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Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closing
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 12:30 pm
by maverick
(While there’s no official announcement by the Mountain Light Gallery on its website or Facebook page, other than a “Gallery Closing Print Sale” banner, the best information available, is that the gallery will likely close sometime after the middle of October, 2017.)
How many of you, have visited his gallery, while going thru Bishop?
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:24 pm
by Jason
Been there! I'm not a photographer, but my wife and I both enjoyed a couple visits there and seeing the amazing work. Maybe it's just because our visits there are linked to our vacations, and hence, some very fun memories, but it's sad to hear it's closing.
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:53 pm
by Tom_H
Didn't know about the gallery, but as a young man I was so inspired by the beauty of his art and the amazing adventures he and his compatriots undertook.
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 3:21 pm
by SirBC
That really sucks. I hit it every time I'm in Bishop, usually combined with a stop at Mountain Rambler Brewery. As many times as I've seen Galen's work I still get inspired with each viewing.
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 6:06 pm
by Shawn
Such a shame. I always enjoyed dropping in to have a look when time allowed on my way through town. Their website does confirm the "Gallery Closing Print Sale".
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:00 am
by SSSdave
I just passed by the gallery again last Thursday on my way up to camping along Bishop Creek. And of course have been inside a few times though not in recent years mainly because in the past as an 8-5 m-f working person, my PTO time was valuable thus made the most of it pursuing photography in that region. However now as a retired person with as much time as I want, am more apt to visit a range of places on road trips including whatever are current galleries about the Eastern Sierra.
Suspect the overhead of running the gallery, building costs and taxes, etc have simply reached a point profits are too marginal even if they continued to explore other ways to attract visitors. Simply put, most mountain enthusiasts just like me, have already been to the gallery so don't have as much reason to return even if other photographers are added into the mix. That said, I do think there is a need for a large photography gallery about the Eastern Sierra but the format will likely need to be radically different.
The greatest issue for photographers is about the logistics and cost of exhibiting large frame prints. An issue that makes showing all but a few pieces of a large body of work impossible. A location like Bishop is a long ways from where most photographer's live thus is only really practical for local photographers who are few and even then being any kind of artist is often a most difficult way to make a living. I stopped selling prints years ago after Calypso Imaging closed because of that and instead went back to my hi tech hardware electronics career here in Silicon Valley where I could make a good wage with certainty. I've been looking at the solution to the above dilemma for years that is only now rising into reality. That is 8k UHD monitor displays that I expect to be the first photographer to venture into because early implementers will need to have considerable hardware and software skills to deal with what will not be consumer level products for several years.
David
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:29 pm
by fishmonger
I've visited once many years ago. Always liked that such a venue existed in a small place like Bishop, underlining how picturesque the whole area is.
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 6:57 am
by oldhikerQ
I have stopped there over a dozen times since it opened. Met Galen way back and talked to him about choosing between two images. Sad to see it go.
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:25 pm
by Harlen
That's too bad, but I was even sorrier to have seen Galen Rowell and his wife "go" in that plane crash. I read his book In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods, and was inspired. A great climber and photographer, but I was happy to learn from rock climbers who bouldered around in the same area as Rowell, that he was a friendly and humble guy. Like Oldhiker, I once had a nice chat with him at his gallery, and he truly seemed a genuinely nice guy.
I wonder if that beautiful photo gallery will become a dreary old bank again?
Re: Gallen Rowell's "Mountain Light Gallery" in Bishop Closi
Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:09 pm
by Jimr
Just stopped by there today. several empty wall spaces. I guess if you stop by to view, but don't buy, there is no chance for survival.