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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 2015)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 4, 2015 7A Ron, left, and Su Mittag talk over cups of coffee Mon- day after putting up a display of Ron’s photos at Rick’s Place in Monmouth. The display, on the wall behind the cou- ple, features photos printed on canvas and metal. The pho- tos picture scenes from Oregon, Idaho and Arizona, places the Mittags have traveled over the years. The exhibit “Light and Shadow” will be at Rick’s Place through No- vember. JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Photographic Adventurer By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer Photo excursions DALLAS — Ron and Su Mittag, now Dallas resi- dents, visited Oregon a number of years ago, finding themselves sightseeing in Newport. They decided to drive south on Highway 101 from there into California to see the famous redwoods. The couple arrived days, not hours, later. They didn’t have car trouble. Ron had his camera with him — photography has be- come something of a second career for him — and the natural beauty of Oregon’s South Coast was just too much for him to resist. “It’s not really a long drive, but it took us two and half days because we were stop- ping about every 10 or 15 minutes to take photos, and to look, and explore all the little towns on the coast,” Ron said Monday. Ron and Su moved to Dal- las permanently since that marathon trip down the Oregon coast, following Ron’s mother to the state. In the years before mov- ing here, the couple found their visits each year were getting longer and longer. Eventually, they rented a place in Tigard and split time between there and Ari- zona where they lived previ- ously. It wasn’t long before they decided to make Ore- gon their full-time home. “We cut through Dallas on our way to the coast and just came in and were look- ing around,” Ron explained. “We just really like the com- munity. It had a really nice feel to it, so we ended up buying a house.” • “Light and Shadow” will be on display at Rick’s Place Cofee, 123 E. Main St., Monmouth. • To see more on Ron Mittag’s work or to order photos, go to www.Ron- Mittag.com. Custom or- ders are welcome. For more information, call Ron at 606-448-3636. They have found them- selves on a number of excur- sions since, exploring places they haven’t seen before, al- ways with Ron’s cameras in tow. “We like kind of going out and wandering around and catching things, taking shots,” he said. Monday the couple put up an exhibit featuring what Ron has captured on those and other adventures at Rick’s Place Coffeehouse in Monmouth. Called “Light and Shad- ow,” the exhibit includes photos using the interplay of dark and light to create stunning images. Many are natural land- scapes like forest and ocean scenes, but Ron also shoots cars, wine bottles and other ordinary objects. His method in choosing a subject is simple: whatever catches his eye. That includes when he or Su are driving. “I’ve been known to do a hard U-turn on a highway to get back to a shot,” Ron said. “Or a hard brake,” Su added, smiling. He said he often puts him- self in precarious positions on the side of a highway in pursuit of a good photo. One of a Kind Gifts JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Ron Mittag calls photography his “second career,” though admittedly more relaxed than his first in city government. Ron and his wife, Su, moved to Dallas recently. “You know, when you see something, you have to stop and try and get it,” he ex- plained. Ron, with the help of Su, prints many of his photos on canvas and metal, rather than displaying them in tra- ditional frames. The meth- ods bring out different fea- tures in his photos. Ron likes to work with re- flections, and metal, which gives the photos a glossy look, captures that. One of his favorite subjects, cars, print well on metal. Canvas, on the other hand, lends a “softer” appearance to what he shoots. “I love doing flowers on canvas. To me they have a little softer feel to it, a little warmer feel,” Ron said. JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Rick’s Place has for 20 years offered space for local artists to display and sell their work . Ron’s “Light and Shadow” exhibit will be on display through November at Rick’s Place, 123 E. Main St., Mon- mouth. Ron said they ran Furniture Upholstery All types: for homes, offices, equip- ment. Also, repairs, RV cushions, slipcovers, High Quality since 1966 Stephen from the Heart Winters Sewing Art gifts from Willamette Valley artists. 