Austin City Hall features artwork throughout the building, selected from an annual competition managed by Jean Graham of Austin’s Cultural Arts Divison. For the 2012 People’s Gallery over 1,500 works were submitted by over 350 central Texas artists in all media. Chosen for this year’s show was one of my Inner Ocotillo series begun in the heat of August last summer at Big Bend National Park. These wide angle photos look upward to the sun as the branching ocotillos leaf out in response to rain and work quickly to store energy. When dry times return – generally the case at Big Bend – they shed their leaves to conserve water. Going to Big Bend in August is always a challenge and in 2011 it was 110 at river level every day. Many desert plant species were dying of heat and drought, but a few recent showers revived the ocotillos.
Here Ocotillo branches reach for the sun in the heat of August at Big Bend National Park, Texas.
This series of photos has been well received and prints have been chosen for exhibit at Texas Tech University, Texas Photographic Society and now the People’s Gallery. Interestingly – certainly this is a subjective activity – each juror has selected a different images for their exhibit. Additional Big Bend photos can be found on my stock photography website. The Big Bend gallery is at http://albraden.photoshelter.com/gallery/Big-Bend-National-Park-TX-240-photos/G0000LY1P27ShuzI/
