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ROB STONE

Taken within the city limits of Rob Stone’s hometown of Davis, California, some 100 miles northeast of the San Francisco Bay Area, this portfolio offers a visual meditation on the ingenuity of humans and the generosity of nature. Much of the modern-day landscape of Davis did not exist just a century ago. Set in Patwin territory, this grassy flatland was first claimed by white settlers in the late nineteenth century. With the founding of the University of California, Davis, local city planners and residents sought to transform it into an ideal suburban community. At first, this vision entailed a process of destruction and subtraction. But over time, wind, water, and living things gradually reclaimed the area. With help from its new residents, Davis became home to a new natural landscape and ecosystem filled with trees, wetlands and islands. The area is now one of remarkable beauty, fertility, and diversity. It is these landscapes that Stone explores, casting his calm, contemplative gaze over a rich canvas of human and natural interaction. In image after image, Stone reveals scenes of startling beauty tucked in among the structures and amenities of everyday modern life – revelations ‘hidden in plain sight.’

Close To Home Four Cypress Sanctuary
After Spring Rain Winter Reflections Mirror Image
Serenity The Island Whitcombe's Pond
Storm Passing Northstar Pond Spirit Rising
The Path