Press Release

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat opens an exhibit of Ted Rose Photography and Paintings
in collaboration with The Center for Railroad Photography and Art.

The exhibit is open from May 28 – October 23, 2016, in the Oliver O. Jensen Gallery
on Essex Steam Train & Riverboat Campus.

ESSEX, CT (June 2, 2016) – Sponsored by Essex Steam Train & Riverboat and in collaboration with the Center for Railroad Photography and Art, “Railroads and the American Industrial Landscape: Ted Rose Paintings and Photographs” is on display in the Oliver O. Jensen Gallery at River Valley Junction from May 28 to October 23, 2016. The gallery is open during Essex Steam Train’s normal operating hours.

An exhibition reception will be held in the Gallery on Thursday, June 23 from 5-8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Ted Rose (1940–2002) dedicated much of his career to artistically capturing the railroad in American life and culture. He believed passionately that “the American Place is often a railroad place,” beautiful and worthy of our attention. His willingness to embrace the ordinary and make it extraordinary was the core of his artistic vision.

Rose captured landscapes across the continent, from Pennsylvania to Texas, Mexico to Canada. They are rural and urban, reflecting the omnipresence of the railroad in American life and land. Their varied settings and compelling compositions vividly illustrate the nobility of railroads and hint at Rose’s sublime understanding of the essence of American places.

This exhibition, a sampling of the work of Rose’s long and productive career, offers a hint a Rose’s sublime understanding of the essence of American places and the role that the steam locomotive had in everyday life. “The Ted Rose Studio donated his photographic works to the Center for Railroad Photography & Art, which conceived and produced this exhibition,” noted Audrey Conrad, Gallery Curator. “We are also fortunate to have four original Ted Rose watercolors for our exhibit, which were provided by individual collectors of his work.

“Rose’s paintings captured scenes from a perspective that a camera never could and often included workers engaged in mundane, yet essential, repetitive daily tasks,” explained Conrad.

Admission is always free. Shows in the Oliver O. Jensen Gallery at Essex are seasonal, usually featuring an exhibition in summer and winter. The Gallery is open during Essex Station’s normal operating hours.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR RAILROAD PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART

The organization that brings you these stunning images of railroads and the American industrial landscape is the Center for Railroad Photography & Art, based in Madison, Wisconsin. The Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and education organization founded in 1997 that interprets the intersection of railroads, culture, and art with history and life. In addition to traveling exhibitions, our activities include publications, collections, a photography awards program, and conferences about railroad photography and art.

The Center works with institutional partners, such as the Valley Railroad Company, to fulfill our mission of broadening public understanding of the railroad’s profound role in the development of the United States and the world. Membership supports all of our activities and includes a subscription to Railroad Heritage®, our quarterly journal. We invite you to visit us at www.railphoto-art.org, where you can learn more about our work and become a member.  We also invite you to enjoy Ted Rose’s spectacular photographs and watercolors of railroads and the American industrial landscape.”

ABOUT THE OLIVER JENSEN GALLERY

Opened in July of 2008, the Oliver Jensen Gallery is located in River Valley Junction, the former Dickinson Witch Hazel bottling plant. A list of former exhibits at the gallery can be found here.

The gallery is named in honor of Oliver Jensen, one of the founders and chief visionary of The Valley Railroad Company. Mr. Jensen served many years as President and/or Chairman of the Company, dedicating his life to the preservation of this historic landmark that is now enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year. The Gallery, the largest building on the Essex Station campus, and other areas of River Valley Junction are available for event rental and are ideal for unique gatherings. For more information, review our private events information at essexsteamtrain.com.

ABOUT THE ESSEX STEAM TRAIN & RIVERBOAT

Owned and operated by the Valley Railroad Company, the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat is a unique historic attraction in the Connecticut River Valley. The railroad has transported people in Connecticut since 1868, and the Valley Railroad Company has operated today’s well-known train and riverboat for over 40 years. The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat takes people on exciting excursions through the unspoiled Connecticut River Valley, a place designated as “one of the last great places on earth” by the Nature Conservancy. The steam locomotive pulls vintage coaches through the quintessential New England towns of Deep River and Chester, and the Becky Thatcher riverboat takes visitors past the undeveloped Selden Neck State Park on its way to East Haddam. The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat offers various eco-excursions and family themed events throughout the year.

Follow Essex Steam Train & Riverboat for updates on Twitter at @essexsteamtrain and on Facebook at facebook.com/essexsteamtrain.