CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TO FEATURE
STAN McKINNEY PHOTOGRAPHS ‘CANYONS AND CARS'
FEB. 8-26 IN ART GALLERY

 

By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - When Stan McKinney drove across country last year in his 2007 Mustang GT, his camera was almost constantly by his side.

When the trip was over, McKinney had passed through 11 states in 14 days, traveled 4,602 miles and taken more than 2,000 photographs of such places as the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam and the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest of Arizona.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 8, you'll have a chance to see some of the photographs McKinney took on the trip when “Canyons and Cars” opens at the Campbellsville University Art Gallery at 205 University Drive, Campbellsville, Ky. The opening reception will be Feb. 8 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.

On display from Feb. 8-26 will be many photos of the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, some of the sites along Route 66 and a variety of cars. A few of the car photos were taken during McKinney's trip last April to Las Vegas where he joined a group of Mustangs on a trip to Birmingham, Ala. for the 45th Anniversary of the Mustang Celebration sponsored by the Mustang Club of America.

McKinney is an assistant professor of journalism at Campbellsville University. He was a newspaper editor, reporter and photographer for more than 26 years.

McKinney's Mustang was one of 648 registered for the trip across country and one of more than 3,000 registered for the celebration.

“I had always wanted to drive across the country in my Mustang,” McKinney said. “The opportunity to see America from much of historic Route 66 along with other Mustang fans was one I could not pass up.”

McKinney had to drive about 100 miles out of his way to see the Grand Canyon. It's a detour he didn't mind one bit.

“Though I have a background as an editor and reporter, words fail me when I attempt to describe the Grand Canyon,” McKinney said. “While I really love some of the photographs I took of the canyon, there is no substitute for seeing it. I would describe the experience of seeing the Grand Canyon as spiritual.”

McKinney said he was also impressed with the vastness of the American West.

“You can practically see from horizon to horizon,” McKinney said. “In many areas you can drive for miles and not see a single building of any type.”

McKinney stood on a corner in Winslow, Ariz. to pump gas for his car and made it a point to play a famous Eagles song through his iPod while doing so.

Part of the trip took McKinney and his fellow Mustang owners along historic Route 66.

There will be photos on display from Grand Canyon Caverns, a popular tourist destination along the route which has often been referred to as the “Mother Road.”

There will also be photos from the Wigwam Village on Route 66 in Holbrook, Ariz. where McKinney spent the night as well as photos from the Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo, Texas, a 190-foot tall cross near Groom, Texas and the Painted Desert Inn, once a popular hotel for travelers along the road.

Most of Route 66 is closed now. One of the photos on display is of a monument to Route 66  that consists of a rusted 1930s era car in the middle of the now abandoned roadbed. Just visible in the rear of the photo is the current route across country, I-40.

One room in the Art Gallery is devoted strictly to car photos.

Photos on one wall will be of McKinney's 2007 and 1966 Mustangs. Some of the photos are close ups of various elements of the cars which point out the changes Ford has made in a little more than 40 years.

Other photos in the room are of many makes and models of cars and were taken at car shows and cruises during the last couple of years. McKinney said the photos are somewhat more artistic than the others on display.

“I attempted in the photos to capture the uniqueness of some quite unusual and rare automobiles,” McKinney said. “There are close up photos of hood ornaments, tail lights and grilles. There really is a lot of beauty in some of the older cars still on the road. You just have to take a moment and really look at the cars.'

McKinney said his inspiration for attempting artistic photos of cars came from Tommy Clark, a retired Campbellsville University art professor.

“We often talked about photography and other subjects including the American West,” McKinney said. “He told me about an artist he knew who devoted much of his effort to close ups of antique cars. I've always enjoyed taking close up photos of flowers and decided to focus up close on the vehicles at car shows and cruises.”

Some of the close up photos of cars were taken during car shows on campus.

McKinney has won more than 100 awards for writing and photography from the Kentucky Press Association, the Kentucky News Photographers Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and Landmark Community Newspapers, Inc. His photographs have appeared in many newspapers, magazines and books.

McKinney has won awards from the Kentucky State Fair for his photographs.

He had another exhibit of photographs at the Art Gallery about 20 years ago and at the Taylor County Public Library.

In 2008, McKinney published his third textbook, “Beginning Photojournalism.” The 200-page book contains about 100 photographs taken by McKinney. He has also published a book of flower photos, “Glory in the Flower.”

Photographs taken by McKinney while he was editor of the “Central Kentucky News-Journal” will ultimately be part of the Stan McKinney “Central Kentucky News-Journal” Digital Photo Collection, A.B. Colvin Baptist Collection and Archives, Montgomery Library. The collection is the result of a unique partnership between the newspaper and library.

McKinney estimates that there ultimately will be at least 100,000 images in the collection that will be accessible to the public. The images were taken by him between January 1980 and June 2000 and represent virtually every aspect of life in Campbellsville, Ky.

Some of McKinney's photographs will be for sale with all net proceeds going to a mass communication scholarship.

Some of the photographs that will be on display, as well as others he has taken over the years, may be seen at stanmckinneyphotography.com.

Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 3,006 students who represent 97 Kentucky counties, 30 states and 37 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report's 2010 “America's Best Colleges,” CU is ranked 23rd in “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” in the South, tied for fifth in “most international students” and fourth in “up-and-coming” schools in baccalaureate colleges in the South. CU has been ranked 17 consecutive years with U.S.News & World Report. The university has also been named to America's Best Christian Colleges® and to G.I. Jobs magazine as a Military Friendly School. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his 11th year as president.