Photographer Tony Scoringe shows several of his barn photos that will be on exhibit starting Aug. 5 and through the month at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 913 Second St.
SNOHOMISH — Tony Scoringe has snapped photographs all over the world.
He didn’t have to travel that far to find subjects for his latest exhibit, “The Barns of Snohomish,” which opens Saturday, Aug. 5 at St. John’s Church on Second Street.
Shuttling his four kids to events across the county inspired the theme, he said.
“It got me seeing all these cool barn locations,” he said. “It became a passion for me.”
Twenty-four of Scoringe’s best barn portraits will be displayed in St. John’s parish hall as part of the church’s third monthly Arts Night.
The free exhibit’s opening runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes complimentary beverages, music, and an open mic for stories and poetry. The barns will be displayed for about a month.
“I want it to be eclectic,” show curator Chris Fickle said, “a venue for people to express art.”
His wife, Colleen, will have a few abstract paintings on display. Artist Laurie Crawford will have a structure.
Scoringe will be on hand for questions and autographs. His prints are for sale (prices depend on size and format), but he said proceeds basically cover costs.
The church takes no money from the artists, Fickle said, and the monthly shows have no religious overtones.
“We act as a gallery,” Fickle said. “We’re just doing this to open it up so the community has a place to co-mingle with each other.”
Two previous Arts Nights have drawn between 30 and 100 people.
Scoringe, ironically, was also the headline artist at the July Arts Night. That show featured photographs of wildlife, people, and scenery, including shots from his native Australia.
The photographer, who is part Māori, still flies back and forth from his longtime Snohomish residence to visit family in his homeland.
He has also traveled the globe taking photographs and making videos as a marketer for businesses in the tourism and travel industries.
A former business partner who photographed for National Geographic was an early mentor. Scoringe’s only other training was high school photography lessons.
“I had long been interested in photography,” he said. “I always have a camera with me.”
Most of his barn shots are meticulously planned and require several visits to get the right framing and lighting.
To snap a rainbow seemingly merging with the top of a red barn, he drove a nail into the ground so he could stand on it each time and ensure the same angle of the structure.
Other shots are more spontaneous.
Scoringe raced a storm from Bellevue to get one photo just as the imposing black clouds reached a Snohomish barn.
He estimates he has another 40 barn photos to edit in his computer files, and a half dozen more barns he would still like to shoot.
He’s also interested in photographing fly fishers in the county. And he still runs a marketing consulting business.
“I’ll retire about six months after I’m dead,” he chuckled.
Fickle hopes the excitement of Scoringe’s exhibit and the annual Snohomish Art Walk the following week, which includes St. John’s stained-glass windows, will infuse the Arts Night series with fresh life.
He would like to have a docent and keep the exhibits open seven days a week. The church is exploring displaying school artwork and inviting school bands to future Arts Nights.
“We’re scheduled out to November,” Fickle said. “The whole concept was to create a momentum. There’s a desire for artwork and artists in Snohomish. It’s growing.”
The church is at 913 Second St., Snohomish, between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Snohomish Art Showcase event Aug. 10
SNOHOMISH — The city’s annual day of arts is coming back Thursday, Aug. 10 from 3-7 p.m.
The city says the Snohomish Art Showcase will transform historic downtown Snohomish into an immersive gallery, with local businesses and galleries opening their doors to exhibit an array of captivating artwork.
The Snohomish Carnegie Building will be transformed into a Youth Art Gallery, featuring works from students in the Snohomish School District.
The St. John’s Church is among the venues. They’ll be hosting docent-led tours of their stained glass windows as well as Tony Scoringe’s barn photos.
The showcase will occur in conjunction with the Snohomish Farmers Market. “The event promises to captivate art enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds,” the city said.
The full list of participating artists and map will be available after press time at www.snohomishwa.gov/ArtWalk
— Compiled information
