The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by Montana photographer John Ashley during the month of May. John blends the heart of an artist with the mind of a scientist to create inspiring photographs that will leave you feeling awestruck. He’s worked as a professional photographer since 1979, photographing governors and presidents, NFL and college sports, and space shuttle launches and landings. John is a former Missoulian staff photographer and Glacier Park field biologist. He also finds time to teach photography workshops and volunteer countless hours each year in northwestern Montana and southern Arizona.
“Leap of Faith” captures one of those moments in life that we’ve all experienced. A mother Bufflehead duck leads her newly hatched chicks from their nest, 40 feet above the ground, near a lake west of Kalispell. The ducklings are flapping their wings, but they’re not managing anything resembling flight.
John is currently working on a multi-year project to document Montana’s night skies. As part of his Purple Pomegranate show, John will feature many of his nighttime photographs of the Milky Way, northern lights and Montana moonscapes. “Huckleberry Heart” is one of John’s elegant images that are familiar to many people across Montana. While berry-picking on Big Mountain, John created this image of his wife’s stained fingers in the shape of a heart.
“Lovejoy” shows last December’s spectacular comet rising above the fire lookout on Mt. Brown, in Glacier Park.
Meet John during Whitefish Gallery Night, Thursday, May 1, 2014 from 6-9 PM. John’s work will be displayed throughout the month of May.
Whitefish Gallery Nights 