Orinda Art Scene – August 2025

    An entire gallery devoted to photographs awaits you from Aug. 4 to Sept. 5 in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library.
    Photographers Lucy Beck, Greg Garthe, Jennifer Lothrigel and Karl Stinson each have their own theme for this show and they will all be at the gallery Aug. 9. The 2:30–4:30 p.m. reception on the patio adjacent to the gallery will also include light refreshments.
    Beck’s 10 botanical photographs show viewers it is worthwhile taking time to see the remarkable small beauty in flowers, sometimes right below their feet. She hopes their fragile charm inspires us to do what we can to keep them alive.
    “Revealing and Concealing,” her 18” x 22” photographic print on Japanese Washi paper, truly communicates the sublime beauty she cherishes. Visit tinyurl.com/3hykd5dt for more of her work.
    Garthe began working with photographs and film at age 6, and 25 years later, is still going strong. His 24” x 36” photographic print on metal, “Rathambore Male Tiger,” depicts a fleeting moment in the Rathambore National Park near Jaipur, India.
    The park is famous for its Bengal tigers. Notable males include Sultan, Kumbha, Jai and Dollar/Zaalim. These tigers have established territories, displayed unique behaviors and some have become local legends. A dozen of his photographs will be on view this coming month, but you can see more at allnaturalimages.com.
    Lothrigel is also a 25-year photographer. Her exhibit draws from photos of Briones Nature Preserve, right in the middle of Contra Costa County, featuring miles of tremendous parkland views, Mount Diablo and the Delta.
    “My photos document a period of seven years of daily hikes in Briones,” she said. “I am inspired by the work of artists Ana Mendieta and Francesca Woodman because of their engagement with their bodies and the natural world that is apparent in their work. This relationship between body and earth inspires me.” View her work at JenniferLothrigel.com.
    Stinson’s 16 travel photos show his love for experiencing new places and new things. “Photography allows me to document and remember my adventures in life,” he said.
    His theme is black-and-white photos, which he dedicates to the people from around the world he met and photographed. “Himalayan Farmer and Son” depicts a woman farmer and her son who live at 7,500-foot elevation in Nagarkot, Nepal. She grows wheat, rice, mustard and potatoes.
    The Himalayas span Bhutan, India, Nepal and Tibet, now known as a province of the People’s Republic of China. Women farmers play a crucial role in agriculture there because many men migrate to urban areas for work. Women farmers lead the revival of this remote, rural land because of their deep knowledge of local ecosystems.
    Stinson is also showing photos of various subjects from his travels.
    Curators Maggie Boscoe and Pam Stefl Toki added two photographs by the late John Brown of Orinda to this exhibit. Brown, who passed away unexpectedly in May, will be missed not only as the Lamorinda Arts Council’s (LAC) treasurer and supporter, but as an exhibiting artist as well. “The Look” and “Lucian on the Trombone,” both 24” x 36” photographs, are testaments to his lifelong love of photography.
    Visit the Gallery to view artwork at 26 Orinda Way through Sept. 5. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., 
Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Sundays and Sept. 1. Call 925.254.2184 for more library information or visit ccclib.org/. Questions about the exhibit? Email gallery@LamorindaArts.org, visit tinyurl.com/3mk7k9pp or call 925.359.4490.