KATHRYN EARNHART | At the Butler Realist painter, 2 photographers offer shows for museum-goers

At facilities of The Butler Institute of American Art, the camera draws together three special shows that offer museum-goers great art experiences.
In Youngstown, a painting exhibition of 35 master works by America's foremost photo realist painter, Ralph Goings, displays the effect a photograph can play when utilized in place of the artist's preliminary drawing.
At the Butler's Trumbull branch, traditional black-and-white photographs of boxing heroes, past and present, by German-born artist Holger Keifel combine stark reality with authenticity, creating a unique series of fine-art portraits.
And at the Butler's Beecher Center in Youngstown, an upcoming display of brightly colored digital photographs of people, places and unusual things created by regional photographer Michael McGowan firmly secures this newest photographic technology as a fine-art medium.
Highlighting the schedule is the Butler's current retrospective exhibition of the works of contemporary realist painter Goings, which will remain on view through June 6.
These works in both the oil and watercolor are drawn from private collections, and are awe-inspiring in their demonstration of this artist's paint-handling technique, use of classical composition, and iconic documentation of everyday places and things of the American scene.
'America's Vermeer'
It is no wonder that renowned art historian Edward Lucie-Smith, who authored a tribute to the artist that is included in this show's catalog, has dubbed Goings "America's Vermeer." A public reception to meet Goings is planned for 1 to 3 p.m. May 2.
On view at the Butler's Trumbull branch through May 23 is Keifel's "Portrait of Boxing," which offers a rare look at the faces of the practitioners of the sport, pulling no punches.
Some of Keifel's photographs appear in this month's Boxing Digest and have also been seen in GQ and the New York Times magazine. Numerous boxing stars have been captured by Keifel at weigh-ins, press conferences and fights. He uses a Mamiya RZ camera and shoots quickly as sometimes there is less than a minute to capture an image at these events.
The Butler's show of 30 photographs, expertly installed by Butler preparator Ed Hallahan, is a selection from Keifel's body of work that numbers over 150 portraits in this subject. (The entire collection will be available to the public in coming months, when a book of Keifel's boxers is published.)
Opening April 18 in the Butler's Beecher Center is "Captured Time," a selection of large-scale digital photographs by regional artist McGowan, who is special projects editor for The Vindicator.
Digital images, sometimes known as "captures," are gradually gaining equal footing with traditional film images, and in this show, McGowan demonstrates that, in many ways, digital images may have exceeded those rendered by 35mm film.
McGowan has been involved professionally with photography since working at a student newspaper at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1966). Later, he worked for several newspapers in Virginia. He came to The Vindicator in 1990 from Lynchburg.
Although his livelihood now is as an editor, McGowan has maintained an interest in shooting photographs. He displayed work in galleries in the South, gaining recognition from the Virginia Press Association for his feature photography.
Though McGowan came up through the tradition of the school of journalistic trial-and-error, he has adopted the new digital cameras with gusto.
"I wasn't sure I was going to like digital. But I had the misfortune that somebody stole some cameras from me. I decided it was time to venture into the new technology, which has totally wowed me," he said.
The Butler show is a cross-section of McGowan's work and of the capabilities of the digital process. It represents, he said, the maturation of digital photography. A reception to meet McGowan is planned for 1-3 p.m.April 18.
Fine Art Sales Gallery
Also that afternoon, the Butler will host a meet-the-artists reception for regional talent whose work is on display in the Butler's new Fine Art Sales Gallery. A portion of the receipts from sales of these one-of-a-kind works of art benefits the Butler.
Currently participating in the project directed by Butler staff member Barbara Wigle are Jaqueline Abrams, Carol Adams, Sue Anzelloti-Ray, Nan Buchanan, Carole Conatser, Mary Kay D'Isa, Roxanna Genis, John Harmon, Ann Hendel, Maryann Limmer, Terri Madden, Sue Malkoff, Suzanne O'Brien, Scott Pergande, Lynne Rosati, R. Jason Van Hoose and Kay Wilson.
XThe Butler and its branches in Salem and Howland will be closed Easter Sunday. Regular hours resume April 13. At 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. At 9350 E. Market St., Howland: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. At Salem branch: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Admission to all three facilities is free.