ASUMH Art Gallery

Introducing Ed Alexander, ASUMH Featured Artist March-April 2025. Stop by the ASUMH Art Gallery (Sheid, 2nd Floor) to see the rugged and sometimes delicate beauty of Arkansas through the lens of a master. Individual pieces are available for purchase through the artist, but the Art Gallery is free and open to the public.

Hours of Operation:

Monday - Thursday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Saturday - Sunday: CLOSED

Artist Reception: Thursday, April 3 from 4-6 PM

Artist Bio: I have been exploring the out-of-doors most of my life. My father, Harold Alexander, was a leader in the original battle to save the Buffalo River, and, as a result, I was imbued with a love of nature at an early age. I began my journey at age six and, some 70 years later, I’m still going. I love to hike, backpack, kayak, camp, and mountain bike; indeed, any activity that puts me in nature appeals to me. After retiring as a music professor at ASU in Jonesboro, I was able to fully concentrate on photography. Teaching photo classes at the Arkansas Craft School in Mountain View and Eureka Springs School of the Arts enables me to continue with my love of teaching.

Like so many others, I began taking photos as a way of recording my adventures. At the urging of several friends, I printed some and hung them in my office, where they served as a reminder of the places I had been. I had several requests for prints, and eventually began to sell a few. One thing led to another, and now, 20 years later, my photos can be seen in homes, businesses, hospitals, hotels, and galleries from New York to California.

In spite of this exposure, I strive to see nature with a fresh eye each time. With each frame I try to imagine not its commercial value, but the joy it may bring to the viewer. I enjoy capturing both the grand vistas and the intimate details that nature can offer. My goal is to capture not just the scene before me, but the emotion it evokes as well. If I can, through my photographs, pass on to the viewer how I felt at the moment I pressed the shutter, then I will have accomplished my goal.

In all my photos I strive for a natural image. It’s a point of pride with me that what you see in a photo is what I saw when I took it; no “enhancement” needed. Through digital imaging and processing, many dishonest pictures can be created. It is my strong belief that it’s impossible to improve on nature; why even try.

I’ve taken photo journeys across the Nation, from California to the Carolinas, and everywhere in between. Still, upon returning, I’m always drawn to the intimate beauty of Arkansas. We are blessed with incomparable treasures in our soaring bluffs and quiet, clear waters. I sometimes feel that we Arkansans have a bit of an inferiority complex about our State. Believe me, the more I travel, the more I come to realize that Arkansas has an appeal that is second to none. And I have the pictures to prove it.

For me, teaching is a special reward. Seeing the light in a student’s eyes as they grasp a concept is a moment like no other. Sharing nature through photography is something I will always treasure.

Website: www.wildcat-mountain-photography.com/

Phone: 870-219-3079

Email: edalex3079@gmail.com

To purchase Ed's work or discuss pricing, please visit his website or join us for his show in the ASUMH Art Gallery.

Jenna Wellein Art, January & February, 2025