Category Archives: Inspiration

A Photo Trek to Slot Canyon

As a photographer, there are so many places I have always wanted to visit and photograph. This year I have created a “bucket list” of places I would like to go and Slot Canyon was one of them. It is near Page, AZ on the Navajo reservation and is within driving distance from my house so it came in high on my list. The desert southwest has a beauty all its own, unique from any other place. It has become super popular so it was crowded and tricky to get shots in this canyon without any other people but worth the effort. The lighting and shapes and color were awe inspiring. The best part of the trip was the night tour we took in the canyon led by a great Navajo guide.

First Friday Exhibit Opening- “Bloom”

Every year when the winter rains come I get excited about spring. It is my favorite time of year when the hillsides turn green and then burst with color. Mostly I notice the bright colored mustard flowers that brighten up my drive along the 101 freeway. This year they were especially abundant where there had been a fire in December. Such a bright reminder of the renewal that comes in spring. The hill had been charred to black and now was something of exquisite beauty.
I also love to spend many days in search of other wildflowers like poppies and lupines. It is a beautiful time of year!! Come by the gallery this month to see images from our new collection-“Bloom” Friday, May 6th is First Friday in Downtown Ventura, which means there will be lots of new exhibits at all the galleries and everyone will be staying open a little later and enjoying the festivities- be sure to get a map and check everything out:
http://firstfridaysventura.com/

Latitudes Fine Art Gallery
401 E. Main ST
Ventura, CA 93001
805-642-5257
“Bloom” Opening Reception
6pm-9pm May 6, 2016

Our Earth Day – Little Things Make a Difference

We think about the earth every day around here! Sharing it’s wonder and beauty is what we are all about. I recently went to Santa Barbara’s Natural History Museum and saw a little acrylic box with jellyfish swimming around. On closer inspection I realized it was a display showing how plastic shopping bags look in the ocean. I was truly shocked at how bad of a problem this is for our sea life and for us.

Did You Know?

Each year plastic kills more than a million sea birds and 100,000 mammals and sea turtles who mistake it for food, such as jellyfish.
52% of sea turtles and 60% of sea birds have ingested some form of plastic.
Plastic toxins end up in fish, which end up on our plates, which end up inside our bodies.

The simple box of water with bags in it at the museum, really made me realize that even my occasional plastic shopping bag can end up in the ocean and harm our sea life. So when it was time to re-order plastic bags for the gallery, I set out on a quest to find something better. We are thrilled with our new reusable cloth bags and by the response so far, our Latitudes Family is too.

Tasha Cleaveland is Latitudes Fine Art Gallery’s Manager and Design Consultant. She has been working with Stephanie and Steve since 2014 and is always excited to help Latitudes customers find the perfect piece to transform their space.

Learn more at http://www.seeturtles.org/ocean-plastic/ and https://www.norwexmovement.com/the-trashy-12/

Big Prints for Beautiful Walls

Fill your walls with big beautiful prints and transform your space! We have been busy at Latitudes this week making homes come alive with photographs that capture your eye and imagination. Have you been looking at boring walls for too long? Are your walls empty because you can’t find the right piece? It is time to create a space that you love and that you are proud of when friends come over. Let us…”take your breath away!” If you would like help envisioning it, we are happy to have our in-house designer, Tasha Cleaveland of Cleaveland Designs, create a rendering for you from a photo of your wall. Just email us your wall photo and some ideas of your favorite images from our website and we can get started right away.

Fine Art Handcrafted Wood Prints- Photos on Wood

Looking for that perfect piece of art for your wall? Has your wall been empty for too long because you just cannot find the right thing? Latitudes artists Stephanie Hogue and Steve Munch have created something super special with their photography: Handcrafted Wood Prints. Because they are handmade by Steve’s brother, wood artist, Michael Munch, each one is a unique art piece. The wood grain and carved edges add a rustic and textured quality to the photograph. This special printing technique also adds a painterly effect to the image, often leaving the viewer to wonder if it is a photograph or a painting. Latitudes Handcrafted Wood Prints are really something special and will be the perfect conversation piece on your wall. They can be made in all sizes from small 12″x18″ up to 48″x72″ as the largest. Browse our images online and just give us a call to get your wood piece started!! 805-642-5257

Unlock Your Heart

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. For some, that strikes fear in their hearts, instead of inspiring love. I propose we change this tradition. Remove the mandatory roses, chocolate and impersonal card, and instead, unlock your heart. It is that simple. So often we put expectations on our loved ones, like they can read our minds. Surprise! They can’t, and it sets us all up for failure. Why not set yourself up for success this year? Tell those you love, exactly what you need to feel loved and ask them to do the same. The answers might surprise you.

For me, words of kindness and simple gestures that remind me I was thought of, tells me that I am loved. For my husband of 15 years, it’s acts of service and small surprises. He isn’t one for extravagant gifts, but little love notes sprinkled throughout his day and going to his tool box to find it organized- that is what tells him that he is loved. This year I have given him a “14 days of love” banner. Each day is an envelope with a note, a small gift, an act of service, a date night, or a pre-arranged outing with his friends.

How do your loved ones know they are loved? Maybe it is about time you asked. We hope Latitudes Fine Art Gallery is part of the key to unlocking your hearts.

If you need help thinking of big and small surprises, stop by the gallery. We love making our “Latitudes Family” happy.

Bring Home Fine Art for the Holidays!

Surround yourself with beauty and happiness.The gift of a beautiful fine art photograph will be treasured and enjoyed for years and years.

Happy Thanksgiving !!!

Sending you warmest wishes and joy this Thanksgiving from Steve and Stephanie at Latitudes Fine Art Galleries in Ventura and Kauai!!

Newborn Baby Gray Whale Near Anacapa Island

A rare encounter with a newborn baby gray whale this past week left us in awe as we watched it learn to swim and frolic in the water with its mother. Judging from its size and swimming ability, we figure it was only hours old…days at most.

As wildlife and nature photographers, we spend many hours searching, observing and waiting for the right moment, lighting, composition, etc. This was a day when all the stars aligned and we were there, ready to capture it. The only thing to overcome at that point is the excitement and adrenaline knowing that we have something very special happening in front of us. That is when we are grateful for all the preparations we have made to be ready for the moment. It is fun for us to share the beauty we see that many cannot ever see first hand.

Latitudes Galleries- California & Kauai

Art Galleries in Ventura, California & Poipu, Kauai, featuring the collections of Steve Munch and Stephanie Hogue.