Selections from the work of Goochland artist Susan Bock are being exhibited at Tanglewood Ordinary Restaurant.  Bock, a specialist in hand coloring black and white photographs, has created a collection that includes more than 400 images covering the period from 1861 to 1980.  Nearly three dozen are on display at Tanglewood.

“The work of restoring and tinting each photograph brings an intimacy and vividness to the images,” said Bock.  “It is very rewarding work, and I enjoy sharing it by making it available to the public through displays like this one.”

Each photograph has been carefully restored and then hand tinted with a special transparent oil mixture, which is her specialty. The result brings to life the details and realities of images of Civil War battles and soldiers, workers in the rural south, historic Richmond sites, and scenes from everyday life.

Bock said that growing her collection is a labor of love.  “I am always looking for historic images to add to the collection.  I also enjoy working on private pictures for those who want family photographs restored and tinted.  Bringing new life to family treasures is a special privilege.”

She has been taking black and white photographs for more than 30 years. She first started hand tinting her own black and white images while living in California in the 1980s and showed her work in several galleries in the Carmel area as well as in a gallery in historic Cannery Row in Monterey. Her hand tinted collections of historic images began about 10 years ago and also include series on Women, Rural America, Sports, Northern Virginia, and a look at Black History. She shows her work at art shows in five states and has now added photographs of New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania to the always growing collections.

The public is invited to see the display at Tanglewood Ordinary Restaurant, located at 2210 River Road West in Goochland County.  It is open Thursday through Saturday from 5 – 9 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon until 8 p.m.  Contact the restaurant at 804-556-3284 or the web site at www.ordinary.com.

For more information about Susan’s work, she can be reached by phone at 804.457.2455 or by e-mail at sbock@art2die4.net.  Her larger collection can also be seen at www.art2die4.net.