Review

"Birch Bark," Archival Print.

Kevin Sink

9 a.m.-5 p.m.
(Call ahead for appointment)

Kevin Sink Photography
1817 Grand Blvd.
Kansas City, MO
816.472.0711
800.262.2749

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, call for appointment.

Permanent studio/gallery.

Artist's/Gallery site: http://www.kevinsink.com

Some photographers specialize in nature. Some focus on structure.

Kevin Sink does both, beautifully ... and successfully.

Sink, whose work is everywhere on the walls of his East Crossroads studio, has four books of photography to his credit. The list, evenly divided between wild and constructed subjects, includes this year's Illuminating Kansas City, which — true to its title — is made up of (carefully) timeless images of the city's visual icons.

There are special places and times where the artistry of nature combines with our senses to create a profound sense of place, writes Sink, who also regularly contributes photographs to nature magazines and calendars. My photographic ambition is to re-create that feeling on a two-dimensional piece of paper.  This creative process is both challenging and rewarding, but in the end any credit must go to nature herself.

Sink has spent a lot of time collaborating with the outside world; his photography career began when he was ten years old and wanted to augment his birdwatching activities. You could say, too, that Sink's appreciation for nature — and for structure — goes all the way down to the microscopic level. He holds a master's degree in physiology and cellular biology.

His knowledge of and affection for the natural world and its intrinsic patterns shows not only in his panoramic shots, but also in his close-up work. In those shots — including  Birch Bark, today's featured piece — Sink strips away context to focus on color, line and texture. The parallel dashes in this photograph suggest some sort of code, and the peeling strip lets Sink achieve his goal of making the shot seem three-dimensional.

It's a work as carefully planned and executed as any piece of architecture ... and at the same time, Sink makes it look effortless.

Natural.