Orogenesis refers to the immense forces within the Earth that create remarkable yet ephemeral mountains. I have always been captivated by mountains and the elemental forces that both build them and subsequently carve them into the shapes, patterns and textures surrounding us. Mountains, once formed, are constantly and continuously transformed by ice and snow, wind and rain. A unique fusion of these forces of creation and destruction imprints each landscape.
My show encompasses the mountain realm, from the microscopic to the grand panorama. Through the digital deconstruction of details in the original photographic images, the fundamental forms, textures, colors and light, emerge. Digital photopainting refers to the modifications made to the original photographic image. Virtually every portion of my work is altered by a combination of filters, followed by extensive digital brushing that creates the effect seen in the finished piece. Seeing patterns in the natural world is an offshoot of my geology background, and much of this exhibition captures the unusual and subtle patterns I find at every scale of my observation.
Heart of the Mountain
Hiking in the mountains is where I truly come alive, and I endeavor to translate this feeling and the calm it brings directly into my work. Orogenesis, my first solo exhibition, occurs 30 years to the month after I began my career as a geologist with Shell Oil. As one pursuit wanes, my inner artist ascends.
I grew up in Minnesota. Although raised in flat country, my fondest memories always began in the rugged states of the west. To this day, I can close my eyes and return to every mountain range, valley, stream, or snow field I have traversed over the past 50 years. I left Minnesota for school in the more interesting geology of central Massachusetts (Amherst College), and then graduate school in central Pennsylvania (Penn State). Discovering a love for geology and photography early in life, I have been privileged to be able to indulge both passions over the past 38 years. Given the description above, it is somewhat surprising that since 1983, I have enjoyed a very satisfying career in the coastal plain of Texas. However, my work has given me the opportunity to travel around the world, solving complex problems and gain a deeper understanding of the complex interactions that shape the earth we live on.
River Mist
Images used in my show span a period from 1974 to the present. As my training in geology began, so did my early explorations in photography. Rooming with a combination of geologists and artists at Amherst College apparently had a stronger influence on me than I realized at the time. One of these roommates, John T. Young, a world-renowned sculptor at the University of Washington, has been waiting for me to enter the art world for quite some time. My new career began in earnest in 2007. In that time my work has been exhibited in numerous juried shows in Seattle and Houston, including a public commission in Bellaire, Texas. I have been a member of Archway Gallery since November of 2011. The gallery is the oldest artist cooperative in the Houston area, with a history that spans almost 40 years, and I feel privileged to be a member of such a talented group.
Larry Garmezy's work can be seen from June 1 through July 10 at the Archway Gallery in Houston, Texas. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, June 1 between 5-8 p.m. with an artist talk at 6:30 p.m.