Hear from the artists, Terry Koopman, Ashlee Richardson, and Dan Toberer as they discuss some of their work displayed in the Earth and Sky Exhibit, now showing in the Hallway Gallery.
This show will be up through Oct. 25.
Terry Koopman
I have been in the world of photography for over 40 years. I cut my teeth on film but have embraced digital technology. I realized that as the world keeps getting faster and more convenient, we just don’t stop and take a look at the beauty around us. A flower, a stream, even a cloud has a God given beauty that should not be taken for granted. My mission is to capture the beauty that abounds in our everyday life and transform it into a piece of art that can be appreciated every day.
Ashlee Richardson
I work as a physical therapist and own a Pilates studio and physical therapy clinic in Omaha and keep busy with a plethora of hobbies when I’m not working – my favorite being photography. I love all things outside and am the caretaker of a prairie in rural Nebraska, dog lover, and very enthusiastic cyclist. My home on the prairie allows for some amazing photographic opportunities, but I also love traveling to and photographing remote, hard to reach places. The main inspiration for my photography is to motivate others to get out and enjoy what is around them, even if that means setting the alarm just a wee bit earlier to catch the sunrise, stepping away from the screen for a moment to appreciate a sunset or getting out to take a walk or bike ride, even if it’s just around the block. This world is full of beauty and I hope my photographs inspire others to get out and experience it.
Daniel Toberer
From an early age Dan was exposed to art and creativity regularly. It was not until his mid-twenties that he found his artistic direction – grounded in clay and other elemental materials. His work in clay focuses on large thrown vessels and utilizes wood as well as gas to fire. Dan also invests time in harvesting and processing local woods into beams and planks, which he hopes can be the basis for work in a new direction.
“Like so many potters that have come before me, it was magic seeing a pot thrown on the wheel for the first time. I was 26, and from that moment on, pottery was going to be an everyday part of my life, physically and mentally. I was fortunate enough to partner with a recent MFA graduate from Iowa eager to start his own studio. I was making 1-pound pots at the time, but the studio had these massive kilns leftover from the Bemis Art Center’s ceramic studio. So began a long journey of learning how to make life size pots.
Having spent a four-year apprenticeship in sculpture, I viewed the pots I was making as sculptural and part of a landscape instead of focusing on functional wares. I have been continually asked throughout my life as a potter if these big pots are for someone and the answer has always been simple. I make them for me. When one of my large pieces finds a home, it is confirmation of my passion.”