It was our great pleasure to attend the 6th Annual Art in Nature Photo Festival hosted by the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. Local photographers from all over the Eastern Shore were able to submit their best nature shots to be judged by the guests and visitors of the event. Over 1000 submissions were posted in the main exhibit hall at the Ward Museum, each capturing unique and beautiful moment in nature.
The 2015 winner, Cam Miller was the key note speaker at the event and showed a collection of her favorite pieces in the Welcome Gallery. Her series of photos taken on her daily walks particularly spoke to us. The viewer is invited into an interesting and beautiful narrative of Miller’s life and the journeys she set out on to capture each image. Her other works in the gallery are equally as inviting, capturing scenic landscapes, quiet moments, and active wildlife.
After passing through the numerous permanent installations in the museum, we came to the Photo Festival in the main hall. It was quite a thing to behold as we took our time to peruse each individual image. The photos were organized into specific categories, like black and white, landscape, abstract, etc. While some photos may have had the same subject, each photo was unique and distinct in its composition and form.
The message we at Shorebread received after attending the event, was that we are fortunate to live in an area with such a diverse range of beautiful subjects. From animals, to birds, to plant life, to landscapes – there are endless muses from which talented and creative people can draw inspiration. And we are fortunate to have the Ward Museum that celebrates the Eastern Shore culture and history through the photo festival and their more permanent exhibits.
Though the photo festival is over for 2016, we anxiously await its return in 2017 so we can admire the imagery that will be captured in the coming year. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to visit the Ward Museum to take in their current long-term installations. There is information to be learned about waterfowling and the fine craftsmanship of carving decoys. See Lem and Stephen Ward’s work space and learn the history of their influential business. Or just appreciate the stunning pieces, both realistic and abstract, of art in the main gallery. Anyone visiting will not be disappointed.
For more information on the Photo Festival, its rules and deadlines, please visit the Ward Museum website, where the winners of the Art in Nature Photo Festival will be posted: www.wardmuseum.org.
