Photographing working artists has become a project of mine. A few months ago I met some great artists at the new Artists Colony in Tannery Row in Buford, Ga. They were gracious enough to allow me to photograph them while they were working. Here are just a few of the many, many images I've captured.



Ornamental iron artisan Dennis Primm was constructing a metal bath tub frame when I photographed him recently. You can see more of his work here. A long exposure helps capture the shower of sparks. You can see other examples of Dennis' work in several of the restaurants on Main Street in Buford.







Dennis, behind the mask. This tub is nearing completion. The photograph doesn't do justice to the intricate detail and precise fit Dennis achieves.















Scuptor Vick McCallum's monumental work of Roy Rogers, Trigger, and Buford Saddle maker John Johnson requires some background.

For many years, starting in the 1870's, Buford, GA was a company town built around the leather industry. The saddle shop gained such a reputation that Roy Rogers and Trigger came to Buford on a train to have a custom saddle fitted. Vick's life size scupture recreates the presentation of the saddle in which Trigger rears up, Roy is calming the horse as Johnson attempts to put the saddle on Trigger's back.

In this image, you see the large clay model (1500 pounds of clay!) from which a mold will be made for the bronze casting. A smaller image of Trigger is in the background.

When completed, the scupture will be placed in a new park in Buford.




I like this shot. Vick is studying his model photographs while applying clay to the model for Roy. Behind Vick, looking like a creature from a '50s horror movie, is the covered figure of saddle maker John Johnson, who still lives in Buford. The plastic covering is to keep the clay from drying out. From time to time Vick has to unwrap the figures, including Trigger, and spray water on them, then wrap them up again. Over Vick's right shoulder you see a small model of Roy.





When one thinks of art, sculpting egg shells probably does not come to mind. Yet Master Decorative Artist Alan Rabon does just that. The intricate and imaginative detail is amazing! Here, Alan is cutting a Valentine Day pattern. And yes, they are very, very fragile! When Alan is through, there's often more "nothing" than egg shell.






This is an amazingly tedious process, but Alan makes it look easy, and he's surprisingly fast. You can visit his shop in the Tannery Row in Buford, GA, or
check out Alan's web site here.










Another one of the artists in Buford's Tannery Row. Holly Shafer is turning what will be the top of a large container. She a recent graduate of North Georgia College, and has set up her pottery shop in Tannery Row.









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Patricial Gill is another of the artists at Tannery Row. I was attracted to her work because of the strong images and popping colors. She has a great web site here."





Colorful reflections in Pat Gill's studio in Tannery Row in Buford.







Harvey Moriarty is known for his incredibly detailed wildlife paintings No fancy easel, just a simple wood desk works for Harvey. When he's not painting you're likely to find him working on his customized hot rods.






Here, Harvey works on a painting of a Tiger cub. You can find more information on Harvey's art here.

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Copyright 2004 Phil Winter philwinter@mindspring.com All rights reserved.