Governor's Gallery
Charles R. Rushton
Waterworks and Walls
October 13 thru December 14, 2008
Well known for his portrait photography, Charles Rushton’s exhibit, Waterworks and Walls, is a diversion from his signature subject matter and is the first time this series of photographs has been displayed. In this exhibit, this Norman artist focused on everyday objects such as submerged trash and transformed them into items of beauty.
“I particularly like the effect of water on trash,” Rushton says. “I’m not that interested in trash itself -- I’m interested in how nature transforms it. It’s the action of the water twisting it and shaping it, and the sun fading things. These are the things that make the pictures interesting.”
Once he captures the image, Rushton makes his own contribution to transforming the materials. He uses formal elements and principles to attract, hold and lead the viewer’s eye through his images.
“I do not attempt to define the meaning of my images for the viewer. I want the viewer to complete the work, to interpret it in the context of his or her own experiences, values and point of view. Personally, I see certain concepts or themes that recur in my work, but it is not important to me that a viewer find these concepts in my images. What is important is that the viewer be moved to stop and consider the images and to react to them in a way that is meaningful to that viewer.”
Rushton began taking pictures as a child and set up his first darkroom at age 11. In his teens, he was a freelance photographer for his hometown newspaper, the Rochester Post Bulletin. Between 1980 and 2002, Rushton photographed 125 New Mexico artists and photographers. His photographs have appeared in numerous periodicals and monographs of regional, national and international importance and in numerous one-man and group exhibitions. His works are in the permanent collection of the Albuquerque Museum; the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman; Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee; and the Oklahoma State Art Collection.
Rushton started using a digital camera in 1998 and began exhibiting his digital images in 2002. He has studied photography under photographers Fred Picker and Oliver Gagliani and photographic portraiture under portrait photographers Arnold Newman and Rodney Smith. He has taught photography classes at Eastern New Mexico University, the Firehouse Art Center, the University of Oklahoma, Moore Norman Technology Center and Oklahoma City Community College.
Rushton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lawrence University, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from St. Thomas University, a Master of Arts in Library Science degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography degree from the University of Oklahoma. He currently teaches digital photography at Oklahoma City Community College and Moore-Norman Technology Center.
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information contact Amber Sharples at 405.521.2931 or amber.sharples@arts.ok.gov.
The Governor's Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the State Capitol outside the Blue Room and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30-5:00.
Past Governor's Gallery Exhibits