Township Photographer Hosts Weekend Art Show

East Millstone resident and photographer Nat Clymer, left, talks about some of his work with visitors to his exhibit at the Blackwells Mills Canal House.

East Millstone resident Nat Clymer has a message for those caught up in the hustle and bustle of life: Slow down and look at things.

“They’re missing some wonderful stuff,” Clymer said.

A former photojournalist who’s had his own commercial photography business for the past 25 years, Clymer’s work is on display – and for sale – through May 31 at the Blackwells Mills Canal House at Blackwells Mills and Canal roads. The prints depict what Clymer calls are the “details” of life along the canal and throughout the United States.

A portion of the proceeds from every sale go to the Canal House Association, Clymer said.

Catching the photography bug at age 9, Clymer said he pursued his hobby in the Navy, then studied journalism at Rutgers University. He landed his first photojournalism job at the former Somerset Messenger Gazette, which was a weekly newspaper based in Somerville.

He did that for several years before striking out on his own as a commercial photographer, Clymer said.

Among the giclèe prints Clymer is offering for sale are depictions of many scenes along the canal, including Clymer’s favorite, the Blackwells Mills Canal House.

Clymer digitally combined two shots of the house, taken at different times of the day, to create a image set at sunset, but with the colors of surrounding flowers still visible.

“It’s just the things that I see and get attracted to in the world,” he said. “Oftentimes it’s the bright colors.”

Clymer said he started taking pictures along the canal when he worked for the newspaper.

“Between assignments we would just drive around and look for pretty pictures,” he said. “I always tended to gravitate to the canal. For me it’s like going back to Brigadoon, steping back 100 years in time.”

“Over the years, I’ve been just walking along the canal or going to different places along the canal for pictures for myself,” he said. “As a photographer it’s really important that you feed your soul, rather than just take pictures for money. This is where I go to feed my soul.”

Clymer’s exhibit will be at the canal house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 31. He plans another exhibition/sale in the fall.

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