Photographs by Stephen Althouse

Robert Black and Ormond Sanderson Gallery
Through May 7, 2021

Sculptor-photographer Stephen Althouse begins with art pieces he creates using man-made objects, cloth, tools, and simple farm machinery. He then records images of them using large format film cameras and highly specialized printing and development processes. The resulting prints are quite large (up to 9 feet wide), and display exquisite detail and rich tones, commanding a sculptural presence. These mystic, almost sacred depictions of the human experience are further enriched by the artist through the addition of deftly embedded messages in the images themselves.

Often contrasting these objects with cloth wrappings or shrouds, Althouse’s facility as a photographer allows him to elevate simple objects to an almost spiritual sensibility through a deft use of composition, lighting, and printing techniques. The resulting large-scale minimalist images reflect his attachment to his upbringing in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, as well as his fascination with the vast variety of cultures he has encountered on his many travels throughout the world. The works featured in Objects of Intention, however, primarily reflect his ongoing fascination with his Amish neighbors, whose farms surround his home.

Stephen Althouse began as a sculptor, often using found objects to create new artwork. He studied at Rollins College, Florida; Temple University, Pennsylvania; and Tyler School of Art, Pennsylvania. He holds a BFA (University Miami, FL) and an MFA (Virginia Commonwealth University) in Sculpture. He now uses his skills as a sculptor in arranging and modifying the tools and other artifacts he chooses as his subjects. He was a professor of Fine Art at Barry University, has lectured internationally, and is the recipient of multiple grants for his work, including a Fulbright Research Fellowship. He currently resides in central Pennsylvania.