Mountain Light Gallery - Closure

[Trail Images]

For those that followed the late Galen Rowell over the years are no doubt familiar with one of his last business ventures with his wife Barbara was to open the Mountain Light Gallery in Bishop, CA.

I've been lucky to have visited there many times over the years and actually got to meet Galen & Barbara when the old bank building on the corner of Main St. and Lines St. in Bishop was being renovated into the gallery. After both Galen and Barbara were killed in the plane crash in 2002 I believe Tony their son took over the gallery and it has been there now for 15+ years. It was always a good rest stop for us visiting photographers to the Eastern Sierras all those many years.

But after reading Gary Crabbe's blog recently he apparently received word that sadly the gallery is to close sometime in October.

 

[rrusso]

Ah man, that's a shame.

 

[btaylor]

Sad news. I always made it a point to stop there when I was traveling 395.

 

[Richard Man]

That's too bad. I visited 3-4 times over the years (sadly, after Mr. Rowell died) and it's always a treat.

 

[Trail Images]

Yep, the MLG was recognized by not only photographers but even the locals knew about the location as well. In fact, on one of my trips when the Rowell's were still alive I met with a realtor who'd been in the area for years and when they found out I was doing photographic work in the area they immediately said they knew both Galen and Barbara. So, the gallery is no doubt a loss for the community of Bishop as well.
As a side note and as a Velvia 50 shooter I still use my collection Galen Rowell Singh Ray filters to this day. Galen had worked with Bob Singh on the design and development for those very useful filters many years ago now. Wow, how life seems to fly by anymore.