On display Aug. 20 - Dec. 13, 2009
"Life is a celebration" according to Jeff Smith, whose photographs commemorate the everyday events of family life in the wilds of north central Florida.
About the Artist
Living and practicing dentistry in Melrose, Florida since 1980, Smith has had access to many primitive natural areas rarely seen across Florida's highly developed landscapes. His interest in wildlife and photography began after his children left for college. With his own family spread over long distances, Smith began to notice family rituals among wildlife in the rural areas surrounding Melrose. He has captured images of courting rituals between barred owls, leisure time among pods of alligators, and mother eagles attending to their recently hatched eaglets.
Smith enjoys showing the beauty of strong family ties in every landscape and species through his photographs. He hopes his images will inspire others to become aware of natural families in their own backyards and think of ways to help them thrive and, by extension, appreciate and protect our remaining natural treasures.