arts Gulfport Photographer Brightens Familiar Scenes By Lynn Taylor
LARRY BUSBY
Of “Marina Blues” Busby says, “My love of water began when my father and uncles took me into a spring-fed creek near my grandmother’s farm to teach me to swim. I took to the water immediately and began to doggy paddle. Guess that is why I joined the Navy and where my love of all things nautical began. This photo was taken in my Florida room at my condo overlooking a marina. I wanted a self-portrait with a sunrise, but due to poor weather I decided to create my own inside, looking out. This is my happy place surrounded by all things nautical.”
Photographer Larry Busby is well known for his unique aluminum print photos that capture landscapes, sunrises, sunsets and Bay area landmarks. His love of photography began in the Navy where he served as a photographer – but it would be many years before he embraced it as a creative passion and learned to manipulate his photos into unique works of art. Busby got the idea of transferring his prints to aluminum to retain their vibrancy, something he says paper does not do as well. “Paper soaks up too much light. When you look at a photo on a computer screen it is bright; then once it’s printed, it’s not quite as bright,” he says. “Aluminum prints
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reflect the light back so well, it’s like looking at a computer screen.” Busby’s more recent work is of the Skyway Bridge at night and a foray into black-and-white photography. Gulfport Beach Bazaar displays his photographs, and he recently licensed some photos of Gulfport settings on postcards and coffee mugs that will be for sale at Stella’s Sundries. The first week in December, folks can see Busby’s work in the fourth Art Jones studio tour in Gulfport, at the Enroy Foundation, 5814 23rd Ave. S. Busby’s newest and most personal work is a series of three photographs he created while attending this year’s USF Contemporary Art Museum’s Breaking Barriers, a five-week series of artist-led photography workshops
free for military veterans. This year, there were more than 30 attendees, with classes added to accommodate more veterans. The workshops culminate in a portfolio review, curated exhibition and catalogue. This year, USF’s Breaking Barriers was selected, along with four other organizations, to be part of Love IV Lawrence’s “The Art of Healing,” which provides art therapy programs for mental wellness. “The program helps a lot of veterans, particularly those with PTSD,” says Busby. “USF started it for that reason. There was such a huge response that the VA got involved.” Busby recalls his own difficulties leaving the Navy and how
theGabber.com | November 19 - November 25, 2020
