Up Close: The Art of Seeing Small New Westminster Photography Club
February 1 - March 26
Each of the six artists in the exhibition penned their own statements to accompany their work for this exhibition.
Six members of the New Westminster Photography Club saw small by getting down on the forest floor, pausing to appreciate insects and capturing the ephemeral beauty in a drop of water.
These locally captured images explore the often-overlooked lives of flying insects and the colourful world they inhabit. Photographing these tiny creatures at high magnification gives me the opportunity to observe their mannerisms and beauty, from the intricate webbing of the dragonfly’s wing to the green metallic sheen of the Agapostemon Sweat Bee, to the dimpled armour on a grasshopper’s face. They go about their busy lives with purpose and skill, but will pause on occasion for a brief moment of wonder.
⎯Jeff Bull
While out exploring the lush forests of Golden Ears Provincial Park, mushrooms present themselves everywhere. Looking for these tiny scenes is like a treasure hunt, you never know what you’ll find.”
⎯Greg Juhasz
The ‘Bee’ series captures the intimate choreography of pollination through the lens of vibrant coneflowers and their tireless visitors. Each image reveals a moment of ecological harmony: bees immersed in the act of collecting, their bodies dusted with pollen, framed by the bold textures and hues of Echinacea blooms. The work invites viewers to pause and appreciate the quiet interdependence between flora and fauna, emphasizing the beauty and urgency of preserving pollinator habitats. Through close observation and vivid detail, these portraits celebrate the resilience and grace of nature’s smallest collaborators.
⎯Paul Larose
Macro photography reveals a hidden world of intricate beauty. This series captures ordinary moments that occur all around us—bubbles forming, water drops colliding—events so small and brief they’re rarely seen. Using extremely short bursts of flash, these fleeting actions are frozen in time, allowing their delicate structures to be photographed.
⎯Rick Lewis
My walks through west coast forests have always been enjoyable. The size and grandeur of the forest is so impressive. This year I added the challenge of seeing small. I discovered an entire new world on the forest floor – the world of mushrooms. I would see a scene and a story for form as to the relationship of the mushrooms to each other and the overall forest.
⎯Glenn Marcus
Living through Vancouver’s long rainy seasons has taught me to embrace its perpetual dampness. Morning dew and rain drops quietly nourish the landscape, offering fleeting moments of light and life. In these small, glistening details, I find a quiet delight—reminders that beauty often reveals itself on the smallest scale.
⎯Janet Pearson
Community Art Gallery
Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia Street
New Westminster, BC