Seeing our Cannon River Watershed
Mary Ellen Frame | May 10 – June 24, 2022
Artist Statement:
Why do I make photographs? Wherever I am, whatever I’m doing, I keep seeing images, bits of the visual world that I want to preserve and to share with others. Sometimes what I see appeals to me because of the joy that sheer beauty brings me; sometimes a scene tells a story or makes a connection that others might not notice; sometimes it’s the happenstance arrangement of shapes, colors, textures that make an arresting combination. For me, the best photographs combine two or more of these elements.
Why the Cannon River Watershed? I’ve had a long connection to the Cannon River, growing up on a farm in Waterford Township, about a half a mile from it, and now I live five blocks from it. It provides a rich connection with the natural world for me. For many of us, the river and its tributaries are part of our daily lives, as we cross bridges, or walk along the various streams. We fear the river in flood stage, but on benign days we enjoy canoeing, fishing and walking or biking beside it. The watershed, as a whole, attracts and supports wildlife. Changes of seasons and its many moods make it a multi-faceted presence.
Creating this exhibit has enlarged and enriched my knowledge and appreciation of this entire region. I want to share some of that with others, perhaps to stimulate the viewer’s curiosity and awareness of the river and the complexity of what a watershed is.
2021-2022 Gallery Sponsor:
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
