BELLOWS FALLS — Canal Street Art Gallery, 23 Canal St., presents “The Spaulding Dunbar Photo-Poet Solo Show,” the artist's inaugural solo show that runs Friday, April 8, through Saturday, May 7, with an opening from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 8.
The show features archival and UV-coated original prints of photographs taken by the artist on Anjali Farm in Vermont, along the New England coastline, and while visiting family in India.
According to a news release, the collection “tells tales of cycles, rhythms, order within chaos, familiar connections, comforting realities and obvious similarities we all experience” and “shares the artist's passion for his land stewardship experience through narrative images and portraits telling stories of the natural environment and the daily experience of human habitation in it.”
Installed in parallel with the prints is poetry written by the artist. His writing expresses the narrative of his process and practice using the camera to capture the photo-poetry of the natural and built world.
“I hope that this body of work will inspire you to cherish what we have, who we are and who we can become collectively,” he wrote in his artist statement. “My passion and purpose are to connect all people with the soil, plants and the community we share in our lives. The photographic images are from before, during, and after the global pandemic that arrested most of us and the routines we knew.
“They tell stories of moments in time and places on earth. What a hard thing it has been to change how, where, and when we do the things we always took for granted in this overdeveloped society! I feel so fortunate to have been living in Vermont for the last two decades with a focus on a less-is-more way of life as a small farmer and community organizer.”
E. Spaulding Dunbar, based in South Londonderry, lives and works from Anjali Farm with his family and is an active community organizer. Dunbar's 25 years of organic farming experience on Anjali Farm greatly influences his artwork, his community outlook with his methods of servant leadership, and project management.
Dunbar is the co-founder and business director at Canal Street Art Gallery , the current president of the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance, a board member of Main Street Arts in Saxtons River, and recently has held the position of development director for the town of Rockingham.
He says his passion for collective efforts to foster positive change with mission-driven organizations is what he harnesses to be a champion for Windham County whenever he can.