Signature Gallery

Lehi's Dream

The Mormon prophet, Lehi, dreamt of a path with a sturdy rail leading to a radiant tree. This wondrous Tree of Life represented salvation, and by holding fast to the rail of faith one could avoid the pits of temptation and despair. When Russell’s mother would tell him this story, the tree represented the deepest dreams of his heart, and by holding fast to the rails he would surely reach the Tree of Life, his very reason for being. Although Lark has been gone for many years, this pastoral scene in Kentucky immediately reminded Russell of his mother and her belief in the power of dreams and perseverance.

Dream Of Grace

This piece is a companion to Lehi’s Dream, because just as Lehi’s Dream reminds Russell of his mother, this piece reminds him of his father. Arthur was a columnist who covered horse racing, and when we found ourselves at the entrance of a legendary horse farm soon after he passed away, he was very much in our thoughts. At the same time, Angela had been reading from a book of Kentucky poetry. One poem in particular stood out. In Come Forth, a man dreams of the father he recently lost. Like Arthur, the man is described as a ‘knower of horses,’ and though the son worries about his father’s frailty, the men share a tender moment watching the horses in the pasture. Then - unexpectedly - the father leaps astride a horse and from a place of ‘unshadowed excellence’  assures his son that “It’ll be all right.” Under this canopy of maples, in the presence of graceful horses,  like the son in the poem, Russell released his worries and felt a growing sense of peace.

Cill Dara

Our Tribute To The Angel Oak Of Charleston

If you’ve ever stood before a magnificent oak and felt transported or moved by something sacred, you are not alone. Oaks have been revered for millennia. It has been said that they have the ability to heal the heart and nourish the soul after times of hardship. This is especially true of the Angel Oak of Charleston. Hundreds of years of storms and floods and development as the world grew around her have not diminished her strength or glory. In fact, she seems all the more remarkable for her ability to survive and gently inspire generation after generation. It is this spirit that led early Christians to build their churches beneath oaks; and it is what continues to lead people to stand, reverently, before the Angel Oak. This image is our tribute to a radiant tree that touches us with grace and profound joy simply by continuing to be. 

Central Park Promenade

This elegant pathway of elms and historic cast-iron lampposts has been a gathering place since the mid 1800s. Once considered ‘an open air hall of reception,’ in its early days, visitors would have seen stately carriages and pedestrians in their Sunday best socializing and enjoying the luxury of leisure time. Today, visitors from every walk of life cherish this sanctuary of green space; and strolling beneath the canopy of elms remains a timeless, enchanting experience that is quintessentially New York.

Bridge Of Silver Wings

This ethereal image takes its title from the writings of Aberjhani, a poet who has thoughtfully explored how people manage the transition from imminent personal destruction to unaccountable personal victory. We love that this image seems to evoke a similar feeling - that just through the arch of angel wings and beyond the rise of the bridge we can find our greatest joys.

Dreams Of Palms

This is one of the first images we created when we began experimenting with our new technique and it remains one of our favorites. The element of surrealism that makes the palm fronds appear to be feathers from a glamorous jazz-era fan delight us as much as the actual memories of that day in Key Largo. Now that we’ve moved from Florida to Illinois, we especially cherish our memories of listening to the surf, feeling the warm breezes, and dozing on the beach in our own little paradise. 

Ghost Within A Ghost

Angela has always been mesmerized by fog. It draws her eyes and beckons, inviting her to walk within all the mystery and poetry of the universe. When immersed in any fog, her mind turns to Eugene O'Neill - always. He understands the allure of fog, perhaps better than anyone, and the words from one of his most searing works haunt her. 

"The fog was where I wanted to be. Halfway down the path you can’t see this house. You’d never know it was here. Or any of the other places down the avenue. I couldn’t see but a few feet ahead. I didn’t meet a soul. Everything looked and sounded unreal. Nothing was what it is. That’s what I wanted—to be alone with myself in another world where truth is untrue and life can hide from itself. Out beyond the harbor, where the road runs along the beach, I even lost the feeling of being on land. The fog and the sea seemed part of each other. It was like walking on the bottom of the sea. As if I had drowned long ago. As if I was the ghost belonging to the fog, and the fog was the ghost of the sea. It felt damned peaceful to be nothing more than a ghost within a ghost." 
— Eugene O'Neill (Long Day's Journey into Night)  

Bluegrass Beauties

Russell’s father was a columnist who covered horse racing for the Miami News for more than 30 years, so it’s no wonder that Russell finds himself drawn to the rolling hills and horse farms of Kentucky. Just outside Lexington on an overcast summer day, we came across these two gentle souls. As we wandered and watched, they stayed close to one another nickering and nuzzling from time to time. Then the stars aligned to give us this precious image. We were in the right place with camera ready when they lowered their heads and brought them together in a heart- like pose of absolute tenderness. For one incredible moment, the world was just us and these magical Bluegrass Beauties. 

