Meet Bill LaPorte, Photographer

Greetings, art lovers!

Please meet and greet local photographer Bill LaPorte (left) and welcome him to the Black Iris family.

Bill has worked here at Black Iris for nearly a year as my assistant framer. If you've had framing done in the last year, it was probably Bill who cut your mats and built your frame. He's very detail oriented and exact in his work, and I couldn't be happier to introduce you to one of his other passions--photography. Here is what Bill has to say about his camera work:

"I take pictures. I am always searching, questing, for the perfect photograph, and I hope I never get it. Once I do, I’ll be done, and I always want to be taking and sharing good photos.

Having lived in God's County all my life, I strive to capture the beautiful wildlife, flowers, and landscapes of northern Wisconsin and beyond. We live in heaven on earth, and that’s all anyone can ask for. Please visit my Web site for images of Zion National Park, Glacier National Park, the Rockys, the Smokeys, and more.

I also book photography sessions for individual portraits, family portraits, weddings, corporate photography, pet photos, and of course senior pictures for graduates of high school and college. If you need a professional photograph for personal or business use, please call me.

One of my specialties is using PhotoShop CS3 to restore vintage photographs. If you need an heirloom photo repaired or retouched, please let me know. I can reproduce your image, good as new, in several sizes on your choice of cotton, matte, glossy, or plain paper and even canvas.

I look forward to hearing from you. To learn more, please visit my Web site at http://www.billlaportephotography.com/ or call 715-520-2203.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Bill LaPorte, Spooner, WI
http://www.billlaportephotography.com/
715-520-2203"

Please note: Bill's photography is now on display at Black Iris Gallery. You can buy his framed images, matted prints, and greeting cards at very reasonable prices. See you soon at Black Iris!

Yours in Art,
JoAnn Martin
Black Iris Gallery & Custom Framing
Hwy 63 * 410 N River Street
Spooner, WI 54801
Free Parking on Oak Street
715-635-4548
http://www.blackirisframing.com

2nd Annual Photo Show at Black Iris Gallery in Spooner

Members of the Northern Lights Camera Club (NLCC), which meets monthly in Spooner, Wisconsin, will showcase their latest works at the Second Annual Photo Exhibit on Saturday, August 8, 2009, 5 - 8 PM, at an Artist Reception.

The public is invited to meet the exhibitors, enjoy and buy quality photography, and share appetizers and beverages at the event, which is hosted by Black Iris Gallery & Custom Framing on Hwy 63 in downtown Spooner.

The show will hang until Saturday, September 12. All framed photographs, matted prints, and greeting cards are available for sale by the photographers themselves. The photo shown here, called Walk with Me, was taken by Anna Merritt, owner of Misty Pine Photography in Gordon, Wisconsin at Copper Falls State Park near Mellen, Wisconsin.

“After the success of last year’s show, the leadership team felt it was important to keep the Club’s creative momentum going,” says JoAnn Martin, owner of the Black Iris Gallery & Custom Framing and a business sponsor of the Club. “They decided an annual Photo Show would be a great way to do that, and I’m honored that Black Iris Gallery can be a part of it.”

“This year’s show includes several new members to the club,” adds Barb Ray, a photographer from Birchwood, Wisconsin. “Our members range from portrait and wedding photographers to those who shoot street scenes, architecture, wildlife, nudes, and still lifes. Everyone is welcome,” explains Ray. “From beginners to professionals.”

On Saturday, August 8, from 5 - 8 PM, you can meet the photographers in person at the show’s Opening Reception. You’ll also learn about the Northern Lights Camera Club and its mission while enjoying the freshest works by the most talented photographers in the area.

The Gallery’s summer hours are Monday – Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Enjoy free parking on Oak Street. For more information about the show, please call 715-635-4548 or visit http://www.blackirisframing.com/ and click “Art Shows.” See you Saturday, August 8, at Black Iris Gallery in Spooner.