Shooting Artists with Gary
Westben is celebrating New Traditions this season and one of the new ventures is the creation of packages that celebrate local experts from our community. In April we met Luke Mercier from Springbrook who will be holding a workshop on Fiddler making and restoration as part of Westben’s Fiddling Around with Luke Package June 13 (including a performance of Fiddler on the Roof at The Barn). Another absolutely incredible talent, who lives near Warkworth, is photographer Gary Mulcahey. His work is truly amazing and Westben is offering a chance for all photographers to bring their cameras July 3rd and 4th and work directly with Gary “shooting artists.” Picture this! A wonderful opportunity for photography enthusiasts to explore musical portraiture! Known for his portraits including artists of the Canadian Opera Company, Warkworth photographer Gary Mulcahey leads one of the most exciting weekends in photographic memory! On Friday, July 3, meet Gary with other Westben artists at the Clock Tower for an informal chat over wine and goodies. After a restful night at one of the area’s B&B’s or motel’s, Bring your camera on Saturday morning at 10:00 am as Gary shows you how to explore all the angles of shooting artists from UBC Opera Ensemble before their afternoon performance at The Barn. After a short 5-minute drive to Westben to enjoy your delicious Windswept picnic lunch, find your seat for the Ensemble’s fully-staged production of Verdi’s unforgettable opera, La traviata at 2:00 pm. Afterward, browse the shops in Campbellford and Warkworth or do some fishing in Hastings. Dinner is at Capers Restaurant before a peaceful night at one of the area’s local B&B’s or motels visit www.westben.ca/packages for details.
Gary's passion for photography started at 11 years of age when his father lent him his first camera – a Yashica twin lens reflex and set him up with a black and white darkroom. While the other children took their first jobs delivering newspapers, Gary was at the local baseball diamonds and rinks taking and selling team photos. At age 22 Gary attended the Photography Program at Fanshawe College in London Ontario. By age 25 he was working as a full time freelance photographer producing images for magazines, advertising, the performing arts, and private and corporate clients. He has lived and worked in Toronto, Dublin and Madrid.
Gary's work has been published in television and print media including a variety of magazines such as National Post: Business, MD Canada, Canadian Diamonds, Up Here, and Watershed. Recent books include Private Gardens of Northumberland Hills, an exclusive showing of Gary's garden photography, and Comayagua, a collection of portraits and landscapes from impoverished rural mountain communities in Honduras. Recent Exhibits of Gary’s include Comayagua. portraits from the mountains of Honduras at the Gerrard Art Space in Toronto and Picture Change, an exhibition produced by PhotoSensitive containing one photo by each of over 100 top Canadian photographers. This collection of the most meaningful photos in each photographer’s portfolio highlights the way that photography can make a positive change in the world. Visit this amazing web site www.photosensitive.com. Most recently Gary has started publishing the quarterly art magazine NuWork. www.nuwork.ca.
Gary was born and raised in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. He now makes his home in the Hills of Northumberland County Ontario where he operates Mulcahey Image Company www.mulcahey.com. In his spare time Gary road races motorcycles and manages his small organic vegetable garden. Westben has used several of Gary’s photographs for the covers of the brochures and they are not simply pictures but works of art that inspire that challenge and lift the human spirit.