See Mother Lode Towns in a New Light

Stroll down Main Street in any one of our vibrant Mother Lode towns today and imagine the rich history that underpins them, then soften your focus to capture that with your camera. Bring with you 8 years of living in Africa filming wildlife in action, and then point your eye all around California. Add it all together and what you get is “A Flash of Color: From Africa to the Mother Lode and Beyond” photo exhibit at the Volcano West Gallery in September.

The exhibit will run the entire month of September and it promises to be a captivating exploration of our charming Mother Lode towns, the vibrant wildlife of Africa, and the scenic diversity of California, as seen through the unique lens of local photographer Richard Miles.

An opening reception will be held from 11AM to 6PM on September 2 to mark the opening of this exhibit. There will be live music and refreshments in the afternoon.

It’s not just about the beauty on the walls; this exhibit is also a benefit to support the Amador County Arts Council. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the photographs – available in various sizes and formats including matted and framed prints, canvases, metal and acrylic prints – will go directly to the Arts Council, supporting art education and outreach in our community.

Richard Miles has devoted years capturing the raw beauty of the world around us before moving to Amador County in 2019 with his wife, physician Michelle Roland. Now, he’s bringing his award-winning body of work to the heart of Amador County in Volcano. From the quiet elegance of our local towns to the stunning wildlife of Africa, Miles’ photography transcends the ordinary, igniting the imagination.

“I work hard to translate what my eyes imagine to what the camera “sees” – and I hope each of these images spark your imagination as well,” Miles says.

Visitors to The Volcano West Gallery can experience the unique historical ambiance of Amador and Calaveras County towns featuring images of Amador City, Drytown, Sutter Creek, Jackson, Volcano, Mokelumne Hill, Angel’s Camp and more, and embark on a journey around California without leaving the gallery. Notably, one of the featured images (“Stairs”) garnered the blue ribbon for Best Landscape at this year’s Amador County Fair, with several other displayed pieces also claiming their share of ribbons.

Richard will be at the gallery every Friday to Sunday throughout September, giving visitors the opportunity to meet the artist and gain deeper insights into his body of work.

Check out Richard’s website to learn more and get more details!