A journalism professor received a one-man photo show thanks to his proud daughter. Dr. Michael Abrams, director of Graduate Studies at Florida A&M’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication, said he was shocked when he was asked by The Tallahassee Museum to display his wildflower photos.
Vivi Abrams, Dr. Abrams’ oldest daughter, called the museum about her father’s lifelong passion for wildflower photography. Then she directed the museum curator to his website .
The younger Abrams said her father’s passion for flowers is evident.
“I remember when he would stop on the side of the road during family trips to take photos of flowers for hours,” she said.
Abrams is no stranger to recognition. In the summer of 2006 he solved an age-old art mystery on the authenticity of a famous Van Cleve Madonna painting and the passion flower. “A Passion for Flowers” is the title of his new exhibit, and it features some close-ups of wildflowers like the hexalectris orchid and the lotus blossom.
Dennis Marshall, a museum visitor, said the works were admirable.
“His work makes me look at flowers and nature in a whole new way,” Marshall said.
The other photographs are of wildflowers that are digitally manipulated to represent an insect’s view point.
In his “Field of Daisies” photograph, Abrams used infrared colors, which, according to Linda Deaton, the curator of The Tallahassee Museum, is “reminiscent of 60’s pop art using vibrant reds, yellows, and orange colors.”
There are 35 of Abrams’ prints available for sale, and proceeds will go to the Museum and Gretchen Everhart School.
“Passion for Flowers” will be displayed now through Jan. 31, 2009, in the Fleischmann Natural Science Building at The Tallahassee Museum.