Raymond Bleesz
23-Feb-2011, 20:04
A sad day it is for Denver, Colorado & the Rocky Mountains--Hal Gould, the Director & Curator of The Camera Obscura Gallery of Fine Art Photography, is closing his doors at the end of April. The "Sage of Colorado Photography" is hanging up his cowboy hat who was born in Clark, Wyoming in 1920 and believes he needs to concentrate at this time in his elderly life on his acquisitions and personal work which is quite extensive as he is a worldly traveler.
Gould, who initially co-founded the Colorado Photographic Arts Center in 1963, and who went on to create his Camera Obscura Gallery in 1976---showing works ranging from Mathew Brady to Bert Stern, to Phillipe Halsman, August Sanders, Howard Bond, Ruth Berhard, Robert Capa, Andre Kertez, Salgado, Ansel Adams et al. Early in his gallery career, he was selling Adams & Weston prints for $25 dollars. Hal was responsible for the first showing of S. Sagado's prints in America. Considered the First Fine Art Photographic Gallery West of the Mississippi, Gould's gallery hung the best internationally as well as local honchos & gals as he was a firm believer & supporter in those who practiced the photographic medium, named or unnamed.
On a personal note, I was totally "green" when I first presented Hal my first portfolio in 1976. I remember it quite well. Hal, in his typical dress, being cowboy boots, western leather vest, and his signiature bolo tie, took out a pair of white gloves, and leafed through my bw porfolio, making comments, suggestions, pausing for thoughts and giving encouragement. He was my mentor over the years, and I'm sure he has been mentors for many others. I enjoy his prints in my home. His presence will be missed by us all. It was such inspiration to see him, to talk to him, and see photographic art on his gallery walls--a walking encyclopedia on photographic history.
The Camera Obscura Gallery will be hosting special events leading up to it closure.
(www.cameraobscuragallery.com)
And Hal's departing comments are: "Art is in the artist, not the medium" and "Happy Trails"
Raymond A. Bleesz
Edwards, Colo
Gould, who initially co-founded the Colorado Photographic Arts Center in 1963, and who went on to create his Camera Obscura Gallery in 1976---showing works ranging from Mathew Brady to Bert Stern, to Phillipe Halsman, August Sanders, Howard Bond, Ruth Berhard, Robert Capa, Andre Kertez, Salgado, Ansel Adams et al. Early in his gallery career, he was selling Adams & Weston prints for $25 dollars. Hal was responsible for the first showing of S. Sagado's prints in America. Considered the First Fine Art Photographic Gallery West of the Mississippi, Gould's gallery hung the best internationally as well as local honchos & gals as he was a firm believer & supporter in those who practiced the photographic medium, named or unnamed.
On a personal note, I was totally "green" when I first presented Hal my first portfolio in 1976. I remember it quite well. Hal, in his typical dress, being cowboy boots, western leather vest, and his signiature bolo tie, took out a pair of white gloves, and leafed through my bw porfolio, making comments, suggestions, pausing for thoughts and giving encouragement. He was my mentor over the years, and I'm sure he has been mentors for many others. I enjoy his prints in my home. His presence will be missed by us all. It was such inspiration to see him, to talk to him, and see photographic art on his gallery walls--a walking encyclopedia on photographic history.
The Camera Obscura Gallery will be hosting special events leading up to it closure.
(www.cameraobscuragallery.com)
And Hal's departing comments are: "Art is in the artist, not the medium" and "Happy Trails"
Raymond A. Bleesz
Edwards, Colo