503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266 Emmy Joseph 440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351 www.winterssewing.com Serving Polk County 16yrs Holiday Show November 3 - December 28 Opening Reception r Novembe 7 m 4-6 p If you haven’t visited our land- mark gallery yet, come visit us this Holiday season. If you know us, you’ll be delighted with the new work of our 40+ artists. Local artists, great art! Something for everyone. Visit our website for hours, samples of our artists work and info on upcoming events. www.rivergalleryart.com Now providing Agricultural & Residential electrical services! Now serving all of Polk County! • LED Lighting • Panel Inspection • Solar Water Pumping • Variable Frequency Drives Installation & Service • Well Pump Sales & Service Call Brock Blacklaw to schedule an appt! Mobile: 503.757.8382 • Phone: 503.633.1111 www.ernstirrigation.com E A n sk about our 184 S. Main Street, Independence CCB# 185365 d of Seas on Specials! into owner Rick Gydesen at Art in the Park in Dallas this summer and he invited the couple to show Ron’s work. “It’s a place for local artists to exhibit their work if they are not able to do that at a gallery or public show,” Gydesen said. “We happen to have the space.” Ron said he’s grateful for the support people like Gy- desen have given his hobby- turned-retirement job. His first career was in city gover nment, where he worked 30 years. He found a creative outlet in photogra- phy after taking a black and white art photography class. While still working, he most- ly just gave photos as gifts to friends and family. Five years ago, after he re- tired, two friends invited him to display some of his photos in an art show. That is when his “second career” started. “That was the first time we did an art show and we had really good success there, so we started doing some of the same art shows they did,” Ron said. He’s taken a decidedly more relaxed approach to his work this time around. He’s doing just a handful of shows each year while dis- playing his work at Rick’s Place and other venues in the Willamette Valley. “Some of my friends who are photographers are out almost every weekend. I’m not looking to have that hec- tic of a life anymore, so we try and pick three or four a year,” Ron said. “Some (are) local and we’ll do a couple where we are traveling to give us an excuse to go somewhere.” So does his camera. “We like to like to go out and wander around, and the stuff we see that is interest- ing, we take photos of,” Ron said. “Some things, you just stumble upon them.” Matinees are all shows before 6pm. New pricing for matinees are: Adult $7.25 Children $6.75 • Senior $7.00 Pricing does not reflect 3D showings. Friday, Saturday & Sunday Nov. 6 - 8 GOOSEBUMPS (2D) (PG) (11:45 2:05 4:35) 7:10 PEANUTS MOVIE (Digital 2D) (G) (11:25 12:00 12:30) PEANUTS MOVIE (Digital 2D) (G) (2:50 4:40 5:10) 7:05 PEANUTS MOVIE (NEC DOLBY 3D) (G) (2:20) 9:25 BURNT (Digital) (R) 7:25 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION (Digital 2D) (R) 9:35 *SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13) (11:40 1:30 2:50 4:45) 6:05 *SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13) 8:00 THE MARTIAN (Digital 2D) (PG13) (12:25 3:25) 6:35 LAST WITCH HUNTER (Digital) (PG13) BRIDGE OF SPIES (Digital) (PG13) (12:20 3:25) 6:30 OUR BRAND IS CRISIS (Digital) (R) (2:00 4:30) SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE (Digital) (R) (11:50) 10:00 9:30 7:00 9:20 9:30 9:25 Monday Nov. 9 - Thursday Nov. 12 GOOSEBUMPS (2D) (PG) (2:05 4:35) 7:10 PEANUTS MOVIE (Digital 2D) (G) (12:30 2:50 4:40 5:10) 7:05 PEANUTS MOVIE (NEC DOLBY 3D) (G) (2:20) 9:25 BURNT (Digital) (R) 7:25 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION (Digital 2D) (R) 9:35 Thursday Nov. 5 *SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13) (1:30 2:50 4:45) 6:05 *SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13) 8:00 THE MARTIAN (Digital 2D) (PG13) (12:25 3:25) 6:35 LAST WITCH HUNTER (Digital) (PG13) BRIDGE OF SPIES (Digital) (PG13) (12:20 3:25) 6:30 OUR BRAND IS CRISIS (Digital) (R) (2:00 4:30) SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE (Digital) (R) 10:00 9:30 7:00 9:20 9:30 9:25