Artist To Display Hand-Colored Black And White Photos In Clearwater

CLEARWATER, FL — The Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency has announced the debut exhibit of Niki Butcher, "Daydreaming: Niki Butcher's Hand-Painted Photography," featuring more than 60 hand-painted photographs created over five decades.

The free exhibit is on display at the Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave., through Jan. 31.

Showcasing the historical, scenic and sometimes quirky aspects of the world through the eyes of the thoughtful optimist, Butcher developed her own technique for hand painting her darkroom photographs, starting with capturing a scene on black and white film.

Setting her work apart through use of color, she then uses Q-tips and cotton balls to apply oil paint, creating a unique color palette that reflects her optimistic view of the world.

Butcher's work captures places and people that stand out as unique, endangered and authentic, offering a view of the world that adds a bit more color, a dose of humor and an infusion of positivity.

Butcher said she is excited to present the first solo exhibition of her artwork in Clearwater.

"Using my photographs and oil paints, I am able to turn landscapes into dreamscapes and reality into fantasy," she said. "It is my hope that you can sit back, relax and take a moment to enjoy this beautiful, quirky, fun and sometimes funky world that we occupy," she said.

“I am passionate about the art of creating hand-painted black and white photography," Butcher said. "I love to express myself by adding color that may not be true to the original scene, yet evokes a particular fleeting moment that I felt at the time. I delight in the fact that I am able to combine a technique that was once popular, but is now nearly forgotten. I am honored that I have had the opportunity to document Florida’s scenic landscapes and historical architectural icons for generations to come.”

Born in Arizona and raised in Palo Alto, California, Butcher said her interest in the arts began when she was a junior in high school. She sold her first painting at age 16.

She continued her love of art in college where she majored in fine art.

Niki and renowned black and what photographer Clyde Butcher married in 1963, and they moved to Florida in 1980, where both husband and wife promptly began chronicling the state on film.

On Saturday, July 9, there will be a grand opening celebration and artist meet-and-greet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the library.

Clyde Butcher, whose six-month exhibit of world-renowned black and white landscapes just ended a successful run in the Clearwater Main Library, will also be a special guest.

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