Havre art show features Big Sandy's Edwards

When he was at Big Sandy High School, Craig Edwards was kind of quiet and shy.

He feared having to speak in public.

That was hard at Big Sandy, a small school with a lot of activities.

Then somebody suggested he become the yearbook photographer.

That was the solution to his problem. He could be involved in all the activities, but he would be behind the camera, not in the public eye.

That was the start to Edwards' career in photography. Today he is known all over the Hi-Line and Montana for his photography. He has opened a photography shop in Big Sandy.

He's overcome some of his fears, but he admits he's still a little reluctant to talk in public.

But he overcame his fears enough this weekend to speak at the 44th annual Havre Art Association Art Show.

He was the featured artist at the show, an honor that pleased him because, for many years, artists didn't consider photographers to be "real artists."

"I didn't realize that when Becky (Ross) asked me to be the featured artist I would have to talk," he said.

He sat in the middle of his display of photographs, many of which were scenic shots of Montana's landscapes.

He spoke of the camera obscurus, the precursor of today's camera, which dated back to 400 BC in China. Over the years, artists used the device to help them draw scenic shots.

Gradually, the camera of today developed.

He showed a slide of the oldest recorded picture, taken in 1826.

To show how times had changed, he then showed how he had digitally altered a scenic sunrise over a Montana mountain range with cattle feeding in the foreground. The first photograph had a cloudy sky, but he had imposed a sunrise in the scene.