David Barthel - North Shore Images PhotographyDavid Barthel North Shore Images Photography
David Barthel

Photo Journal & News

Monday, December 24, 2018

A Holiday Message

As the anticipation of the season transforms into celebration and reflection, I want to wish everyone warm holiday greetings with goodness to come in the new year.

It's always a busy time of year in the Barthel household. In addition to celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, yesterday marked the beginning of my 37th revolution around the sun, making it a triad of festivities enjoyed with family.

There are many good things coming in the new year, for all of us. May there be peace on Earth.

I look forward to seeing you on the trails ahead!

David

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Art at Ramsey, Gift Certificates, Year-End Artwork Sale, and New Photographs

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy the day with loved ones, maybe indulge in some turkey and pumpkin pie for good tradition, and reflect upon the meaning of the holiday.

For those of you who'll be in the Twin Cities on Saturday, December 1, there's one last opportunity this year to see my work or pick up a one of my display pieces at a great price (more on that below).

Art at Ramsey

Art at Ramsey is a high-quality juried art and fine craft event that takes place Saturday, December 1 (from 10am – 5pm) inside the Ramsey Middle School gymnasiums and cafeteria at 1700 Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, MN. I will be among about 80 regional artists exhibiting work, so there is a good variety of talent to see if you visit.

Art at Ramsey

 

Gift Certificate Sale

This year, to celebrate Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, I'm offering a very rare opportunity for you to purchase gift certificates at a 10% discount. Purchase $50 certificates for $45 or $100 certificates for $90. These certificates do not expire and are good toward any future regular-priced artwork purchase (at my art fair booth, online, or by phone/email). They make great gifts, especially since artwork can be hard to buy for others. And, if you decide to purchase a few for yourself...I won't tell anyone! :)

There is no limit to the number of certificates you can buy, but overall quantities are limited. This sale goes live at 8pm Thanksgiving and runs through Saturday, November 24, unless sold out sooner. All certificates will be mailed to the address provided at checkout.


Gift Certificates


Year-End Display Piece Sale

Near the end of the year, as many of you know, I typically offer a selection of my art fair display pieces at discounted prices to make room for new release work in the coming year. These are generally pieces that have traveled with me and have been displayed at shows for the past 1-4 years. As a result, they may have minor flaws or may not be quite as squeaky clean as a brand new piece. However, most are in excellent condition.

If you are interested in the availability or condition of a particular piece, please feel free to contact me (dbarthel@northshoreimages.com or 320-293-1788). Shipping is either free or low cost to most locations in the Upper Midwest. Any piece not sold prior to December 1 will be available at Art at Ramsey as noted above.


"Quiet Dawn" – 32x48 Three-Piece Canvas Gallery Wrap — only $425 ($340 off regular price of $765)

– Captured in Grand Marais, Minnesota
– Dimensions are 32x50 with 1" spacing between panels
– Display piece since 2015 (I plan to replace this with a 40x60 size starting in 2019.)
– A few minor scuffs on some edges and corners from handling
– Canvas may less taught due to handling and exposure to changing outdoor conditions
– Despite the above, it is still aesthetically a very fine piece and a good value




"Triple Falls" – 24x32 Ultra Premium-Framed Lumachrome Print — only $495 ($300 off already low price of $795)

– Captured in Glacier National Park, Montana
– Framed dimensions 34x42
– Display piece since 2016
– Small flaw in the acrylic surface that is not easily seen, otherwise in excellent condition





"Ice & Surf" – 24x30 Canvas Gallery Wrap — only $275 ($70 off regular price of $345)

– Captured at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Minnesota
– Display piece since 2016
– A few minor scuffs on some edges and corners from handling, otherwise in very good condition




"Twists of Time"24x36 Canvas Gallery Wrap — only $345 ($50 off regular price of $395)

– Captured in the Ancient Bristlecone Forest, California
– Display piece since 2016
– Very good condition—possibly a few very minor scuffs on corners from handling

 

New Photographs

"Souls of Superior" – Tettegouche State Park, Minnesota, USA

On October 10, 2018, a powerful Lake Superior storm slammed huge surf against the cliffs on the North Shore. Actual waves reached as high as 20 feet, causing damage to Duluth's Lakewalk and other structures throughout the region. A freighter on the lake that day, about 20 miles from where I made this image, recorded a wind gust of 86 miles per hour! One month later, evidence of this powerful storm is still seen with piles of driftwood planted onto some beaches. These were certainly the largest waves I've ever witnessed on Lake Superior (or anywhere, for that matter)!



"Guardian of Superior" – Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Minnesota, USA

Each year, Split Rock Lighthouse lights its beacon in commemoration of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Nov. 10, 1975.

This year, I enjoyed the view with a few other people from atop Day Hill. Yes, that is a ship out in the distance over Lake Superior! See the closer view below...


"Swinging Bridge" – Jay Cooke State Park, Minnesota, USA

Crossing the tempestuous Lake Superior-bound waters of the St. Louis River, this bridge is beloved by many who visit Jay Cooke State Park. The rugged terrain and raging river is reminiscent of wild landscapes in the mountains of the American West. When standing here, it's hard to imagine the river reaching the height of the bridge and destroying the span, something that happened back during the flooding in 2012.



"Evening Serenade" – Iona's Beach, Minnesota, USA

There's nothing quite as relaxing as watching and listening to the gentle waves washing against the rocky basalt shores on a crisp autumn evening at a quiet location on Lake Superior's North Shore.

