Reflections & Inspirations exhibit features two photographers with local connections

Reflections & Inspirations is an exhibit and sale featuring two photographers with connections to Union County that is opening Thursday, January 23, 2025, 5:30 – 7. A short gallery talk by the photographers will begin at 6 p.m.

Chris Carr grew up in Eastern North Carolina and Northeast Mississippi, but has lived in Orlando, FL for almost 30 years. He is the son of Joan Carr of New Albany. Carr said that he has always felt the drive to create and has done so via many outlets and mediums, but it is photography that captured and held his attention.

“The search for unique perspectives that reveal something new in our environment drives my investigation of the world,” he said. Using a unique method of photographing images reflected in water, he calls it his “Puddle Reflection”, he captures interesting and provocative images. He will have images both from Union County as well as other locations.

“In depicting the world from a new perspective, my hope is that the audience experiences the artworks as a new genre of photography that challenges their perception and minds. This occurs with a brief journey, from the viewer’s initial impression of surrealism or abstraction to the realization that the image comes from something they encounter all the time, right below their own feet, but rarely—if ever—take the time to notice”, he said.

Rebecca Pickens is a photographer with a different style from Carr. Her passion is for nature and wildlife. A resident of both New Albany and Florida, Pickens spends a lot of time on Kingston Ridge Lake near her home not only photographing birds, but she also gets to know their habits, mates and babies.

“In wildlife photography I find the movement of life in abundance,” she said. I also find peace and fullness in the hours of in inhabiting and observing our natural world. I have to let go of time, the very moments of which I try to capture with my photography.”

“I believe the hours, days, months and years I have walking the shore of Desoto Lake and peddling around Kingston Ridge Lake on my boar are gifts from God. The miraculous comes when I also get to capture and hold a unique fraction of all that is good and true with a beautiful, interesting or unusual photograph.”

The exhibit and sale will continue through March 8, 2025.

The museum is located at 114 Cleveland St., New Albany, MS. For more information, call 662-538-0014

Jill Smith, Director
Union County Heritage Museum
114 Cleveland Street
New Albany, MS 38652