For a budding artist, gaining recognition and experience does not come easy. But one lucky UB student may have found his break at Spot Coffee.
Raymond Beale, a freshman, has found a venue through which he hopes to make his work known to the Buffalo community. His collection of 23 photographs is on display this month at Spot Coffee, on the corner of Delaware and Chippewa Avenue, in Buffalo.
Beale began this collection four years ago while a student at Canisius High School. As photo editor for the school yearbook, he found that he was a talented photographer, although he has not had any formal training.
"I've never taken a photo class. Taking a class is not something I'm interested in doing. I like to learn on my own, like an independent hobby," said Beale.
When Beale came to UB, he found that Spot Coffee showcased a local artist each month and contacted the manager, Jena Cumbo. He then spent $600 assembling his portfolio and presented it to her.
"It's better than the art we had last month. The lighting is good, the way he treats it is interesting," said Jeremy Lakeszcyck, a Spot Coffee employee.
By selling his work, Beale hopes to make back the money he put into his exhibit. Spot Coffee does not pay the artist, and Beale is in charge of all sales. His work is priced from $35 to $200, but money is not everything for Beale.
"Even if there was no profit it was definitely worth it," said Beale.
Beale's photographs are very professional, illustrating some of the best qualities of the Buffalo area. One interesting photo is taken from behind a fence of the grain elevators. The fence is blurred, yet the elevators are very clear. There are also pictures of downtown Buffalo, which accent the bright lights of the city.
"I started taking pictures with sun and water and lots of different colors; natural photos. I also have a butterfly section," said Beale.
The standout, and Beale's personal favorite, is called "Sun and Bridge," priced at $60. The piece consists of two photos - one of a sunset and the other of a bridge. The photos are double exposed and overlapped, resulting in the illusion that the sun is coming through the bridge with the rays going in several different directions. Beale considers this one of the best photographs he has ever taken.
"I think his work is pretty impressive. It gives students the opportunity to gain culture and see what other students are doing," said Erik Yoweil, a freshman accounting major. "It also shows that UB students are diverse. You don't have to be a photography major to enjoy it."
With so much talent, however, Beale decided to major in engineering instead of art or photography.
"I went with engineering because I'm really good in math and I thought that I could be successful at photography without majoring in it. Photography is my hobby," he said.
Beale has a keen sense for photography, and his work is impressive considering he has never taken a class. One of his photographs, titled, "A Building on Seneca," shows a large building that takes up an entire block. The way Beale photographed the structure gives the ordinary building depth, which is accented by the repetition of windows. Each window on the building can be seen for the entire block and the pattern makes the building more than what one would see when just looking at it.
Beale hopes to display his work at the Allentown Arts Festival and other venues.
"My main goal was to get my name out there. It's kind of a big deal. It's one of the biggest achievements of my life," said Beale.
Beale's work will be on display at Spot Coffee until Dec. 1. For more information call 856-2739.
