HOW TO GO
What: "House of Photography" exhibit
Where: The Westcott House, 1340 E. High St., Springfield
When: Opened on Sept. 12 and on view through Oct. 30. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays
Admission: Free for WHF members, $15 adults, $12 seniors (65 and older), AAA members, students with valid ID and groups of eight or more. In October it will have a two-for-one ticket price.
More info: (937) 327-9291 or www.westcotthouse.org
“House of Photography,” a new exhibit at the Westcott House, highlights more than 25 juried photographs representing the theme urban spaces. Drawing inspiration from the work of prolific architectural photographer and Springfield native Berenice Abbott, the show is part of a regional initiative titled FotoFocus, and represents “the elegances, the squalor, the curiosities, the monuments, the sad faces, the triumphant faces, the power, the irony, the strength, the decay, the past, the present, the future of a city.” (Berenice Abbott, 1940)
“This is the first time we’ve had a juried photography show,” said Marta Wojcik, executive director and curator of the Westcott House. “FotoFocus is a regional initiative, and they invited us to participate. It’s a celebration of photography both historic and contemporary.”
Both professional and amateur photographers entered the competition. Featured professional artists include: Bill Foley, William J. Jones, Nate Mathews, Briana Snyder, Gregory Spaid and Maury Wyckoff. Among the featured amateur artists are: Roxandra Antoniadis, Daniel Burden, Bruce Campbell, Larry Coressel, Barbara Edwards, Bill Franz, John Hollingshead, Mikee Huber, Kevin Kampman, Craig Lloyd, Gary Mitchell, Richard G. Spangler, Mark Stephenson, Jane Grant Tougas, Brian Williams and Dan Wheeler.
Wojcik said that the Westcott house will celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month in October by offering two-for-one tour admission deals for newspaper readers. “I hope that people will take advantage of this opportunity and see the show,” said Wojcik. Visitors to the exhibit also get to tour the Westcott House and vote on their favorite entry to win the people’s choice award.
Guided tours of The Westcott House are available May through October, on Wednesdays through Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and on Sundays between 1 and 4 p.m. Admission is $10.50 for adults, $9 for ages 65 and older and $9 for students. Tickets are required, and reservations for tours are encouraged. The visit includes a 45-minute house tour by a Westcott House docent plus an eight-minute video on Frank Lloyd Wright and The Westcott House restoration process.
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