May 30 – July 14, 2018
During the month of May, the Back Gallery of the Firehouse Gallery will feature three WAC artists – all new to the organization. Robert Shallenberger is a photographer, Beckie Marshall works with ceramics and crochet. and Shirley Gambill DeRego is a photographer.
Dr. Robert Shallenberger earned his M.A. and Doctorate degrees in Zoology at Whitman College and UCLA, respectively. After a short assignment as an Ecologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rob joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as the manager of Pacific Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Over a 22 year career with the FWS, Rob held several management positions, including seven years as the Chief of Refuges in Washington, D.C. He returned to Hawaii in 1997 to manage the newly created National Wildlife Refuge at Midway Atoll. Between 2002 and December, 2010, he was the Hawaii Island Conservation Director for the Nature Conservancy. Rob remains active in the conservation arena on several commissions and non-profit boards.
Rob is an accomplished wildlife photographer, with photographs and articles published in dozens of magazines, such as Audubon, National Geographic, Aloha, National Wildlife Defenders, Nature Conservancy, Ranger Rick and Animal Kingdom. His photographs also appear in several books, such as Hawaii’s Birds and Islands of Life. His most recent book, Hawaiian Birds of the Sea, was published by the University of Hawaii Press. Rob has visited several countries as a nature tour leader and nature photography instructor. A commercially- rated pilot and flight instructor, Rob has compiled a large library of aerial photos of the Hawaiian Islands. Rob’s aerial, scenic and nature photos can be viewed at his web site, www.shallenbergerphoto.com. Rob’s canvas gallery wrap photos can be printed from 24”x36” to 40”x60”, using archival inks on artist grade canvas. Photos are wrapped around a wood stretcher frame and UV protected to prevent fading.
Rebecca “Beckie” Marshall was born in St. Louis, Missouri and moved to Hilo in 1991. Beckie has been crocheting since 1975 and has been exploring and experimenting with clay since 2006.
Bebo c.c., ceramics & crochet, is the monarchy Marshall uses to design and
create under. Her designs are realized in her Waiakea Uka studio where she uses low fired clay, fires in an electric kiln and crochets with natural “Mauna Kea (one)” ohia wood, yarns, making practical, wearable art pieces. Bebo c.c. designs are heavily influenced by Hawai’i’s natural scenic surroundings.
Her Artist’s Statement: “My environment has a huge influence on how I see. As I traverse across this beautiful land of Hawai’i and my eye catches glimpses of the mountains, turquoise blue skies, cloud formations, rain, wind, snow, or the ocean’s crashing ocean waves and all its wonder, I can’t but feel so grateful to experience all of this. How could I not be influenced?”
Shirley Gambill DeRego is a well known photographer in Waimea. No further information available at press time – to be added next month.