I made this photograph as part of a larger project I've been working on, something that you will hear more about in the coming months...


Stay tuned! I look forward to sharing more exciting new work with you over the winter months.

All my best,

David

Monday, September 3, 2018

Fall Art Fair Schedule Update

Greetings!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but here goes...

It's Labor Day today, and that means that summer is (unofficially) over. There's a silver lining...fall is a wonderful time of year to get out and enjoy the cool, crisp air and visit some of the great art festivals that take place.

Admittedly, this summer's weather has been challenging at times for outdoor events. It seemed as though if liquid wasn't falling from the sky, its vaporized cousin accompanied plenty of heat. There were a few very pleasant days that somehow happened to converge with a weekend, though, and hopefully many more to come this fall.

My schedule has pretty much solidified for the remainder of the year with six events on the calendar (Red Wing is still tentative). This is a great time of the year to start thinking about any redecorating you want to get done before the upcoming holiday season.

Here's where you can find me:

"Evolution" Exhibited at the Minnesota State Fair


The best thing to do at the Minnesota State Fair (besides, perhaps, gorging on copious calories from the requisite corn dogs, cheese curds, and chocolate chip cookies—okay, maybe not) is checking out all of the fascinating artwork displayed in the Fine Arts Center.

My photograph, Evolution, was accepted for display in this year's Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition! Roughly 100 photographs were selected from over 1,000 photography entries which were displayed alongside other art mediums in the state fair's Fine Arts Building during the fair, August 23 through September 3. The state fair exhibit is Minnesota's largest annual juried arts exhibition and accepts entries from artists throughout the state.

I am told that the piece has been purchased, but will remain on display through the close of the fair today (Labor Day). You can also see a larger framed canvas print of this image in my booth at the art fairs I'll be attending this fall.

Monday, May 28, 2018

June Art Fair Schedule Update

Greetings,

I hope everyone has been enjoying the Memorial Day weekend. It's been more than a little warm in Minnesota lately. Summer is definitely here!

I have some great news to share! We were called from the wait list and will be exhibiting at the Edina Art Fair this upcoming weekend. It's a wonderful, high-quality art fair, and I'm always grateful for the opportunity to display my photography there. If you go, you can find me in Booth #107 on France Avenue, just north of 51st Street. My latest work will be available for purchase.

Here's what else I've got on tap for June. It's gonna be a busy month!

New Release – Sensations of Superior


Sensations of Superior – North Shore of Lake Superior near Covill, Minnesota

There are a number of offshore small islands and rocks that dot the landscape of Lake Superior's North Shore. Few are as beautiful is this one, with its lovely grouping of trees, situated several miles northeast of Grand Marais, MN. Given the incredible nature of this place, I am a bit ashamed to admit that I had only visited it one other time (about five years ago) before making this image last fall.

On this recent visit, the conditions were about as good as I could ask for. The sunrise was brilliant, and good-sized waves were lapping at the rocky coast. I love showcasing the energy of the lake in my photographs and choose shutter speeds that convey this feeling in a visually pleasing way. The sun gives this image a strong visual metaphor as it is the source of [almost] all light and energy here on Earth.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

2018 Art Fair Schedule Announced (First Half of Season)

Greetings!

Now that the once-mythical season called "Spring" has finally arrived (in Minnesota, at least), I've been spending time preparing new work for what will surely be another busy art fair season. You will once again be able to find me exhibiting my fine art photography at a number of great events throughout Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. The list below represents the shows I anticipate participating in through August 31. More dates will be added to my show schedule page (www.northshoreimages.com/Schedule) as they are confirmed.

Please stop in and visit if you find yourself at or near one of these events. I just might have something nice for that blank spot on the wall...

New Photographs

I am planning to exhibit several brand new photographs at the art fairs this season. Here are a few of the new images that I've had the opportunity to complete so far this year:



Evolution – Onyx Beach, Lake Superior, USA

From crashing waves to painterly wildflowers and glorious sunrises, Lake Superior's North Shore is full of iconic treasures, and I love photographing them. However, little-known scenes like this really stir my creative soul, and I strive to see them in a unique way.

This particular location had waves crashing in from both sides (I was on a narrow tombolo). It took just the right combination of waves to make this image work. The tree growing from the rocks is an American mountain-ash. If you look carefully, you can see those bright red berries that this species of tree is known for.





Stone WashSugarloaf Cove, Lake Superior, USA

Much like each stone on a Lake Superior beach, our own character is shaped over time by the waves and currents of life, making each one of us individually unique and interesting.

Making this image involved a number of trials and many errors (or should I say, "attempts") to get just the right timing and amount of incoming wave action for the artistic effect I was seeking.



Lunar Light III – Split Rock Lighthouse, Minnesota, USA

Those of you who have followed my work for some time have probably noticed that I have produced several iterations of the moon-directly-behind-Split Rock Lighthouse image over the years. This one is the latest one in the series from earlier this year.

Each January, if the eastern sky is mostly clear during the night of the full moon, those willing to brave the cold breeze on the shore of Lake Superior can catch a glimpse of the full moon rising directly behind the lighthouse.

I never tire of photographing this once-a-year alignment as each year presents a different atmospheric character. This time, a thick haze from the sea smoke drifting over the lake made the moon appear with an unusually soft glow.

 

I'm still working on several more images from the past year that will be released before the summer art fair season begins. Stay tuned . . .