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ARMONK, N.Y. Armonk resident Thomas McGrath displayed his digital art work throughout the weekend at the 50th Armonk Outdoor Art show. He and Rosalind Oesterle were the only two artists from Armonk featured in the show.
McGrath uses digital photography and enhances photos with PhotoShop to create his unique pieces.
Many of them you would not know started out as photographs and many of them are multiple layers of pictures, McGrath said. Ive been doing photography for as long as I can remember. I dont know when I first bought a computer, but that's when I started digital manipulation.
McGrath usually takes his camera with him wherever he goes but he says he doesnt go searching for ideas.
They just come to me, McGrath said. Ill be driving and see a barn or something and I have to stop the car and shoot it, it depends on what inspires you at any given moment.
Theres also no real timetable for how long it takes McGrath to complete his pieces and he says sometimes hell load his photos onto his computer and a year could go by before hes inspired to manipulate them.
Unlike many of the other artists at the show, McGrath doesnt travel the country to display his art. In fact, the Armonk Outdoor Art Show is the only show he attends regularly.
Therere brilliant artists here with gorgeous work, McGrath said. I get e-mailed dozens of applications for shows all over America, but you have to go through the whole process. Im not a professional with a van and a tent and a full-time helper. Its just too much work.
McGrath said if a gallery ever wanted to display his work, hed gladly bring them his prints but reiterated that traveling show-to-show is not his thing.
In the 2010 Armonk Outdoor Art Show McGrath won an honorable mention award for his digital art.
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