National Artist David Bethard’s Work On Display at Library

The Mary Bishop Memorial Gallery at the Crawfordsville District Public Library would like to invite the public to view the work of national artist David Bethard. This exhibit is currently open and will be on display through mid-November. Unframed, mounted prints are for sale (cash only) during the exhibition through our Circulation department.

David Bethard was born in Orange, Texas. He worked in Orange as a Process Specialist for Chevron-Phillips Chemical Co. and retired after 30 years. He and his wife Sheri relocated to Indiana four years ago to be closer to their granddaughters. They have travelled all over North America and have captured the best of nature.

“Photography is my way of creating art,” Bethard said. “We’ve enjoyed traveling and photography goes perfect with travel. I am always looking for something unique to photograph from landscapes to animals and beyond.”            

Bethard learned all the aspects of photography through trial and error starting with film and moving into digital media. He learned how to develop his prints at his home studio. He explored digital formats and printed his photographs on different types of media. He currently uses the Canon EOS-1 series DSLR bodies and the Canon L series lenses in collaboration with the Canon ImagePro large format printer.

“I can print on a wide variety of media, but canvas is my favorite,” Bethard said. “Pictures seem to “POP” when printed on canvas.”                                                                     

He enjoys all aspects of being a photographer including building frames for his personal collection, which is on display. All of his artworks are mounted on canvas and finished with a protective coating that prevents fading. Bethard takes pride in his work and meticulously observes every detail.

In 2009, he was awarded First Place in the Amateur Category in WildBird Magazine’s annual photo contest. In recent years, he has become more involved with sharing his work with others by exhibiting his personal collection when possible. If you are interested in ordering a print or sharing the perfect spot to capture nature, please contact David Bethard at djbethard@gmail.com.