Westward HO! a photo exhibit by the Gutsy Broads of Creative Focus, runs Aug. 2-22 at the Manske Library, 13613 Webb Chapel Rd., Farmers Branch, 75234. Along with the photography of Sarah Scott and Carol Stum, the works of potter Randy Findley and folk artist Cynthia Erdei will also be featured. The four artists met while teaching at Richardson High School.
The public is invited to a reception, Sunday, Aug. 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Manske Library to meet the artists.
The exhibit travels with the Gutsy Broads from the Red Rocks of the American West across the Big Pond and then some to Western Europe, particularly Greece and Istanbul, Turkey. Their newer work features the island of Santorini just off the coast of Greece. Santorini is known for its white stucco buildings trimmed in a multitude of blues.
“Each step we took in Santorini was a photo op,” said Scott. “Blue pottery and door ways against a blue sky and sea with whitewashed buildings create an unrealistic but beautiful scene.”
But perhaps their favorite part of the trip which took them to Athens on the mainland and the islands of Santorini, Crete and Rhodes was the island of Crete. They especially liked Plakias on the Libyan Sea in Southern Crete and Chania in Northern Crete.
“Quaint shops, winding streets, colorful restaurants and shops around the beautiful harbor all reminded me of Honfleur, France,” said Stum. Along with Italy and New Zealand, Honfleur, located in Normandy, is one of the Gutsy Broads’ favorite places to visit.
From the cool waters of Yellowstone Lake to the Tetons, the photographers stop over in Dallas before heading across the Atlantic to Western Europe. From England to France and especially Italy, the photography features landscapes and flowers similar to those painted by Erdei, who uses a German/Swiss style of folk art known as bauern malerei when she paints delicate florals on wooden plates, boxes, eggs and trays, also on display.
Nature serves as the inspiration for most of the photography of the red rock area of the U.S. including Monument Valley, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion and Sedona, AZ. Stunning sunsets illuminate the red rocks to create incredible images. Also, many of the photos were taken when the red rocks were covered with snow and positioned against a blue sky. Like the Two Gutsy Broads, potter Randy Findley enjoys nature. He uses natural materials such as driftwood, feathers, stones and horse hair to create pottery which serves as a reminder of the heritage of the American West. When not in the classroom teaching art and ceramics at Richardson High, Findley enjoys hiking and camping. Erdei is currently working at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.

Traveling to Italy, France, Greece and Turkey, one finds scenes not unlike those in the U.S. countryside. The architecture and customs may change, but the beauty of the West, whether U.S. or European, cannot be denied.