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Bringing Him into focus

NEWPORT – When Deb Arthur looks through her camera’s lens, she sees God’s glory.

Arthur, of Newport, will display her photography at the center of an exhibit titled “God’s Creation Through the Lens,” on display through May 29 in the Perry County Council of the Arts gallery/showroom at 1 S. Second St., Newport.

A PCCA member for five years, Arthur was stunned when Jasmine Colbert, of PCCA, called upon her to be the featured exhibit for the month of May.

“I never thought my work was good enough for an exhibit,” she said.

Arthur, who says the photography is more of a hobby, has been taking photos for 35 years. It is her faith that inspires her most when she holds her Nikon D80 camera in her hands.

The decision to participate in “God’s Creation Through the Lens” was the result of a prayer.

“I really just wanted to reflect God’s glory,” she said, adding that she has been a Christian since age 16. “People forget God created all that is around us … He makes everything for our pleasure … everything from the sun shining through the trees …”

Every photo in the exhibit has a story and special meaning for Arthur and her relationship with God.

A photo featuring three sprouting crocuses was taken prior to an Easter sunrise service. She was thinking of her three children at the time and how not all of them would be joining the family for Easter dinner. While snapping the photos in soft morning sunlight, she noticed a heart-shaped rock nearby. She picked it up and placed it with the crocuses. Later it occurred to her that perhaps it was God’s way of telling her he loved her and her three children.

The photographer said she has taken many plant life photos that are featured in the exhibit and scenic shots including a photo of the Pomeroy Academia Covered Bridge in Juniata County.

She loves winter shots because “As a child, my dad used to always walk in the snow with us.”

Arthur also learned how to take photos of stars and the correct way to allow the shutter to open and close to get the perfect nighttime photo.

“You need a clear night and a lot of things really need to come together to get the perfect picture.”

One of her favorites in the exhibit is a photo called “Swinging in the Moonlight.” It was taken at 3 a.m. as Arthur stood in the cold 20 degree wind watching the tire swing in her backyard glide back and forth under the walnut tree as moonlight crept through the branches.

Another favorite is “Berrylicious,” a close up of raspberries “so lush you could just pick them up and eat them,” she said.

A meet and greet with Arthur will be held 7-8:30 p.m. May 3 at the PCCA gallery. She said she hopes her work demonstrates the images God has given her.

“I will shoot something and just do a little dance or just praise God,” she said with a chuckle.

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