Art display at OZSBI featuring the photography of Marc Brannan

The West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA) and Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI) have partnered to bring quarterly art displays to the incubator. Local artist Marc Brannan's works will be featured inside OzSBI's first floor Oct. 3 through the end of Dec. 2022. Visitors may view the display at the incubator during OzSBI's business hours, anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

WPCA Coordinator Janey Hale describes his art, "Capturing moments in time, Marc Brannan's photography shares the world, giving the viewer a chance to reflect."

Marc Brannan grew up on the family farm near Willow Springs, MO, and currently lives and works in West Plains, MO. He started playing with cameras and taking pictures at a very young age. He loved playing in the old barn and enjoyed being outdoors as much as possible surrounded by nature. His parents nurtured his desire to travel and see new places. His dad encouraged him to learn and enjoy history, especially the history of his family and where they came from.

Artist Statement:

"I have always enjoyed the stories of my mom attending one-room schools when she was a kid, and I think that is a big reason I seek them out to photograph today. There are less of them around every year, as a lot of them slowly fall into disrepair and collapse unless they have been cared for or restored over the years. I love incorporating them into my landscape photography as much as I can, especially as a way of preserving their history. I also enjoy nature photography and have started trying to capture more shots of wildlife, both in and out of our area. I would go for a drive out in the country and notice the old townships along the way that are slowly disappearing. I would try to find an old store, or church, and if I was lucky, the old schoolhouse. Something historical that could share a little bit of that town's history. I also strive to meet with the owners of those buildings or residents, to help provide personal accounts of their history. A lot of the time, they are stories that won't be documented in any history books. At some point, I would like to put together a book of photos, possibly a history of schoolhouses and townships that I have searched out in my efforts.

The pictures that I have selected for this exhibition show a range of my photos that depict the history and outdoor settings that our area, as well as others, are known for—whether historic or in the natural beauty and wildlife that we see in the Ozarks ."

A Meet-the-Artist event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 27 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in OzSBI's lobby at 408 Washington Ave. in West Plains. The public is invited to attend, meet Brannan, view, and discuss the pieces on display.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Madison Sutterfield at madisonsutterfield@ozsbi.com at OzSBI or WPCA Coordinator Janey Hale at jhale2129@gmail.com.