Jacksonville artist merges interest in
art history and photography in vintage works showcased at St.
Augustine’s Opus 39 Restaurant & Food Gallery
St. Augustine, Fla. – Art history and photography have long been Thomas
Hager’s true passions. Initially, the Jacksonville native focused on
his interest in art history, majoring in the subject at the University
of North Florida. Photography grew from a hobby into a way of life for
the artist after he was inspired by studying the vintage photographic
forms of kallitypes and cyanotypes.
Today, Hager specializes in photographic art centered on forms like
kallitypes and cyanotypes. His work is showcased at museums in France,
Italy and throughout the United States. Locally, the Jacksonville-based
artist is displaying a selection of vintage botanicals and landscapes
at St. Augustine’s Opus 39 Restaurant & Food Gallery, a destination
that emphasizes artistic cuisine, small production wines and artwork on
the walls and tables.
Kallitypes, which feature a brown tint, and cyanotypes, which emit a
blue tint, derive from the mid-1800s when various photographic
processes were under experimentation.
“The historical aspect of these vintage photographic processes is
extremely interesting to me,” said Hager, whose studio
(www.thomashagerfineart.com) is located in Jacksonville. “It becomes
more than photography. It incorporates printmaking and painting on
emulsion as well.
“It is aesthetically interesting as well,” he added. “When they look at
my pieces, some people think they are paintings, but they are
photographs.
“With these forms, I use watercolor paper rather than photo paper so
the chemicals sink into paper, which creates a softer and tactile
surface rather than slick, photographic look,” he said. “That is why
they look more like drawings or paintings.”
Hager’s photographs at Opus 39 are 30-by-40, which he says are much
larger than most kallitypes and cyanotypes. They depict botanicals and
landscapes – two of his favorite styles.
“I am appreciative and overwhelmed with the beauty of nature – whether
it is a leaf on the ground or the natural environment of a cityscape
blended with the natural environment,” Hager said. “I look at
botanicals as sculptural objects. With a leaf, for example, I don’t see
the entire piece itself. Instead, I am interested in the line, shape,
form and texture.”
Situated in a charming building amid the historic district of St.
Augustine, it seems fitting that Opus 39 is a dining destination that
is centered on artful presentation.
From the fresh ingredients that compose executive chef Michael
McMillan’s creative cuisine, and the rare selections from small
production boutique wineries available in the wine room, to the market
that sells ingredients from items on the menu and the locally produced
works that adorn the walls, Opus 39 is a sanctuary of imaginative art,
wine and cuisine.
Opus is Latin for a creative work that defines the artist. Creativity
is essential for the Opus 39 concept, which features a five-course
tasting menu that changes daily. The menu is determined by the best
ingredients that are available. Michael McMillan - who operates the
restaurant with his wife, Christine – selects produce from an organic
farm in Ocala and a stand in Hastings, and buys the freshest seafood,
beef and game possible on a daily basis. Then he creates the menu for
that night by 3 p.m.
Just as Opus 39 has a wine gallery with rare selections and a food
gallery where guests can buy flavorful ingredients such as the
McMillans’ freshly baked breads, the destination is also home to an art
gallery, where artists like Hager are selected to show their creations.
The McMillans arrange shows from local and regional artists every three
months. Their works are showcased on the walls of the wine gallery and
main dining room. St. Augustine glassblower Thomas Long has created
vases for the shelves and candleholders for the tables.
"Restaurants and galleries naturally complement each other," McMillan
said. "We strive to present cutting-edge dining and cutting-edge art,"
he said. "It’s all part of a culinary experience"
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