Still in the Studio: Mabry Campbell

Posted on Jan 27, 2021

Catherine Couturier Gallery presents Still in the Studio, the 2021 edition of Safe in the Studioa blog series launched in spring 2020 in response to the pandemic. With each blog post, works will be highlighted and discounted 20% for one week following the post’s publishing date.

This week, the gallery is pleased to present the following post by gallery artist Mabry Campbell: 

Over the past 10 months, I have focused my attention on improving my proficiency of photographic panoramas.

I created a series of panoramas from trips I took to Big Bend National Park in West Texas and Caddo Lake in East Texas. West Texas really lends itself to vast landscapes, while Caddo Lake lends itself to more intimate landscapes. These areas are perfectly dissimilar to try the panoramic style on.

My first trip to Caddo Lake was exploratory. I had no agenda and just wanted to become familiar with the area. On the second morning an unexpected cold front hit East Texas and the lake became covered in thick mist. It was awesome. I took advantage of these terrific conditions as best I could, and by 7:30 am the mist had burned off.

As I headed back to Houston, I knew that I would go back to Caddo Lake when the same conditions existed, but this time I would be more prepared to take advantage of them. I understood that lake mist was created whenever extremely cold air was above warm water, so I kept a good look at the weather.

Three weeks later, a severe cold front was on its way and this time in the middle of the fall color transition in East Texas. What a great bonus! I had my three shooting locations from the previous trip. The mist was thick that morning and I came away with all the photos that I had planned-all panoramas. One of my favorite finished images from Caddo Lake is Bald Cypress In Mist No. 6. I was excited to see that the compression throughout the scene enhanced the mist and overall mood. As a print, this photograph has an interesting painterly quality It took some patience and planning, but this second trip to Caddo Lake was the reward. It gave me finished photography that perfectly represented the mood and feeling I experienced on that very cold morning.

 Mabry Campbell, Bald Cypress In Mist No. 6, 2020, Catherine Couturier Gallery

Bald Cypress In Mist No. 6, 2020 

When I was in West Texas, I always seem to use the roads as subjects. There is such melancholy in a single road stretching through a vast landscape. Symbolism of a road aside, a road makes the perfect form for a scene, similar to a piece of architecture. I read somewhere that Ranch Road 2810 near Marfa is the most beautiful road in Texas, so I had to visit it, many times in fact. Using nine photographs (in 3 rows and 3 columns), I made a series of roadscapes of RR 2810. It did not disappoint. I also found Hwy 118 between Alpine and Terlingua to be a great subject through the landscape as well. The selective focus technique is particularly evident across each of these. 

Mabry Campbell, Hwy 118 to Alpine, 2020, Catherine Couturier Gallery

Hwy 118 to Alpine, 2020

One late afternoon, I was diving back from Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park. There is an overlook of the Chisos Mountains just before Cottonwood Campground. It is a great place to stop and take in the scenery. To the left you can see Emory Peak, South Rim and Elephant Tusk. To the right is Cerro Castellan. The Chisos Mountain Range is a massive landscape to witness. Using two rows of seven photos each, I was able to capture the scene. And with the use of compression, the scene is more intimate. After all, this is a view of mountains approximately 25 miles away. The result is the large panorama Chisos Mountain Range which brings me back to that moment of grandness, awe and stillness that are always present in Big Bend National Park.

Mabry Campbell, Chisos Mountain Range, 2020, Catherine Couturier Gallery

Chisos Mountain Range, 2020

Have a productive 2021.

- Mabry

 

The following pieces are available to purchase with a 20% discount for the next week. The discount will no longer be applicable on orders made after Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 11:59PM

 

Mabry Campbell, Bald Cypress In Mist No. 6, 2020, Catherine Couturier Gallery

Bald Cypress In Mist No. 6, 2020
8 x 8 inches, edition of 10: $480 ($600)
15 x 15 inches, edition of 10: $720 ($900)
22 x 22 inches, edition of 10: $1,200 ($1,500)
30 x 30 inches, edition of 5: $2,000 ($2,500)

 

Mabry Campbell, Hwy 118 to Alpine, 2020, Catherine Couturier Gallery

Hwy 118 to Alpine, 2020
8 x 8 inches, edition of 10: $480 ($600)
15 x 15 inches, edition of 10: $720 ($900)
22 x 22 inches, edition of 10: $1,200 ($1,500)
30 x 30 inches, edition of 5: $2,000 ($2,500)

 

Mabry Campbell, Chisos Mountain Range, 2020, Catherine Couturier Gallery

Chisos Mountain Range, 2020
8 x 48 inches, edition of 10: $1,200 ($1,500)
16 x 64 inches, edition of 10: $2,000 ($2,500)

 
To read Mabry Campbell's original Safe in the Studio post, click here. For a more detailed account of Mabry Campbell's panorama technique, click here. To learn more about Mabry Campbell and see more of his work, please visit his Artist Page.
 
For purchases or further inquiries, email us at gallery@catherinecouturier.com.

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