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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PICTURE THIS! AT THE COUNCIL Most Chambersburg photographers will recognize Denise Dockey as the smiling face that greets them as they enter her current workplace, LA Cameras. “Every day when I walk through the doors, I feel like I’m walking into a giant digital photo album of the world’s memories,” she says. “What a cool job!” Denise Dockey got “bit” by the photo bug her senior year of high school, and her love for people and photography has drawn her into retail, where she can help others achieve great photographs. Her achievements include a one person show at the New Cumberland (PA) Library, acceptance into juried shows at the DOSHI gallery in Harrisburg and the Mechanicsburg Art Center, where she won 1st place in their New Member Show, and many awards in the membership shows of the Franklin County Art Alliance. Her favorite subjects are architecture and sculpture, where she loves to scope out an image by capturing it from different angles. A native of Chambersburg, Chuck Armstrong was given his first camera in 1982, when he graduated from high school, and joined the Army soon after. After travels throughout the US and in Germany, Armstrong studied at the New York Institute of Photography, and in many private workshops, inspired first by his grandmother, Chambersburg quilt-maker Ruth Armstrong, and by the great photographers such as Edward Weston and Ruth Bernhard. “I’ve won a few contests”, he admits, “and earned a trip to Texas with a black and white image I took of our (Chambersburg) fountain on the Square.” Armstrong has also earned entry into the competitive Cumberland Valley Photographic Salon at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, and the Archival Merit Award while at the New York Institute of Photography. His photography business is named “Element of the Eye Photography”. “I’m currently working on a series of photographs looking at the influences on the female child,” explains Kristen Pixler, “where I combine images of my family with landscapes, to create a narrative that hints at the fairytale stories I read as a child.” After earning her MFA degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, Kristen worked as a commercial photographer in Richmond for 5 years, and then decided to go back to school for her teaching certification. She taught art and photography in the area high school for 5 years before moving to Chambersburg with her husband's job. Kristen is currently teaching as an adjunct professor at Harrisburg Area Community College and freelancing as a fine and commercial artist. She has shown work in the Anderson Gallery in Richmond, and various public and private collections throughout the region. She recently had work displayed in group shows at the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Art Association of Harrisburg. Bill Stoler is a photographer based in Greencastle and specializing in weddings and motor sports. “My fascination with photography began as a teen,” he says, “but I didn't really shoot professionally until about 5 years ago. When I'm not shooting weddings, I'm shooting sports cars for vintage motor sports groups at Summit Point WV, Watkins Glen NY, and Millville NJ.” Bill has also taught evening photography classes at the Franklin County Career and Technology Center and the Council for the Arts. “The most important event that I shoot each year is the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, which takes place in Schenley Park and features antique and historic racing cars. It’s the only vintage race run on city streets in the US, and will be in its 30th year next year. All the proceeds go to the Pittsburgh Autism Society and the Allegheny School for children with autism. After discovering it a few years ago, I became a rather passionate supporter of the event, and now I'm a contributing photographer.” The Council for the Arts displays the work of local artists in its Capitol Theatre Center location at 159 South Main Street, Chambersburg. For more information, call the Council at 717-264-6883. |