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Splendor
in the Grass
Traveling
Educational Prairie Photography Exhibit
Welcome to the Splendor in the Grass Photo Exhibit.
The exhibit made its debut at Taylor Ball's office in April of 1997.
The sponsorship was able to view the exhibit first before it started on its journey
through the state of Iowa. So far, for the year
of 1997, 1998 an 1999 the exhibit
has traveled some 5000 miles, has been in two U.S.Fish and Wildlife facilities,
Grand View College-1997, one Nature Conservancy event at Smulekoff's Furniture in Cedar
Rapids, Kirkendall Public Library, Indianola High School, The Principal
Financial
Group, Lakes Art Center, Plymouth County Historical Museum, University of Northern Iowa
Museum, Grand View College-Cowles Communication Center-1999, Putnam Museum of History and Natural
Science, Council Bluffs Library, Harlan Community Library MacFarland Park Nature Center,
Mitchell County
Conservation Nature Center, Dorthy Peacut Nature Center and now is here at the
beautiful City of Grinnell Art Center.
At this time, I would like you to try to envision what Iowa must have been like
more than 150 years ago. It's early morning, a low-hanging veil of fog drifts silently
over the top of a sea of grasses. The early morning sunrise casts its warm glow on
colorful, fragrant flowers as far as the eye and mind can envision. Bobolinks and Meadow
Larks greet the early morning glow with their wondrous songs. It's a new day in Iowa. Iowa
was once covered with this scene …Twenty million acres and today only 1/10 of 1
% of those acres remain. The Tallgrass Prairie Region is, for me, a truly
endangered species.
I have been exploring and photographing the
Tallgrass Prairies for the past 18 years. This exhibit is my way of giving back to what
has given me much excitement, enjoyment, enthusiasm, and peacefulness…and, has
asked for nothing in return.
My hope for this exhibit is that individuals who
view it are more intrigued by the subject of nature than by the photographs themselves.
Better yet, I hope that this exhibit arouses an awareness and a concern for our beautiful
environment here in Iowa.
This exhibit is not just about
helping to create an Appreciation
... Awareness an Concern for our Environment through the power
of photography and education, but also is about the quality of people that we have here in Iowa. It's about
individuals like you who are here today ready this article and who are concerned
about our last remaining prairie lands here in Iowa.
It's
about individuals and firms like Jack Taylor from Taylor Construction
Group,
Chuck Follet from the Kel Welco Stores, Larry and John Pollpetter from Two Rivers Glass,
Jim Clark from Clark Glass, Dick Timmerman from Multi Media
Inc., the firm that brought to
life what I envisioned on the prairies in these high-quality cibachrome prints.
It's about
Gary Reiners and Didi Sterling from the Nature Conservancy.
It's about Iowa farm
families who have had these prairie lands in their families for generations and have
nurtured, protected and preserved them, not asking for anything in return.
It's about
individuals giving back to their communities, their state, and to their environment here
in Iowa.
It's about,"
TAKING PRIDE IN IOWA, HELPING TO BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS,
and
Ladies and Gentlemen, WE ARE ALL PART OF THE
SOLUTION"
Thank You
Gary D. Tonhouse
Exhibit Schedule
... Splendor
in the Grass Exhibit
...
Window on the Prairie Article
For more information on
this exciting Traveling Prairie Photography educational exhibit, please contact
us at the following:
Reflective Images
613 S.E. 6th Street
Ankeny, Iowa 50021
Phone: (515)
964-7815
Nature Conservancy of Iowa (515) 244-5044
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