Artist Statement:

I grew up in a small Midwest town, surrounded by the rolling hills of green farmland and hardwood forests. Adolescent curiosities and dreams of the future turned my vision north, and at age eighteen I ventured to Alaska—that seemingly mythical realm of adventure and land of extremes. I am not unlike many northern sojourners, lured to Alaska for reasons of intrigue and fascination, and compelled to remain by its giant space and rugged wilderness. Adventure is the seed of discovery, and Alaska is a place fertile and rich with opportunities for both.

An affinity for the visual arts has had a home inside me since childhood, and it leaked out repeatedly until I finally realized that in some fashion, it would become my way. This process of finding took a little time, but the fact that there is now a thin line between my photographic work and play, leads me to believe that I'm living near my passion. For me, the latter is critical because it is the context for creativity, which is the source underlying the words and pictures before you today.

Alaska's natural world serves as a gateway into ubiquitous photographic material, from which I have sampled abundantly, but it is the layers and depth of its landscapes that now lure me most. While style is often found in the rear view mirror, I know that my long-time fascination with color and light, two fundamental aspects of painting and photography, weave their way into what may be descriptive of my work. I'm constantly intrigued by the influence of one upon the other.

My professional career is best summarized by nearly 30,000 images that span the last 17 years. They represent isolated moments in a fluid journey across Alaska's vibrant landscape. Some are the result of serendipity, some of extensive planning and scouting, but all tell a small part of larger story. The process of their capture has been a voiceless, but not silent teacher, and I as the student am perpetually exhorted that the gift of seeing requires more than the eyes that see.

"Once in a while you find a place on earth that becomes your very own. A place undefined. Waiting for you to bring your color, your self. A place untouched, unspoiled, undeveloped. Raw, honest, and haunting. No one, nothing is telling you how to feel or who to be." ~ Sundance

— Patrick J Endres

A First Friday artist reception from 5-8pm at The Alaska House Art Gallery on the corner of 10th and Cushman. The exhibit will run through August. Call 456-6449 for more information.