“Preserving Eden” Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs
Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art ~ Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA North and South Galleries Dec. 8, 2013 – Feb. 16, 2014
Clyde Butcher – Loxahatchee River #1, 1991
Gelatin silver print, 48 x 72 in., On loan from the South Florida Museum, Bradenton
Clyde Butcher works with a large format view cameras and often traipses out into the Florida Swamps with all his equipment. This is not a simple task and, though he does have helpful assistants, it can be a brutal and arduous journey. But at 71, Butcher is a master of his craft and his herculean efforts produce spectacular results. While many people view landscapes as still and unchanging, Butcher is somehow supernaturally in-tune with his natural surroundings and he waits for the perfect moment to snap his picture like a street photographer would in the urban jungle.
Clyde Butcher’s unique eye, combined with his patience and attention to detail, allows him to instill the feelings of action and excitement in a seemingly unmoving scene.
This special exhibition at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs includes 35 black and white photographs and allows visitors the opportunity to experience the unique connection Butcher has with natural Florida, and they don’t even have to put on wading boots!
Butcher takes us on an historic journey, not only into the deepest, darkest corners of the Everglades, but also to the sun-bleached shores of Florida’s beaches, and even to the vanishing green spaces that can be found beside highways and parking lots. He is a man on a mission and that mission is being “deeply committed to recording precious landscapes throughout the world.”
After their virtual hike through the stunning wilderness, visitors can sit and relax watching a video documentary on Butcher and his work.
In addition to being one of the greatest living photographers, Clyde Butcher is also one of the most active, and when it comes to his online presence, he has provided many ways for fans to become involved and stay connected.
He provides guided Photo Safari’s and Ec0-Excursions via his website:
Clyde Butcher’s Big Cyprus Gallery
His personal site: clydebutcher.com also has a wealth of biographic and technical information for those gearheads out there.
Butcher’s Facebook Page has more status updates than your thirteen year-old neice’s.
And he even has his own YouTube Channel!
So, take advantage of your chance to see this great exhibition. If not, be sure to check out one of his future events by subscribing to his NEWSLETTER.
IF YOU GO:
“Preserving Eden” Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs
Dec. 8, 2013 – Feb. 16, 2014
Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art / 600 Klosterman Road · Tarpon Springs FL
open Tuesday – Sunday (check for hours)
LRMA@spcollege.edu / (727) 712-5762
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ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT @ LANCE ARAM ROTHSTEIN
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Labeauratoire Blog 
January 5th, 2015 at 5:37 pm
[…] of Florida’s vanishing wilderness you’ll ever see. As I stated before in my review of his “Preserving Eden” exhibition, Butcher is one of the greatest American landscape photographers and clearly one of the […]