About the Artist

Working as a theatrical lighting designer and stage director for over thirty years, Larry's photography has been largely avocational; mostly used in his own design portfolio, and for promotional and production pictures.  His work with stage lighting gives him a greater understanding and a unique vision for his artistic photography. He has been active as a fine art photographer for over twenty years.

His artistic photography work is mostly in landscapes, scenic, nature, still life, buildings, nautical themes, plus includes abstract figure studies and aerial work. Larry's work is exhibited in galleries throughout Northwest Indiana and Suburban Chicago plus appears in several private collections, and appeared in several regional calendars.

Larry completed his Doctor of Fine Arts in Theatre Studies in 2007, and received his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from Purdue University Calumet in Radio/TV/Theater Production and Management.  He works as  the Auditorium Director for the School Town of Munster's (Indiana) 1000 seat theater plus Producer/Director of the Munster Theatre Company.   Prior to that was the Theatre Administrator/Production Manager for The Center for Visual & Performing Arts professional  theater operation Theatre at The Center, also serving as resident lighting designer.  He also works as an adjunct professor at Calumet College.

Larry previously worked as Auditorium/Theater Director for Highland's Monbeck Auditorium for 13 years. He has been active as an on-air pledge host for WYIN-TV/Lakeshore public television, plus on the board of directors for Lakeshore Public TV, Leadership Northwest Indiana, and formally on the LakeNET board now on their advisory board, plus is a web site designer. He is a 1997 recipient of the Purdue University Calumet Distinguished Corporate/Community Service Award and the 1999 Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership.  Larry is a voting member for the recording industry's Grammy Awards.

ARTIST STATEMENT
Creative photography is more than making a simple visual recording, it involves the innovative artistry and vision of a photographer, who manipulates the given visual elements in order to both preserve and represent the subject while creating New Perspectives.  I view my artistic photography as more than merely making a visual recording of existing subjects, but to capture both obvious and subtle visions of the subject.  A photograph actually freezes a moment in time, forever preserving an image of people, places, things, or events, which then can be revisited again and again, thus creating an existence of its very own.  A creative image is both the product of the subject and the artist, whose discriminating perception seeks to evoke those more intangible and profound impressions of intimacy and mood. The viewer completes this triad (subject, artist, and viewer) by hopefully realizing a successful artistic communication.

STYLE
In both my color and monochromatic photography, understanding light is the key to any successful image.  While color photography currently has less artistic acceptance, it forms a major portion of my scenic and nature work. Color is an important compositional element, tied more directly to mood than any other visual element.  Modern photography can create a full palate and range of natural colors, and manipulating this natural color to enhance or intensify the mood represents an important stylistic portion of my work.  When I choose monochrome over color, it is to heighten the focus on shape, form, texture, pattern, and tonality, by removing color as a visual element.  By its inherent nature, a black & white image evokes a different and more ethereal emotional response to the subject.

The postcard style images are consciously part of my scenic visual style. Compressing the visual elements in order to achieve a flattened perspective of the subject is a strong characteristic of my scenic images. Isolating a subject from the background in order to reveal and capture details, which may be otherwise overlooked by a casual observer, is an important style element of my photography. Especially used in my close-up macro work, I like to focus attention on the minute details of the subject.

An artist's style should not be static, but consistently open to alternate visions.

- Larry A Brechner

RECENT EXHIBITS / PROJECTS / PUBLICATIONS

Munster, Indiana - A Centennial History
by Lance Trusty with photo compilation by Ken Schoon
December 2006
A coffee table book featuring several images of from theatrical/lighting portfolio.

ERRATA: Page 19 caption incorrectly credits Dr Tim Bartlett as the director of the 2000 Munster Theatre Company production of Fiddler on the Roof.  Larry A Brechner was the Producer/Director (and Lighting Designer) while Tim Bartlett was the conductor/music director on that production.

