Opening reception this Saturday. Beautiful, surreal, illuminating: fly tying is a remarkable art form. Photographs by Mark Loete reveal the art behind the artifice

Opening May 6, 2016, with a reception on Saturday May 7, the Kleinert/James Center for the Arts’ Catskill Fly Tying: The Art of Artifice is an exhibition of work by photographer Mark Loete. Loete’s subject matter here is a world apart from the landscapes, architecture, and people that occupy his every day as a successful corporate and advertising photographer. Rather, in this exhibition curated by Tina Bromberg, Loete’s tranquilly composed photographs encapsulate another realm of his life which, via the photographs on view, takes on a magical cast: that of expert fly fisherman and fishing guide. The exhibition features over 40 photographs of exquisitely crafted trout fishing flies, celebrating the centuries-old fly tying tradition and the master artisans who fabricate these jewel-like imitation insects out of feathers, fur, and thread.

The exhibition at the Kleinert/James, on view through June 26, reflects upon the historic Byrdcliffe Art Colony’s roots in the Arts and Crafts tradition, which sought to mitigate the effects of industrialization through the creation of hand-made objects that married functionality with artistic beauty. In addition to Loete’s captivating photographs, the exhibition includes objects from the Bartlett Collection and artifacts associated with the passion of fly fishing as it pertains to its surrounding environment, the Catskills.

After its run at the K/J, the exhibition will travel to Shandaken, NY (Shandaken Art Studio Tour, July 16 – 17, 2016); the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, Livingston Manor, NY (September 2 – October 10, 2016), and the Erpf Gallery at the Catskill Center, Arkville, NY (January 28 – March 18, 2017).

Gallery Hours: Thursday through Sunday, 12:00 – 6:00 pm, or by appointment on Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. For more information about the exhibition, please visit http://www.woodstockguild.org/exhibitions and http://artfromartifice.com.