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Experience It, Protect It: Maine’s Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail
Through The Eyes of Environmental Photojournalist Bridget Besaw

Gala Opening Artist Reception & Discussion of Conservation in Maine’s North Woods

PORTLAND, ME — July 10, 2008 — Domaine Gallery and The Nature Conservancy present Bridget Besaw’s dramatic large-scale photographs from the Katahdin region of the Thoreau-Wabanaki trail for a special two-day event at the gallery located at 223 Commercial Street in Portland, Maine.  Twenty-five photographs are included in the exhibit, including many that are 4’x3’ or larger, with the largest at 6’x4.5’.

• Gala Opening – July 25, 5–8pm; meet Bridget Besaw and hear from Bruce Kidman, director of external affairs for The Nature Conservancy;  evening includes food, wine and live music; valet parking will also be provided.

• Additional Artist Appearance – July 26, 11am–2pm; Besaw’s extraordinary photographs are captured in her recent book, Wildness Within, Wildness Without, which will be on sale at the gallery.  The artist is donating 10% of her proceeds from book and print sales during the events and the continuing Domaine show, which closes August 8, to The Nature Conservancy for its work in Maine. 

“It’s rare to find someone who has gained respect as a photojournalist, who then becomes recognized in the world of nature photography and then adds another dimension – fine art photography,” said Clay Atkinson, co-owner of Domaine Gallery.  “Bridget has done that, and she reconnects us with nature by showing us that we belong there.  She shows us that we need to experience it and protect it.”

In 2006, Bridget Besaw photographed the Maine route that Henry David Thoreau and his guides from the Wabanaki tribe traveled a century and a half before.  She created a series of images depicting the many ways people can and are enjoying the waterways, and she also took the opportunity to show the value of connecting to nature. 

Besaw describes her philosophy and her approach to environmental photojournalism.  “I aspire to tell the story of the human connection to the planet.  My work is successful if the viewer wants to step into the image.”  She adds, “Like Thoreau, I believe that if you venture into the remote, wilder places on the earth, you will be rewarded with a deeper connection to the remote, wilder places in your heart.  In a very short time, nature will guide you gracefully or dramatically, but always beautifully to your own wildness within.  If I am allowed to experience and convey the power of these places, then don’t I have a responsibility to actively work for their protection?”

Atkinson and his partner Ann Packard are pleased to be able to share Besaw’s work with residents and visitors to the Greater Portland area.  “For me, it is very hard to separate Bridget from her work,” explains Atkinson.  “Like her photography, she personally delivers a strong message.  Unlike so many other writers and photographers, she reminds us about what’s still beautiful about nature and the value of our being a part of nature.  Instead of only telling us about our abuses, she provides us with a vision and path to redemption.”

Domaine Gallery is the region’s only fine-art photography gallery specializing in work that originates from Maine.  Its mission is to offer photography, decor accents and gifts presented in a friendly and inviting environment to the people who live in and visit Maine, so that they have a tangible reminder of what Maine means to them.  Domaine Gallery features photography from up-and-coming artists that meet a cross-section of personal tastes and decor needs, including work that runs from realism to abstract, on traditional and non-traditional surfaces and that utilize a range of photographic processes.  Each image comes with written notes from the photographer, including a brief description of the photographer's intent, feelings about their work, and intimate stories behind the capturing of each photograph. 
 
Click to read our Q&A with the Bridget Besaw and view images in our slideshow!

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.