Tuesday night was the opening reception to Mark Burns’ “Grand Canyon Photographs” exhibit featured at the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts in Spring, Texas. LEAP also had the opportunity to co-sponsor this exhibit earlier in the year at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville, so it has special meaning to us, no matter where it travels to.
Makayla Mason and Ilexus Williams arrived early to help set up the photography equipment to document Mark’s presentation. LEAP has worked very closely with Mark these last few years, and we always make an effort to attend his photography exhibit openings and receptions.
The Museum hosted a forum prior to the event, which began at 6:30. The audience was was welcomed to the Cypress Creek Christian Community Center (the venue hosting the forum) by the CCCCC Director Norma Lowrey…
while Pearl Fincher director Ani Boyajian introduced Mark Burns.
Mark then spoke for about an hour, describing some of his favorite photographs…
…where they were taken and a little back story about how he found that location, or how long it took him to get “The” shot.
Mark is a very good story- teller…
…and the audience stayed engaged throughout the discussion.
Following Mark’s closing comments about the exhibit, guests were encouraged to take a trip across the street to the exhibit where cheese and wine was being served.
Because this gallery was a bit larger than the gallery at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, several more photographs were being featured than were at the Huntsville gallery. These additional pieces included an interesting “mess-terpiece” as Mark called it, where he took one of his photographs and turned it into an abstract by adding paint and wax paper! It may have been my favorite conceptual piece.
Also featured was his photograph of the Milky Way taken at Angel’s Window, Grand Canyon North Rim.
I know this because Annie Jamarik and I were with him when he captured the shot! We’re a little biased, but we both agree that it is our favorite out of his many phenomenal photographs.
With another look around a gallery an obligatory group photo…
…we headed for a late dinner.
Peli Peli’s menu is full of flavorful South African inspired dishes, and several of the students could not contain the excitement when Professor Yawn announced our dinner destination. We started our dinner with two Bobotie appetizer dishes along with a South African Sampler.
Before long, those were scarfed down and our main courses arrived. A few entrees at our table included Chicken Espetada…
..Pan-Seared Kingklip, Porto Shrimp Scampi, and Lamb Samosa.
As always, we bargained bites from our plates for a taste of someone else’s! Last but definitely not least, we ordered dessert. But we did not just order dessert, we ordered two Sticky Toffee Puddings, a Chocolate Mousse Cake, and Melktert Brulee.
Overall, we had a great evening attending the photography exhibit and dinner!
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