After 5: Gallery Review: 'Ozark Ice'

But those who take pictures for a living somehow didn’t capture the images to the degree fellow photographer Josh Mitchell expected.

Mitchell’s mission then was to piece together “Ozark Ice,” a pictorial exhibit memorializing the images left in the wake of the Jan. 12–14 ice storm. Mitchell’s desire: “Good art – no destruction.”

The result is a small collection of photos by eight artists on display through March 31 at Josh Mitchell Gallery at The Art Station, 1427 E. Cherry St.

For what he calls “flavor and theme,” Mitchell pulled in a power line – a casualty of the storm, in fact – that hangs whimsically from the ceiling and weaves through the center of the gallery.

“That’s the continuity thread,” he says, pointing to the approximately 40-foot line. “For a good show, you’ve got to have … the presentation.”

The photos don’t necessarily jump off the walls; rather you have to go engage yourself with the photos. The modest studio is that way, too, blending into its quaint Rountree neighborhood. Both are worth a look, though, as the mostly original photographs uniquely capture a variety of aspects of the storm – from nature to industrial to erotic. The photographs range between $150 and $700.

This show has it all.

Editor’s Picks

Best of Show

“Bent out of Shape” by Josh Mitchell

This shot of a small tree doubled over so that the tip is nearly touching the ground is the best representation of the ice’s sheer strength and beauty. It is the most dramatic of the set. Though “Bent” is several photos deep on the wall, I was drawn to it first.

Most Engaging

“Pecker’s Beach” by Jeff Sweet

Taken at the old make-out area near Blackman Water Treatment Plant, Sweet uses a soft focus on a stream scene that causes the eye to bounce around. Due to the color contrasts and slight blur, images appear to actually move within the frame.

Most Natural

“Ice Panorama” by Dan Frisch

Four pictures pieced together in the darkroom create a panoramic view of an ice-coated James River valley against an early morning overcast sky. The clouds break just enough to allow small beams of sunlight to shine through. This is the centerpiece of the show and the first picture welcoming guests into the gallery.

As a side, Mitchell says he’s purchasing “Ice Panorama” for his home.

Questionable Call

“Ice Cold” by David Coleman

This print is an obvious Photoshop job of the street signs for Cold and Ice roads. I’m surprised this made the show after hearing Mitchell talk so passionately about authentic photography. It should be noted that Mitchell did not have the only say in what pictures made it; colleague Laurie Knowlton of Pickwick Underground Framing helps choose and hang the photos.

Most Emotion

“Doves” by David Coleman

Two doves are sitting atop what’s left of a tree snapped violently in half as an American flag flies at half-staff in the background.

About the Artist

Mount Vernon native Josh Mitchell worked in commercial photography for 25 years in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas before returning to the Ozarks. He moved into fine art photography to prove to himself that he could do it.

Mitchell’s signature piece is a sun-filled autumn tree horizontally segmented into three parts. A large print hung in Nonna’s downtown restaurant when Mary Faucett owned the place. Now, a 6-by-6-foot print is in the South Campbell Avenue Library Center café. The tree is in Maple Park Cemetery. Mitchell said it survived the ice storm, but had been severely pruned a couple of years ago.

About the Gallery

The Art Station contains Josh Mitchell Gallery and Pickwick Underground Framing. The space is a former Sinclair gas station. “It’s the full-service art station,” artist Josh Mitchell says. “It represents my style of hands-on, bring-the-art-to-the-people work.”