Robert Coomer Photography

Come see me at Summerfair is this weekend. I’m at boot 26F, on White way, just before Blue lagoon (the river). On the map I’m next to the First Aid tent.

May 29, Friday 2 pm – 8 pm
May 30, Saturday 10 am – 8 pm
May 31, Sunday 10 am – 5 pm

Admission
Adults:
$10.00 for 1 day ticket
$15.00 for 3-day ticket – Available only until Friday, May 29, 2009, 2:00 PM.
Children under 12 free

Last week I had several of my cardinal images on display at the Loveland Arts Council Winter Show. On Saturday night I found out I received the popular vote for the People’s Choice Award.

Thanks to everyone who came out last week and voted for my photos! It was a big honor to be selected from among all of the great artists.

I’m proud to announce that a selection of my images are now available at the front gift shop at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.

Above is one of the prints I delivered. It was shot early last year during one of the small ice storms we had. At the time I was recovering from a back injury, but the potential for great photos was too high for me to pass up. I almost had to crawl to get the shot. Needless to say, it was a very cold night and the freezing rain was still falling when I arrived at the Union Terminal. The ground was covered with ice making walking difficult, but add to that a herniated disk, a bag of camera gear, camera, a tripod, and the loss of the ability to balance myself and then you’re really having some fun. I ended up using my tripod as a crutch and managed to make my way from where I parked my car on a side street, along the fence, across the front of the grounds and to the driveway where I took this shot.

After about an hour, I managed to make my way back to my car safely though I was wet and covered in ice. I only fell twice if I remember correctly. I found out it was less painful to just fall down than to try to “catch” my balance which hurt my back. I had on enough layers of winter clothing to cushion a fall. Like most photographers, I fall with my hands up to protect my gear, so i wasn’t too worried about damaging my camera. I think the shots from that night were worth it.

I just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone viewing my website a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Red, White, and Blue Jay is one of my most recent prints and has quickly become one of my most popular. It’s an image that shows the beauty and simplicity of nature as well as it’s unpredictability, as many viewers find the presence of the Blue Jay in this image to almost unbelievable. Many have assumed the image was photoshoped, and the Blue Jay added. The image, depending on which version you see, has been modified to to reduce the background color as some of the brown leaves were distracting, however the content and composition is as I shot it. The speck of blue among the reds was what drew me to the composition, and is what makes this such a striking image.

This image recently was given an Award of Excellence in the Java Jazz ‘n Art competition in New Richmond, Ohio. internationally acknowledged master of wildlife art, John Ruthven was the juror for this show, so this award takes on a special dimension and a huge honor. I grew up in Brown County, Ohio admiring John’s work, as he had a gallery in Georgetown, Ohio. http://www.johnruthvenart.com/

At art shows, I have had others compare it to my favorite artist, Charley Harper. This is a statement to the beauty in it’s simplicity, which was Charley’s forte. His graphic art reduced nature images to their simplest form, yet maintains the character of his subject. He called it “minimal realism.” He would say “I never count the feathers in the wings — I just count the wings.” Again, being compared to this great artists is a huge compliment, and one I don’t take lightly. http://charleyharperartstudio.com/

At art shows around Lexington, this image became quickly known as “Go Big Blue!” as the UK Wildcats fans pointed out that the Blue Jay has all those Cardinals outnumbered. . .

The image was shot at Cincinnati Nature Center early this year. My next popular image was shot just a few feet away, and could be called the rest of the story. “Fox in the Hen House” shows what all those Cardinals were waiting for. . .

My work or booth has appeared in a couple of blogs lately, both related to the Hyde Park Art Show:

Karen Deime mentions my work on her blog “music and art move me…” specifically my panoramic image of the Cincinnati Subway. Check out her blog from the link below:

music and art move me…

A nice photo of visitors browsing my print bins in my booth at Hyde Park appears on this blog:

Queen City Survey

And speaking of blogs, in case you haven’t found her yet, Sara Pierce is now doing double duty with 2 art blogs of her own:

Art 513

Craft Lust

My wife’s jewelry is being featured at the Pendleton Art Gallery at Newport on the Levee for the month of August. As a consequence, they are also featuring my photography. We will be there Saturday, August 22, from 5-10pm. Tabka will be showing some of her jewelry making techniques.

A fellow artist from CoBe gallery (Our Pendleton Art Center studio) Ralph Silvis, is also a featured artist this month and has a large selection of his paintings on display.

If you’re in the area, stop by and say hello, check out some of my newest Union Terminal prints and learn some of Tabka’s jewelry making techniques

I got a pleasant surpirse the other morning. . .

Last week I submitted 4 prints to the NSS Print salon at the 2008 Convention in Florida. I was unable to attend due to the Kettering Art on the Commons and the Woodland Arts Fair on the weekends before and after. A friend delivered the prints for me and picked them up afterward. During much of the time Salon was going on, I was working on prints and artwork for the shows and didn’t have time to think about the competition. Friday, saturday, and Sunday were spent in Lexingto at the Woodlan Arts Fair, away from my computer. By the time we got home on Sunday night, I just crashed and didn’t go near my computer.

Monday morning I finaly got around to checking my e-mail and found out I won Best of Show in the B+W Print salon with my image “Cathedral Chasm”! My image, “Ick! Oil and Water Don’t Mix” received an honorable mention.

Though it did not place, my favorite image was a portrait of fellow caver, Bill Addington, called “Grizzly Addington.”

My image, “Caves of the Mind” was entered in the color Print Salon.

I recently took down my display from Starbucks at Grand Avenue, after a great show with lots of great response from viewers.

Many of those and other images are now hanging at Starbucks at Eastgate for the month of June. Stop by and check them out.

Every year on the first Saturday in June the Augusta Art Guild presents “Art in the Garden“. This will be my first year at this event and I look forward to being there Saturday, June 7, 2008,10:00 am till 5:00.

It is held in Augusta, KY, located 40 miles east of Cincinnati, Ohio and 90 miles north east of Lexington, KY.