Tuesday, March 15, 2011 • Painter continues his ‘artistic journey’ with photographs
Artists sometimes explore many mediums in the quest for new discoveries in their art.
Local artist and Lassen County Arts Council Boardmember Elgin Cannon discusses his series of photographs entitled “Branding Day” with Maria Carlomagno-Brice at a reception held Tuesday, March 8 at the LCAC gallery, located at 807 Cottage St. in Susanville. Cannon’s artwork will be on display through the month of March.Nearly 40 works by local painter and Lassen County Arts Council Boardmember Elgin Cannon are on display at the LCAC gallery, located at 807 Cottage St. in Susanville, and for the first time Cannon offers an impressive series of photographs to go along with his oil paintings. The exhibition includes 21 photographs and 15 paintings.
“I’ve never exhibited my photographs before,” Cannon said at an artist’s reception held Tuesday, March 8. “It’s another step in my artistic journey.”
Elgin Cannon, known as a painter, shares a number of his photographs for this exhibition, including an extensive series entitled “Branding Day” that left some patrons with ties to the cattle business wondering out loud, “What ranch is that?”
The series, entitled “Branding Day,” came about after Cannon met a local rancher last spring who invited him to attend a branding day. He said he spent five or six hours in the pen recording the day’s events and shot about 400 photographs.
A highlight of the day was eating fresh Rocky Mountain Oysters, which Cannon said were “delicious.” He said immediately after harvesting the delicacy the rancher cooked them to perfection on a small grill in the same fire he used to heat the branding irons. The branding day experience was so powerful Cannon said he now wants to include more western themes in his art.
A lighthouse, a beach and the sea are the subject of this oil painting by Elgin Cannon entitled, “Cannon Beach.”“The photographs represent what happened that day,” Cannon said. “It’s a new direction for me.”
Susanville Symphony Director Ben Wade and symphony member Gene Lay provided some entertainment during the reception playing trumpet and flugelhorn.While Cannon is known for his landscapes, he also paints still lifes and a few portraits, but recently he’s been including animals and western images in his art. He said some of his branding day photos will be used as the basis for paintings in the future.
“Art has been a good journey for me,” Cannon said. “It gets me thinking about something different than the usual every day troubles and travails of life. It gives me something else to dwell upon.”
Elgin Cannon showed off his ability with oils in this portrait entitled “Yolanda.”A great inspiration for Cannon is the creative energy of the music by 1960s Motown artists such as Smokey Robinson. Cannon said he can put one of those old records on to set the mood when he starts painting, and then he gets so into creating his artwork he doesn’t even notice the music anymore after the second or third song, and he eventually discovers he’s been painting in silence for hours.
Cannon’s judged five art shows in the past year, and he said he’s been invited to be a judge again at this year’s Lassen County Fair.
