ROCK SPRINGS – The Community Fine Arts Center will feature local photographer Gary Mortensen from July 6 through August 10.

A reception for Mortensen’s exhibit, “Though the Looking Glass” is scheduled to take place July 6 from 2-4 p.m. at the CFAC. CFAC Director Debora Soule said the exhibit is Mortensen’s first solo exhibition of his fine art photography. She said his attention to detail captures a viewer’s attention as they look at his images.

Mortensen had an early interest in photography which intensified as he studied chemical engineering at the University of Utah. He was inspired by photography instructor and Salt Lake Tribune photographer Borge Anderson to turn the interest into a lifelong passion. 

“I also blame/credit him for all the time and money spent pursuing this form of art over the last 55-plus years,” Mortensen said.

Mortensen worked for FMC west of Green River after graduation and set up a dark room in his family’s apartment. He would go on to set up dark rooms in each house he would live in. Mortensen furthered his skills by attending photography classes taught by Dick Randall at Western Wyoming Community College. 

Mortensen was promoted to FMC’s Newark, California facility and while he said it was difficult to move his family from Wyoming, the opportunity allowed him to attend night classes at Chabot College tuition free, using it as a chance to further study photography. He would be transferred back to Wyoming and work for FMC in Kemmerer, which allowed him to start a home-based photography business. While his business grew, he would end up not growing it further due to work, family and civic responsibilities. His family moved back to Green River in 1995 and he continued his photography business, focusing on nature, industrial, and nighttime photography.

“As an artist using the photographic image, I’m inspired by the absolute beauty and mysteries of the nature that surrounds us and attempt to share those feelings of wonder and awe with others through the medium of photography,” he said. “I specialize in photographing that which I consider positive, whether it’s a beautiful landscape colored by a sunset; an abstract view of nature; a grand vista in a national park; a nightscape under the stars (or clouds); or sometimes a bit of graffiti that I find uplifting.  In making these compositions, I would like to believe I am following Minor White’s adage of photographing ‘What it is…And what else it is.’”