Kevin Krauss left his father’s fine art gallery in Seaport Village to work for Peter Lik, a master photographer, at Lik’s newest gallery in La Jolla. Although he calls himself the “green one,” working in one of the newest galleries in the area, Krauss is a fourth-generation art enthusiast.
“Photography is the fastest-growing medium,” Krauss said. “And he [Lik] doesn’t hold back.”
Krauss said Lik’s photographs caught his eye and his emotions. He not only works at the gallery but also collects the art.
Unlike many fine art photographers today, Lik still uses film. Krauss says Lik travels the world with two cameras that he uses to capture the images, which he then transfers onto slides.
According to Krauss, Lik uses only the best paper for his photographs ” it is made by Fuji and is supposed to last 200 years. This entire process, Krauss says, makes for brilliant pieces.
Lik’s images may seem familiar. An Australian, Lik travels and shoots in many locations, from Australia to Utah to Hawaii: the photographs have blue, green or red hues, but unlike many of today’s artists, Lik doesn’t use fusion, a technique that enhances the photo’s colors. Krauss says Lik’s work is vivid on its own.
Part of Lik’s talent stems from his ability to catch light at a perfect moment in time. A well-known piece called “Lunar Fringe” was featured in the Microsoft Windows catalog. A red hill with the moon hanging just over it, “Lunar Fringe” has been available for anyone who owns a Windows operating system. Taken in Red Sands, Australia, the artist’s proof of “Lunar Fringe” is available to purchase at Peter Lik’s La Jolla gallery.
With a background in fine art, Krauss enthusiastically explains the creating and selling process. After shooting the photos, Lik makes and numbers a certain amount of limited-edition pieces.
Once the limited editions are sold, the price of that piece jumps, as only a percentage is left. The remainder is known as the artist’s proof, or last percentage of the piece, and that raises the price and value significantly.
The La Jolla gallery has many pieces either sold out or close to being sold out, Krauss said. This means the gallery has the last piece left and the price has jumped, but so will the value of that particular piece. Lik’s work is becoming increasingly popular, and the gallery, which opened just weeks ago, contains many artist’s proofs.
A room at the back of the gallery showcases framed, lit pieces, including one called “Ghost.” Lik shot “Ghost” inside a cavern in Antelope Canyon, Ariz. The piece is full of dark red hues that create swirls inside the walls of the cave. A beam of light shines onto the sand floor. The light reveals a human figure, also unmasking the source of the artist’s intentions for the name “Ghost.” According to Krauss, a Navajo Indian accompanied Lik into the caves. Just before Lik took the shot, the Navajo threw sand into the light, which created a human form on the film.
Inside the showroom, Krauss used a remote control to dim the lights. He watched the photographs intently, as the walls of the cavern in “Ghost” dissipated and the figure in the light beam came to the foreground. He explained that the light used in the showroom was normal light and that these photographs were part of Lik’s magic.
“This is the reason I gave my dad his keys,” Krauss said.
Peter Lik Gallery is located at 1205 Prospect St., Suite 100-C. For more information on the Peter Lik Gallery, go to www.peterlik.com or call (858) 200-0990.