Modern Photographer of The Natural World Ted Barkhorn Premieres Ancient Redwood Roots

Lori Zelenko

Photographer Ted Barkhorn discovered the twisted shapes of ancient Redwood roots on an afternoon hike. Fascinated with the forms that expressed spirituality in their gnarled, intertwined shapes he began to recognize a personal iconography and created a body of work now premiering on www.tedbarkhorn.com

The twisted shapes of ancient Redwood roots caught Ted Barkhorn’s eye on a leisurely afternoon hike one day a few years ago and led him to begin photographing these gnarled and intertwined forms, expressions of the natural world. Barkhorn discovered these giant roots in New Paltz, New York where a millworker had them shipped cross country to create a display, homage to the beauty of these majestic trees brutally harvested from the 1860s until 1930 in Northern California. Each ancient Redwood root has its own meaning to Ted, its own personalized iconography, its own connection to the voices of uplifting writers and creative visionaries who words interpret the images. Discover this enthralling work on www.tedbarkhorn.com.

Chronicling the forms in his contemporary photography, he quotes Thoreau, "It is not what you look at that matters. It is what you see." He invites viewers to bring their own vision to each image, to see what’s implied not simply what’s immediately visible. Scientifically speaking this phenomenon is known as Pareidolia, envisioning faces or perhaps, animals or other recognizable representations of nature in clouds, trees, or rocks. Though we all experience this intuitively, Barkhorn perceives pareidolia as an art form with spiritual implications and has dedicated himself to capturing the magical, mysterious perspective on the natural world.

Ted Barkhorn is an acclaimed photographer, he swears by his Leica, who earned recognition for his daring work for leading pharmaceutical companies before transitioning into landscaping as a life endeavor. Now combining both passions, Ted brings a tremendous understanding of nature to his work and his art. His true and passionate connection to the earth and sky has been fostered over the decades as he has been involved in the world of landscaping design since childhood. A family man now, living in Northern New Jersey, he has returned to his own roots, so to speak, merging his path as an artist with his commitment to nurturing the earth.