does that work?
When heating aluminum, the metal goes through a process called sublimation in which it goes straight from a solid to a gas and skips the liquid state. The dyes needed to create the image are then infused into a high gloss coating, which is applied to the treated aluminum instead of just printing on top of the medium. In this way, Murray’s elegant and durable prints are created. The technique has been around for quite some time but according to Murray, “It’s relatively new as far as photography goes.”
After seeing this technique in action, it is difficult to believe that any photographer would stray from Murray’s example. The images are crisp, sharp and sleek, looking as if they were just printed on slim panes of glass. These artistic windows will allow visitors of the gallery to peer into locations around the world, both near and far.
When asked about what viewers can expect from this collection, Allison, Murray’s partner in crime, responded with, “I think that people will see a lot of different places that are positioned both locally and across the country. They’ll see locations that they’ve been before which they may not see in other local galleries as well as stuff from Yosemite, New York City, Wyoming and other places across the nation.”
Following this response, both Murray and Allison emphasized that, above all, capturing these photos is not just a job. It is a passion. The images displayed in the gallery are a product of determination and hard work, which is a result of love for the game. If readers are looking for beauty encased in an aluminum vial, Jeffrey Murray’s new gallery is the place to find it.
Jeffery Murray Gallery is opening June 7 and the grand opening is scheduled for June 29 with an all-day event. All visitors on June 29 will receive a gift and the chance to enter a free raffle to win a signed photograph. 541-325-6225, www.jeffreymurrayphotography.com.
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