Photographers George Rose and Paul Roark will be joined by Christopher LT Brown for a panel discussion on March 23.

Three local photographers will gather at Elverhøj Museum of History & Art at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 23, for a panel discussion about approaches to black-and-white photography. The range of possibilities it offers will be discussed, from images inspired by the pioneers of photography to fresh interpretations that digital techniques allow.

“Creating black-and-white photography is very different from creating color photography,” notes fine art photographer Paul Roark. “An awareness of the differences is needed in order to be able to create good black-and-white photography, where the input of the artist is often more important than the subject.” 

Roark’s photographs are on display in the current Elverhoj exhibition, “Between Light & Dark,” through April 14

For the discussion, Roark will be joined by photographers George Rose and Christopher LT Brown. 

The event is free and the public is invited to join in the discussion. A social hour will follow with light refreshments served.

The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art at 1624 Elverhoy Way in Solvang is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. There is no charge for admission, but a $5 donation is requested.

For more information, call 805-686-1211 or visit elverhoj.org. 

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Elverhøj Museum of History and Art is now displaying “Between Light & Dark,” a new art exhibition with black and white images by fine art photographer Paul Roark.

Roark is internationally known, not only for the artistic merit of his photography but also for the black and white digital printing processes he has developed.

Foxtail Pine

A significant part of Roark’s photographic journey has been pushing the envelope of black and white technology. He was taught the tools and traditions of photography from an early age, growing up in a home with a darkroom with an early education heavy in math, computer programming, and science.

He managed his professional career as an antitrust and consumer protection attorney to maximize time outside with a camera, refining his skills and building a library of images.

Opting for an early retirement, Roark switched his focus to photography full-time. He quickly became an innovator in digital black and white photography and was named one of three most influential pioneers in the genre.

He has developed his own inkset and printing process, achieving a saturation and tonality unique to his art.

“It was fortuitous that my photo career coincided with the transition from the old chemical processes to the digital realm,” Roark said. “I was well situated not only to understand but also to contribute to this transition. Pushing the envelope of the new digital tools and printing processes has been something that has been very enjoyable to me, and helpful to thousands of photographers around the world.” 

Roark’s prints have been sold to collectors all over the world, including an entire small works show to a collector in Moscow. They can also be seen in select locations closer to home, including corporate headquarters and Cedars Sinai Hospital.

Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, at 1624 Elverhoy Way in Solvang, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge for admission, but a $5 donation is requested.

For more information, phone the museum at 805-686-1211 or visit elverhoj.org.

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Staff Report

Photographic artist and innovator Paul Roark will be the featured artist of the month with an exhibit of his stunning black-and-white images in the SYV Arts Guild Room at Gallery Los Olivos from Sept. 6 to Oct. 5.

Roark is an internationally collected artist, recognized for his contributions to advancing black and white printing technology via carbon pigments that result in the most archival photographic images.

The special exhibit in the Guild Room is coordinated with a second collection of the artist’s work, as he will also be the featured artist in the Gallery Los Olivos front room.  The displays will both showcase non-traditional black and white photography print media.

“The GLO front room will be called ‘Carbon on Canvas,’ which is my description of my process that uses inkjet printers to put my custom carbon inksets onto canvas substrates for large displays.  The Guild Room display will be called ‘Carbon on Cotton,’ which is how I describe my process of printing carbon pigments onto Arches watercolor paper,” Roark said

“While the canvas is appropriate for very large prints, the ‘Carbon on Arches’ is, in my view, simply the most archival photographic medium possible.  The carbon-carbon bond is the strongest in nature, and, as a result, the carbon pigments are the most lightfast and stable pigments we have.  Arches watercolor paper, particularly because it is uncoated, is also expected to have a far longer life than any coated or laminated photographic paper,” he added.

A reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 2-4 p.m. at the gallery.

The Guild Room at Gallery Los Olivos is a space made available to member artists of the Santa Ynez Valley Art Association (formerly the Artists Guild SYV), a nonprofit arts organization with more than 30 years of history in the area.

The Guild Room at Gallery Los Olivos is at 2920 Grand Ave. For more information, visit www.gallerylosolivos.com or www.paulroark.com.

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