"Going Green," presented by Gateway Gallery July 14, 2011

Gallery hours are Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 11-7, Sat. 11-6, Sunday 10-5. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Gateway Gallery presents “Going Green,” July 13 through Aug. 26, featuring the photography, drawings and paintings of resident artist Garry McMichael. Additionally, guest photographer Jerry Schmutz, “en plein air” artist Michele Wells and photographer Greg Matchick will be exhibiting in the feature gallery.
For three decades Garry McMichael has been traveling the back roads of Middle America, especially the Ozarks, capturing its beauty with the camera, charcoals, pastels and paint. “Going Green” reflects McMichael’s constant search for those fleeting moments when the landscape, the atmospheric conditions and the ever-changing light come together in a flash of visual inspiration. Whether it’s the ebb and flow of the Mississippi River, a quiet walk through the rugged Ozark Mountains, or watching a summer thunderstorm roll across the prairie, McMichael’s work speaks to the dynamic beauty of our region.
Life-long photographer Jerry Schmutz brings an enlightened eye to his recent work that blends the possibilities of the camera and the computer. He firmly believes that there is an element of art in almost everything we see. The trick, he says, is to isolate that element and capture it in an image – one that reflects a unique or unexpected point of view. When accomplished well, he adds, it is like capturing a bit of magic – once and gone.
A native of Vancouver, Michele Wells has a long history as an artist, but it wasn’t until she moved to St. Louis in the mid-‘90s that she pursued art as a career. Here, she took up watercolors and eventually switched to pastels as an award-winning “plein air” artist. Wells’ colorful, sprawling landscapes and abstract studio pieces are a perfect complement to “Going Green.”
A self-taught photographer, native St. Louisan Greg Matchick has honed his creative eye and techniques through years of trial and error. Using what light he has available and a keen eye for composition, his work has now been published in national photography magazines. For more than a decade, Greg has been visiting Europe and has produced a large body of work composed of images from Italy, France, England, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Poland, Budapest, Prague and most recently, Slovenia. He also enjoys photographing nature and landscapes. His portfolio of images includes scenes of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite as well as the beauty of Missouri.
Established in 2004, Gateway Gallery is a unique, co-op art gallery exhibiting 18 regional, award-winning artists whose work ranges from traditional landscape to contemporary abstraction. Ranging media includes oil, pastel, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, photography, ceramics, and woodworking. Exhibits typically run every six weeks, featuring one of the gallery’s 18 artists as well as three visiting artists. Located in downtown Clayton, Mo., the gallery is walking distance to other galleries and many of St. Louis’ finest restaurants and cafés, making it a “must-stop” destination for art lovers, art collectors and designers.
Gallery hours are Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 11-7, Sat. 11-6, Sunday 10-5. Closed Monday and Tuesday. www.GatewayGalleryOnline.com

Official Website: http://www.gatewaygalleryonline.com