On Stage - Off Stage
An Exhibit of the work of Larry A Brechner
Calumet College - February 2003
On Stage - Off Stage features a collection of works from the New Perspectives gallery. The exhibit will feature pieces from the theatrical lighting/directing portfolio as well as many of the fine art offerings.  Calumet College of St Joseph's Gallery is located in Whiting, Indiana and will run through March 15.

Faculty and Staff Exhibit
at Calumet College - February 2002
Lost Memories and Scarecrow will be on exhibit  from February 15 - March 15, 2002 at Calumet College of St Joseph's Gallery (Whiting, Indiana). Opening reception  is Tuesday, February 19 from 5-7pm at the Gallery.

A tentative solo exhibit is being planned for January or February 2003 featuring a collection of work from the New Perspectives gallery.

Oregionality - a coffee table book published by The Times (Northwest Indiana) complied from the works of photographers throughout the area - Winter 2000/2001

Chicago's Neighboring South Shore : The LAKE COUNTY INDIANA - a coffee table book by Archibald McKinlay containing several theater and outdoor images from the artist's portfolio.  2001 The Donning Company Publishers (for The Lake County Convention & Visitors Bureau)

One Gypsy's Trek through Regional Theatre -  a 30 piece exhibit from the artist's lighting design and directing portfolio, plus examples of his fine art work
    Atrium Gallery - October 1997
     Border's Bookstore Gallery  (Highland, Indiana) - Jan 1998

WYIN-TV  PBS 56 Fine Arts Auction
WYIN-TV Channel 56 first televised Fine Art and Furniture Auction on September 14-15 at 7pm with Gallery Viewing at the Lake County (Indiana) Convention and Visitors Bureau September 9-13

NORTHERN INDIANA ARTS ASSOCIATION 
The Center for Visual & Performing Arts
     57^th Annual Salon Show - Bachman Gallery - Sept-Nov 2000
      Black, White, and Shades of Grey  - Bachman Gallery - March-April 1999
     55^th Annual Salon Show - Bachman Gallery - Sept-Nov 1998
     54^th Annual Salon Show - Bachman Gallery  - Oct 1997
     53^rd Annual Salon Show - Bachman Gallery -Oct 1996
     Artists Exhibit - Bachman Gallery  - September 1996
     Rental/Sales Gallery   Apr-Nov 1999, Apr-Jun 1998, Feb 1998, Jul-Oct 1997

ILLIANA ARTISTS 
     5^th Juried Exhibit - Chesterton Art Gallery - Jan-Mar 2000
     4^th Juried Exhibit - Atrium Gallery -The Center for Visual & Performing Arts - Jan 1999
     Under One Hundred  - Courtney Frame/Gallery - Nov-Dec 1998
     Flower Power  - Courtney Frame/Gallery - Oct 1998
     Spring Fling- Atrium Gallery -The Center for Visual & Performing Arts - May 1998
       3^rd Juried Exhibit - Atrium Gallery -The Center for Visual & Performing Arts - Jan 1998
       2^nd Juried Exhibit - Atrium Gallery -The Center for Visual & Performing Arts - Jan 1997
       1^st Juried Exhibit - Atrium Gallery -The Center for Visual & Performing Arts - Jan 1996
      Under All is the Land  - Atrium Gallery -The Center for Visual & Performing Arts - 1996

CALUMET COLLEGE OF ST JOSEPH Gallery- Whiting, Indiana
     Faculty & Staff Exhibit - Gallery - Feb-Mar 2001

VOGT Visual Arts Center - Tinley Park, Illinois
     Small Works Show - Nov-Dec 1998
     Invitational Exhibit 97 - Aug 1997
     1^st Juried Exhibit - May 1997
     Black & White - Jan 1997

Christopher Art Gallery - Prairie State College, Illinois
      Distilled Life - Oct-Nov 1997

Lake County Parks Department 
     1997-98 Calendar -  two photos part of cover composite and monthly photo