By Ruthann Brady

Current exhibitions by River City Art Association, Inc. include Jeff Paitson at the Vigo County Public Library, Debbie Anderson at Clabber Girl and other members at the Landing at Fort Harrison and In October Debbie Anderson will exhibit at the Vigo Public County Library.

An opening reception is slated for Anderson’s exhibit at Clabber Girl for September 16th, 6 to 7 pm.  After taking inlaid wood (Intarsia) lessons from Charlie Girton in the fall of 1999, Anderson fell in love with medium wood. Anderson designs doors, murals, portraits and abstract pieces. Anderson has won numerous “Best of Show”, 1st place awards and several “People’s Choice” awards. Debbie Anderson was raised in Terre Haute and now resides in Park Country. She holds degrees in Art Education and Physical Education. Anderson has taught Physical Ed for Vigo County School Corporation for over twenty years and is currently teaching at Lost Creek where her two granddaughters are among her students. Debbie Anderson hobbies include running, biking and swimming. She competed in the “Ironman” triathlon in Hawaii and received a gold medal in the Masters 800 Meter run in Australia. Anderson was number 30 on the Tribune-Star Greatest Athletes List of the 1990’s. Debbie Anderson and her husband Joe are members of the Bridgeton United Methodist Church.

Jeff Paitson, owner of Paitson Bros. Heating & Air-Conditioning fell in love with photography during his teen years. “One night while visiting a girlfriend, her father motioned for me to come down to the basement so he could show me his hobby. I politely accepted out of respect, but I had no idea how that one moment would change my life. The stairs were narrow leading down to the small basement. There were books and boxes everywhere, Jars of chemicals, containers of film and photographic paper. Photographic negative strips were hanging from the ceiling and there was a slightly noticeable chemical odor. There were pictures everywhere; all sizes all shapes and all black-and-white. On a homemade workbench was his prized possession, the enlarger. I said, “what is this and what do you do with it?” What happened next was that I had my eyes opened to the world of photography. I spent the next two hours learning how to print pictures and I was hooked. I eventually got my own camera and a larger. I set up my own darkroom in my parent’s basement. I went on to become the head photographer for the yearbook at Terre Haute South high school. During my junior year I attended Operation Catapult Rose-Hulman where we worked with lasers and created some of the first holograms.” After completing a mechanical engineering degree at Rose-Hulman Paitson decided to pursue a career with his father at Paitson Bros. Paitson’s darkroom was long gone as his focus changed to career and family. 35 years later, he again turned to his love of photography. Photography has advanced a lot in 35 years. We are now in the digital age where the computer is the darkroom. Book publishing has also entered the digital age where books can now be written and published by individuals and printed on-demand. “As my son, Adam, the fourth generation of Paitson’s, enters the family business, I will hopefully and gradually be able to spend more of my “spare” time pursuing my love of photography and writing”, comments Paitson.

Paitson’s vision is to use his love of photography and the pictures he creates to illustrate lessons he has learned and to show his children and grandchildren that God is present all around them and that He will instruct them how to live their life through His Word.

Paitson has been instructed by some of the best professionals in the business: Peter Mortimer; former Photographic Editor for Arizona Highways Magazine, Steve Burger; Print Master at Prodigital Imaging, and Mark Kettenhofen; Nikon Professional Services instructor. Paitson has been published in the L.A.Times and is the recipient of numerous awards. To learn more visit www.paitsonphotography.com.

The first Tuesday of the month is “Meet the Artist” night at The Landing, 3350 N. 4th St. Terre Haute, In beginning at 5 PM. Member’s art is also on display at Ed and Kathy Cook Photography, Number 7 Lower level Meadows and The Golden Frame at 509 E. Vorhees, Terre Haute, IN.

More information about River City Art association may be viewed at http://rcaa.info or call Ruthann Brady at 812 235 5759