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Page 18 August 2018 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
Catoctin, Picture Perfect
Jim Schlett
When our National Parks were Catoctin Park staff. Each park asks overview of the park, potential
first established, well over a century that the artist donate one piece of workshop dates, introduced
ago, painters and photographers their work back to the Park after the other park employees and
created works that inspired residency is completed and to give a volunteers, and also talked
Americans and people from around workshop/talk to the public during about on-going events of the
the world to journey and visit those the residency. park. Afterward, we unpacked
areas and to generate interest in My wife and I arrived on Sunday, the car in now heavy rain and
the parks. That practice lives on to May 6, 2018, in light rain, which settled into the cabin. I was able
this day. The National Park Service created a bright spring green on to take just a few images of the
(NPS) still reaches out to potential our drive up from Virginia that I surrounding area and cabins for
“artists” through its Artist-In- hoped would make for great photos the first afternoon; we then made
Residency (AIR) program, which over the next two weeks. That ride our way down to the Kountry
is available at over forty different sparked a conversation about our Kitchen in Thurmont for a great
locations. great interest in our National Parks, dinner.
After retiring from the Federal dating back to the early 1980s with In addition to creating my
government with over thirty years our first trip to Yellowstone and the own images of the park, I had
of service, including the last fifteen Grand Tetons, now having visited made an offer to take photos
as the director of administration over 140 sites to-date. of the park employees and
for the Law Department, I decided Based on my prior AIR experience volunteers during my stay. As a
to “refocus” on my photography. at Whiskeytown Park, I kept a result, I managed to meet many
Through a very competitive detailed journal of each day, touching employees and volunteers, who
application process, I was notified on such activities as hikes, the all went the extra mile in terms
that I had been selected as the AIR people we met, and notes for future of reaching out to me and all of
at Catoctin Mountain Park for two exploring. As part of the program, the visitors to the park. Catoctin
weeks in May. Like other painters, the park provides lodging to the Park provided space in the
my photos tell a story with images artists. My wife and I were assigned Visitors Center for the display
rather than words. I had been very housing at Camp Misty Mount, a of my photography; so, on the By artist Jim Schlett, taken in Camp Misty Mount, within 200
fortunate to have been selected historical complex of cabins built first Monday, we installed about yards of his cabin. “The lighting at that early morning, with a
as the AIR at the Whiskeytown in the 1930s by the Works Progress fifteen of my canvas prints. I light fog, created a sense of being invited in to the forest.”
National Park Recreation Area in Administration. On our first day, also provided a daily update of
Northern California in 2016, so I we met AIR Coordinator Carrie three to four new images for each relatively easy walk along the Blue
had a good idea of what I wanted Andresen, a dedicated park ranger, day at the park, which were also Blazes Trail would lead to hundreds
to accomplish and share with the who provided us with an excellent posted at the Visitors Center, as of photos of the stream, trees, flowers
well as on their Facebook page and and eventually the whiskey still.
mine. Over the two weeks, we hiked During one of my photo workshops,
essentially all of the trails, and some two of the participants were quickly
more than once. I was amazed at laying down on the ground, capturing
the quietness and peaceful feeling of close-ups of what they described as
just being in the park. I discovered a rare flower find by its scientific
what many of the locals must know, name. On a few days, a heavy fog
it really is a hidden gem in the and mist—which I was excited to
National Park Service. Enjoying see—provided unique lighting for
American history at the same time, new images. I find that light plays a
I learned of the creation of the park critical role in finding photographs,
and its legacy, including training and that is why I often go back to
grounds for the Office of Strategic specific locations several times to
Services (OSS), the predecessor to try and capture just the right light.
the CIA, during World War II. The light can make the difference
It doesn’t take long in a National between a good photograph and a
Park to find inspiration for creating great one. Wandering around also
new work. As an example, a simple, … Story continued on page 19