The public is invited to a début of artistic photography and new oil paintings by Richard A. K. Dorbin at Church Alley Gallery. The exhibit opens February 6 during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk, with a wine and cheese reception from 5:30-7:30pm.

Dorbin is well known in the community as an accomplished commercial photographer. For more than 25 years, his studio, Paragon Light, has provided a vast range of photographic services to clients throughout the Mid Atlantic region, including Giclee fine art reproductions, portraits, and product/advertising photography. Recently, Dorbin has taken up the painter’s pallet for his latest creative endeavor. Shown will be a selection of unique photographic images, in tandem with plein air works painted outdoors “in the moment” over the past year.

Dorbin says the strong local art scene inspired him to start painting. He has also been stimulated by painters who come to Talbot County from across the country to compete in Plein Air–Easton! “Watching them create such beautiful work in seemingly effortless fashion motivated me to give it a try,” he says. “I quickly discovered how difficult it is to achieve that ‘effortlessness.’ It took months of work and study, and dozens of attempts before I came up with a keeper. Every photographer should take a stab at painting to see how easy they have it with a camera in hand instead of a paintbrush!”

Dorbin credits a cadre of local artists and his wife, Ann Dorbin, for the support and encouragement that have helped launch his new artistic endeavors.

Church Alley Gallery is located at 32 S. Washington Street in Easton. After the opening, the exhibit is free and open to the public Monday-Friday 9am-5pm through February 27th. Exhibitors donate 10% of any sales to the Mid-Shore Community Mediation Center in Easton. The mediation center provides no-cost, non-litigation dispute resolution services to residents of Talbot, Caroline and Dorchester Counties.