Eagle Grove born and raised artist's work enjoyed by young and old
Stu Smith was just commuting home from his job in Aurora, Colorado, where the acclaimed Eagle Grove born and raised photographer now makes his home, when the scenery started to intrigue him. Soon, he found himself snapping photos of the mountains, and sharing them on social media, and he got a lot of positive feedback.
But that was far from Smith's first foray in photography. Instead, that's what put him back on a track he'd abandoned long before.
In its infancy, Smith's photography career began when he "was messing around with a little instamatic camera at my sister's wedding." The Kodak Instamatic was a simple, compact and inexpensive film camera that featured between 126 or 1220 mm film cartridges which were easy to load. And due to the small size of the film, the film was inexpensive to buy compared to the standard 35mm film. Although the film size resulted in a lack of quality. Still, that's all it took for the proverbial shutterbug to sink its teeth into Smith's heart.
From there Smith found his way to the University of Northern Iowa where he took a photography course. He worked a lot in black and white film back then, and got a Canon AE-1 camera, which at the time was a higher end camera, for graduation. But as much as he loved the art, he "just kinda lost interest," Smith said, adding "film took too long."
Smith is very much a dog person. As evidenced by the fact that he chose to drive cross country for the show in Eagle Grove rather than fly, so he could bring his dogs along. Which led to the show being postponed due to weather, and car trouble. And, ever the dog person, he bought his first digital camera, a Canon EOS-60D when his Chesapeake Bay Retriever Kona lost her sight due to diabetes. "From that moment, I realized the world around is full of amazing sights and sounds," Smith said. "Through photography, I am fortunate to be able to capture and share a small piece of the natural beauty that surrounds all of us…no matter where we are!"
And ever since then Smith's journey through the world of photography, "has been nothing short of an amazing adventure," Smith wrote on his website, mykonagirl.com, "funny how a camera opens a whole new world of friendships, sights, and experiences!"
One of those friendships that photography opened for Smith was with the late, great Bob Rosinski, and his wife Wendy Chateel. By then, Smith said, he was starting to get serious about photography, and the advice of the pair of master photographers was invaluable. "One time I showed Bob a photo I'd done of a horse," Smith said, relating that he'd been very proud of the shot. Rosinski hadn't been impressed. "Does the horse have hooves," he'd asked, Smith recalled, pointing out that due to his high shooting perspective the horse's feet were cut off. Which taught Smith to get down and shoot at the subject's level, which was a turning point in his work.
Today Smith's work has been published by National Geographic, Ducks Unlimited, Colorado Life Magazine, and Gun Dog Magazine. And his work has been voted one of the top 250 highly commended images in the Share the View International Photo Contest, hosted by the Audubon Society of Greater Denver. Smith's photo "Fox and Vole" was named the Editor's Choice for 2019 by Colorado Life Magazine, and won first place in the North American Nature Photography Association's 'Nature Photography Day' contest in 2018.
But when Smith heard that a gallery had opened in Eagle Grove, he knew he wanted to have a show there. "It's one of those things that gets your work out there," Smith noted, "as artists, that's what we all want." Still, Smith reflected, artists "also want to see other artists succeed. The artist's road is a tough road to hoe. We all have to work together." Which made him want to show at Studio Sol even more, because it's home to artist in residence Sara Middleton, and the many artists she represents. Which Smith wanted to support, here in his hometown.
And with his Aunt Mary Ellen Christensen, who just turned 100 years old, having her milestone birthday, Smith thought it was a perfect time to come home.
"I'm a very lucky person," Christensen said when asked what she attributed her longevity to. Asked how she felt about her nephew's work, Christensen said "it's beautiful. He's really very talented."
At the other end of the age spectrum enjoying the show was young Evelyn Jacobson, who'll turn three in August. Who seemed as captivated by everything else there is to see at Studio Sol, as she was Smith's photos.
For those 21 and older, there was a whole other artform to be explored, in the form of a free wine tasting courtesy of Fort Dodge's Soldier Creek Winery. "I love the connection between local art and 'local everything'," Said Geena Becker, Brand Representative for Soldier Creek. And, as winemaking is an artform of its own, Becker noted, "we do support the arts, and we love the chance to highlight both kinds of art at the same time."
"It was special to me that our first artist reception was for Stu's work. I've been a fan of his photography since I moved to the area, and to have not only his photos but also him physically in the room, telling the stories of how the shots happened, was a perfect way to start this new tradition for Studio Sol," said gallery owner Sara Middleon. "My goal is to do this as often as the artists would like, because it changes the way people look at the pieces. Bringing the artists in, so that people can learn about the passion and process behind their work, gives much more meaning to an art purchase. You see the story, and it feels much more personal." And, Middleton said, her goal for Studio Sol is to make art accessible and meaningful for as many people as she can, "because it can sometimes feel like it's 'too fancy' or 'not for us' here in a small, rural area. But, as my sign and logo say, art is for everyone."
