By By MIKELL FREY / Niles Daily Star
Over the course of January photographic works will be scattered across the walls of the upper level gallery in the Riverfront Cafe, showcasing the highly creative and uniquely crafted works of three area artists: Skip Freas, James Allen French and Julie Schwarz.
Perhaps what makes the overall display, which primarily showcases Freas' work with a partnership of the other two artists, so enticing to gallery visitors is the contrast of the distinct and different photographic styles of the artistic trio.
Freas, a long-standing Niles citizen just beginning his break into the art business with this first solo outing, is a black and white photographer who also dabbles with manipulation of photos through graphic design.
French, also from Niles, specializes in nature photography, and has been selling his work for over 15 years. He is currently showcasing a new body of work called The Heirloom Collection at the gallery.
Schwarz, from Sawyer, works more with alternative processes of photography, in a classification all her own.
Freas, who first noticed Schwarz's work in a local color gallery in Sawyer, said, "Her stuff sort of defies description, which is a good thing. She has a very unique style."
Currently Schwarz has developed a real passion for SX-70 manipulation and Polaroid image transfer, which gives her photos a highly colorful and whimsical feel. She also has a passion for black and white reversals and hand colored black and whites.
After Freas approached cafe co-owners, Watson and Gerri Klinck, about booking the space over the month of January, the photographs were unleashed prior to New Year's Eve. An opening reception was held for the trio on Jan. 6 at the cafe.
Freas is thrilled to have received an opportunity to put his work out to the people of Niles in a venue with such a great amount of traffic.
Freas first got into photography in 2000 with a friend, Chuck Herthoge, while traveling from one construction job to the next.
Once they realized that snapping pictures might be something they were good at, they started up a promotional company called Back Alley Art. Soon after they got an offer from the Pumphouse Grill in St. Joseph, which bought 16 pieces from the duo for the interior decor of their building. It was a marvelous start.
Unfortunately, with all things good, life got in the way for Freas.
After setting his passion aside over two hard years, Freas is back pursuing his dream of finding a full-time career in the art field.
He has revived his Back Alley Studios company and plans to promote himself and other artists under the umbrella of its name.
Of his work Freas said, "I just want to let people know it's out there. I've had a lot of those pieces propped up against my dining room wall for years. It's time to get them out for people to see, and this is the best venue for that."
The ice festival, coming up this weekend for the city of Niles, will provide Freas, French and Schwarz with the opportunity to speak with anyone who makes their way to the gallery of Riverfront Cafe to see the display.
They plan to be there off and on throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Freas is selling smaller copies of his photographs for an affordable price of $15 to $25. His bigger wall pieces range from $65 to $85. French's work can be bought off the walls for $400 to $750.
This display will hopefully prove to be a great starting off point for this local aspiring artist.