The Protector

A horse is the projection of peoples’ dreams
about themselves — strong, powerful,
beautiful — and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.
~ Pam Brown, Equestrienne Poet

The purist of protectors, this noble stallion placed himself between us and his herd as we approached their hill. He remained still - quietly watchful - and only after he determined that we were not a threat did he step aside to let us meet his band of wild mustangs. That moment of acknowledgement and acceptance by a creature of such dignified strength held tremendous significance for us. His guardianship of the herd embodied the courage of the people in our lives we admire most - those who stand resolutely to protect their family, friends, beliefs and values. This image is our tribute to them.

Harwood's Buffalo

In 1851, Russell’s 16 year old great grandfather, James Harwood, sailed to America from England alone. Soon after he arrived in New Orleans, the city flooded and cholera swept the area. He waded through waist-deep water as he began his trek to Saint Louis. For a time, he woked there as a harness maker; and then in 1853 he joined an expedition heading west to settle the Lehi Valley in Utah. As we travel similar roads, we often think about his brave overland journey. The courage of this young adventurer is almost incomprehensible to us.  Recently, as part of our on-going study of Harwood’s pioneer experience, we spent time photographing buffalo. In the presence of these beasts, we could almost imagine what young James felt when he finally reached the plains and saw herds of buffalo for the first time. This bull in particular gave us chills with his fierce stance and mighty roar. It’s no wonder the bison has become the symbol of the western pioneer.

Lark's Storm

There are some things that you learn best in calm, and some in storm. ~ Willa Cather

This once-in-a- lifetime shot is dazzling without any explanation, but its value to us is enriched by the many personal strands of our lives it brings together for us. As an English major, Angela can never pass through Kansas without thinking of Willa Cather, and as a life-long student of science, Russell is irresistibly drawn to storms. Yet the name of this piece actually comes from Russell’s mother, Lark. As the daughter and the mother of artists, she read Willa Cather’s The Song of the Lark many times. She understood the book on a deep and personal level; and she especially understood that while it’s true that an artist must commit to patient study in order to master his craft, she also taught her son that - ultimately - an artist will not be measured by what he creates in the calm of practice, but by what he captures when the storm howls. In this wonderful, rare image, that fundamental truth became literal. 

Messenger Clouds

You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds.
~ Henry Thoreau

This intensely textural sky captivates people. For weather fanatics, mammatus clouds are special because they form in sinking air - whereas clouds usually form in rising air. Yet, most people are understandably drawn to the roiling drama that hangs over an otherwise serene pastoral setting. While they often feel an impending doom, these clouds actually form after severe weather, and they are called Messenger Clouds because they signal that the worst has past. Standing below these surreal skies, it wouldn’t have surprised us to hear voices speaking or angels singing. 

Jenny's Angel

This gentle angel watches over Savannah’s most beloved city of the dead, the legendary Bonaventure Cemetery. Poets, song writers, generals and hundreds of souls rest on a bluff above the Wilmington River. For Angela, this image is special for another reason. One of her favorite ‘cemetery stories’ is told in the book, “Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil.” Near this angel is the grave of the tragic poet Conrad Aiken. Toward the end of his life, Aiken spent much of his time at the cemetery, sipping gin and tonics and watching ships sail past. One day, he saw a ship bearing the name Cosmos Mariner. He checked the shipping news to find out where the well-named ship was bound and he found only this: “Cosmos Mariner, Destination Unknown.” Those inspiring, haunting words became the epitaph on the stone bench that serves as his tombstone.  

Monument To The
Irish Brigade

The mournful Irish  wolfhound lies at the foot of a Celtic cross honoring the heroism of the Irish Brigade at Gettysburg. Being of proud Irish descent, Angela grew up hearing the story of the three units from New York that had suffered terrible losses but still charged into battle, halting the Confederate troops just as they were about to overtake the Union position. After the war, the priest who dedicated this memorial said that the Celtic cross had been erected to keep memory of the Irish Brigade ‘green in the American Heart’ and to remind future generations of the brigade’s bravery in the ‘great cause of American Liberty.’    

Enduring Oaks

The adventure that brought us to this image makes it one of our favorites. After a long day of photography during which nothing seemed to pan out, we passed this field—and these oaks. While we were shooting, a local kid told us that the two trees in the middle of the sugar cane field survived year after year – through floods and storms and even hurricanes – because their roots were entwined. A single tree standing alone in the field would have been easily felled, but the two that stood together could withstand anything. Enduring Oaks holds a special place in our hearts and speak volumes about what it means to us to build this collection – together.
 

Fallingwater By
Frank Lloyd Wright

When the Kaufmann family asked Wright to build them a home near their beloved Bear Run Creek, he created a masterpiece that gave them more than a view of the thirty-foot falls, it gave them the opportunity to actually live with the falls running right through their home. Yet, one of the things that we appreciate most about Fallingwater is the role that it played in Wright’s life. At 67, many believed that his best work was behind him. Then his amazing new house made the cover of Time Magazine. The concept, design and artistic execution of his vision propelled him back into the spotlight. We draw great inspiration from the idea that at any time—at any age - you can dig deep and create the most daring, breathtaking work of your life. This image is our tribute to Wright’s brilliant renewal of passion and purpose.