Solo Exhibit: Tom Schultheis — January 2021
Thomas Schultheis is a local artist photographer who has lived and worked in Virginia Beach for nearly 40 years. He is an exhibiting artist and supporting member at the Artists Gallery in Virginia Beach, and his photos can be seen in a variety of local venues on the walls of numerous Hampton Roads establishments . His work has also been chosen for inclusion in numerous juried exhibitions, including events sponsored by the Chrysler Museum and the the d’Art Center in Norfolk as well as the Artists Gallery. although he has traveled extensively throughout the United States and has visited more than 50 foreign countries, he will readily tell you that no matter where he is, he'd prefer to be at home in coastal Virginia taking pictures with the possible exception of Sardinia.
Or maybe Tuscany.
The Olympic gold medalist Eric Liddle is often quoted: “I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” I feel much the same way about my motivation for taking photographs. Why do I do it? I’m grateful that God has blessed me with a rather good sense of design, color, and composition, but to what end? Maybe it is sufficient to simply say that when I photograph something that in some way resonates with me and may possibly connect with others as well then, to borrow the words of Liddle, “I feel His pleasure.”
I am an art photographer who started taking pictures around the time of my 60th birthday. I own only one camera with one lens. There are worlds of photographic styles and capabilities I will never achieve with my one camera and one lens, but I leave those worlds to those who feel destined to explore them. I choose instead to keep it simple and to embrace the possibilities with the tools God has given me.
"Father and Son"
Photo, digitally enhanced, printed on art paper
Dimensions: 8”x 8” | Framed : 14" x 14"
This was created from an original candid photo I took while walking along the beach one day. I was struck by the overall composition and wanted to see it on art paper rather than photo paper. This was the result.
"Quechua Woman"
Photo, digitally enhanced, printed on art paper
Dimensions: 12”x 9” | Framed : 22.5" x 18.5"
While planning a project to build a Christian radio station to reach out to a Quechua people group high in the Andes, I happened upon this stunning woman and took a candid photo. I later experimented with digitally modifying the image to give it a hand-painted look and to bring out the colors even more. The original photo is one of the best shots I’ve ever taken.
“Koi”
Photo, digitally enhanced, printed on art paper
Dimensions: 9”x 7” | Framed : 16" x 13"
The vivid colors of the koi in my friend's pond caught my eye. This is an original photo digItally manipulated by a variety of tools (including a cell phone app) to give it a more hand-created feeling. I also darkened the background to make the bright colors stand out even more.
"Villasimius"
Photo, digitally enhanced, printed on art paper
Dimensions: 12”x 9” | Framed : 20" x 16"
One of the things I have enjoyed most about photography has been the opportunity to make connections with people around the world. One of them is a brilliant Sardinian photographer who invited me to spend four days shooting photos with him in Sardinia. Our first stop was this beautiful strand of beach known as Villasimius surrounded by a shallow turquoise bay on one side and the azure of the Mediterranean on the other. I applied a few tricks from my cell phone to give the original photo a watercolor feel and printed it on art paper rather than photo paper.
"Self Portrait"
Modified original photo
Dimensions: 8”x 8” | Framed : 14" x 14"
A few years ago I began experimenting with a number of phone apps and tools in Photoshop. This was the result. I suppose I am somewhat of a chameleon.
"Beautiful Swimmer"
Photo
Dimensions: 17.5”x 5” | Framed : 25" x 12"
The title is borrowed from the title of the wonderful book "Beautiful Swimmers, Watermen, Crabs, and the Chesapeake Bay" by William W. Warner. Having grown up in Baltimore and Virginia Beach, I have never been far from the bay, and the blue crab has always been a much cherished neighbor as well as a favorite meal.
"Urban Living"
Photo print
Dimensions: 16”x 6” | Framed : 20.5" x 10"
I was setting up for an exhibit at the old D'Art Center in Norfolk when I noticed just up the street a block of buildings had been torn down. This exposed the fire escapes and general grittiness of the buildings on the remaining alley. I took four separate photos, then removed the keystone effect and hand-stitched them together in Photoshop. For me it was all about the composition...
"Happy"
Photo print
Dimensions: 12”x 9” | Framed : 20" x 16"
There was something about the exuberance of this little girl that captured my heart. It was taken one evening on the steps at Mount Trashmore. Try to imagine the song "Happy" by Pharrell Williams as you look at it.
"14th Street Pier"
Photo print on aluminum
Dimensions: 30”x 20”
Every now and then a sunrise will leave you breathless. This one over the 14th Street Pier in the early morning did just that. I believe God likes to play with the colors in the same way artists do...
"The Crab"
Photo print on aluminum
Dimensions: 30”x 20”
I enjoy walking on the beach early in the morning before the tourists wake up. One morning I captured this man catching a crab off the end of the 14th Street Pier.
"Independence Day"
Photo print on aluminum
Dimensions: 20” x 30”
Occasionally while driving home from work I’d take a detour through some of the older neighborhoods in Norfolk, looking for something of interest to photograph. One evening I came upon the flags, backlit by the sun, flying from all the houses on College Place. As it happens, the flags fly every day on College Place. A beautiful tradition if you ask me.
"The Claw"
Photo print on aluminum
Dimensions: 20” x 30”
I love this shot because it shows the beautiful natural rich blue of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab, a color that fades into orange once they are steamed and presented on newspaper with a mallet.
"Sunday Evening on the Pier"
Photo print on aluminum
Dimensions: 15” x 10”
This was taken at the Lynnhaven Pier before it was torn down. While enjoying the regular Sunday evening fellowship on the bay with our small group, I managed to hop up and capture this crowd silhouetted against a beautiful late summer sunset. Lucky catch!
"Crabbing at Sunset"
Photo print on aluminum
Dimensions: 15” x 10”
Our small group meets on Sunday evenings, and in the summer we meet at the bay, circle the beach chairs, and enjoy the fellowship with a backdrop of beautiful sunsets. This was taken on one of those Sunday evenings.