New gallery in Netcong features local artists

Netcong — Friday, July 15, was the inaugural showing at the Main Artery, a new art gallery on 31 Main St. in Netcong. Stanhope artists Jason and Rachel Yerkes were sharing the spotlight with painter Aric Calfee for the first show and their work will be up until July 25. The husband-and-wife team are photographers with a scientific bent. “We both have photo-tech degrees from County College of Morris,” Jason Yerkes said. “It’s different from a fine arts degree, it’s photo science and it’s not a degree you find at a four-year school. The course of study is math and science oriented and the degree is in applied science.” Jason works as a graphic designer for Hi-Grade Beverages in Randolph. Rachel is looking “for a day job in the arts. I want to shoot for a living,” she said. The couple shares a Nikon D7000. Most of the photos in the exhibit were portraits, including one of Hunter S. Thompson with flowers superimposed over it. Rachel also enjoys shooting still lifes, including food. Both miss traditional film shooting. Jason rescues and repairs old Russian point and shoot cameras because he prefers their lenses. “I also have a Hasselblad,” Jason said. Hasselblad is an old and storied manufacturer of photographic equipment from Sweden. Rachel misses her first camera, a used Pentax K1000 she bought at the old Dover Photo, a Mecca for photographers in the era of film. “It was all manual, you needed to understand it,” she said. Main Artery was opened last month by artist Michelle Pallidino. Friday was the Yerkes first showing in a New Jersey gallery, although they have shown in a number of galleries out of state. “They had a sign in the window,” Rachel said. “We went in and talked to Michelle.” The Yerkes have known painter Aric Calfee for years and suggested the three-way showing. Main Artery also functions as a co-op for local artists in all mediums. For more information visit its website www.mainarterystudiogallery.com or call 973-527-4924.