Dunes: Visions of Sand, Light & Shadow
September 10, 2022 - April 3, 2023
Exhibition extended!
Bob Canepa, DUNEWORK: Classic #1, Oceano Dunes, Courtesy the Artist.
Bob Canepa, DUNEWORK: Intimate #37, Oceano Dunes, Courtesy the Artist.
Traverse the sand dunes with Central Coast photographer Bob Canepa in the Wildling Museum’s new Valley Oak Gallery exhibition, Dunes: Visions of Light, Sand & Shadow, opening September 10, 2022.
The public is invited to attend a fall reception on Sunday, October 9 from 3 – 5 p.m
The unique terrain of the Oceano Dunes has served as a wealth of inspiration for Canepa, who has visited these dunes weekly for years. From sweeping vistas of light and shadow to grains of sand caught in dewy moisture, Canepa has surveyed these weather-sculpted dunes from a range of perspectives, always finding something new in the shifting landscape.
Central Coast sand dunes and wetlands also serve as valuable habitat for many different species of native plants and animals, including the threatened western snowy plover.
Through his vision, Canepa aims to inspire others to help preserve these majestic and environmentally significant sand dunes for future generations.
Grateful thanks to exhibition sponsors Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and donors to the Patti Jacquemain Exhibition Fund.
Learn more about The Local Dunes Ecosystem
Explore the dunes and learn more at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dune Center: www.dunescenter.org
Artist Statement | Bob Canepa
Photographer Bob Canepa at the Oceano Dunes, Courtesy Photo.
In 2004, while teaching mathematics to junior high students in Atascadero, a small group asked, “Hey, Mr. Canepa, why don’t you take a picture of us with our friends?”
I replied that I did not own a camera, and they promptly problem solved the situation and said: “GET ONE!" So, with a smile, I began my journey into photography.
I find myself in awe of this art form each day. There is always something to photograph, always a different perspective, angle, or a change in the lighting. There are those moments of learning when it seems nothing tangible has come from that day's efforts. Then, later in the future, it becomes clear that it was an opportunity to take another path headed toward the same goal – becoming a better photographer and expanding my vision. This work makes every day a joy, whatever the subject is. It is a challenge to capture the essence of the moment. It is also PLAY, like a child lost in absolute focus and thought of that play. It’s no wonder that so many people have embraced photography. I owe so much to those 7th-grade students for many reasons, photography being one.
I am passionate about dune photography and have been “playing” in the dunes for years. I find something new each time I visit the Oceano Dunes in Oceano, California – I return approximately once per week. Within 45 minutes of my home, I can be atop the highest dune, surveying the entire area and envisioning compositions as the sun rises or descends over the approaching hours.
It can be the TRANQUILITY that the expanse of the dune area provides, the INTIMATE details revealing intricate patterns, shapes, and dune life, or simply the CLASSIC forms of the area that have inspired so many renowned photographers, that continue to draw me back. These elements all provide an ever-changing environment filled with opportunities to explore and create images that allow me to share my vision of the wonderous landform and hopefully inspire others to help preserve this magical location.