PTC Newberry Campus Among Venues in Rotating Art Showcase

Piedmont Technical College’s Newberry Campus is not only a stop on students’ career paths. Now it is also a stop on the Newberry Made Art Showcase Tour, in which local businesses and municipal venues host regular exhibitions on a monthly rotation. And one of the featured artists in the showcase just happens to be a humble PTC maintenance technician on campus named Brian Hare. 

“Brian is actually the first featured artist here, but we will be displaying art from local artists in a cycle,” explained PTC Newberry Campus Director Beth Jaeger “The art is not for sale. It’s just to showcase and bring awareness to local folks and possibly spark an interest in the arts. I think it’s a wonderful initiative and am super proud to be a part of it.”

Hare’s medium is photography. Newberry artist Robert Matheson persuaded him to display his work. Matheson and his wife, Amy, have spearheaded the Showcase tour. 

“I am not strong on wanting to show my stuff yet. I had to be talked into it,” Hare said. “Robert is the one who encouraged me to get back into photography. I have been experimenting with infrared photography. … One side of my display is pictures done in infrared. The other side is basically local stuff shot traditionally. Most everything I have shot so far has been in Newberry.” 

Infrared photography captures images on the light spectrum beyond the ability of the naked eye to see. Photographers can create infrared images using special infrared film or infrared filters used on film or digital cameras. The results add a new dimension to typical photos and are often described as ethereal or otherworldly. 

Hare’s work will be on display on the PTC Newberry Campus through the end of September, after which it will be rotated to another location, and, in turn, another artist’s work will be displayed on campus for a month. 

Jaeger wanted to share a side story about Hare’s display.

“The ends of the shelves were Brian’s grandfather’s tomato stakes that he used in his garden and the actual shelves came from his grandfather’s barn,” she said. “Brian repurposed them to showcase his beautiful work. I love that he included something that was such a part of his family.”

For more information about Hare’s work, visit www.photosbybhare.com. For more information about the Newberry Made Showcase, visit www.newberrymade.com. 

PHOTOS: 
•    Brian Hare’s photographs are on display in the PTC Newberry Campus lobby.
•    An infrared image of the Newberry Opera House taken by Brian Hare 
•    A framed photo by Brian Hare sits in the main office on the Newberry Campus.