Illuminations Gallery lighting the way

As many professional photographers will tell you, lighting is a crucial factor in getting that perfect shot.

Tubac resident Skip McDonald knows all too well about the subject of lighting. As a master landscape and natural history photographer, he’s used his photo skills in his business, Eye to Eye Photography, capturing images from around the world and making sales to corporate and private collectors.

He also is a guest lecturer at Canyon Ranch Resort and Spa in Tucson, where his seminars continue to be popular with the guests.

Now McDonald has ventured into another side of lighting. He recently opened Illuminations Gallery, “a celebration of light,” that features fine photography and handcrafted candles.

“This has been my ongoing dream to open a gallery,” he said. “Some dreams take longer to achieve, but this was worth the wait.”

McDonald said his gallery’s choice of name, “Illuminations,” describes both the candles he sells and his photography, which he described as “paintings with light.”

Illuminations Gallery houses some of McDonald’s finest photographic landscape prints, taken in some of the most scenic areas of the United States, such as Zion National Park, Utah; Denali National Park, Alaska; Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz., as well as other breathtaking scenes captured through his camera lens.

Many of McDonald’s prints are displayed as “standouts,” meaning they have no frame, matting or glass. Others are displayed as “gallery wraps” or images transferred to high quality canvas.

“This presentation technique is designed to help the viewer enter into the image without distractions and to become more aware of the various nuances of light,” he added.

Some of McDoanld’s prints are signed limited editions. Custom framed prints are available upon request.

He also can refer customers to a photo restoration expert in Tucson, should a customer want to restore an old photograph.

McDonald admits that when he first decided to open a gallery, he hadn’t thought about selling anything but his prints. A candle connoisseur himself, he searched online and stumbled upon a candle shop in Santa Fe whose owner was going out of business.

He bought the company and carefully transported the inventory to Arizona, which he said was “not easy.”

“I didn’t want my entire stock to melt in transit so we had to move quickly,” he recalled.

“These candles burn differently than most pillar candles,” McDonald said. “They are made of three different types of imported wax with cotton wicks (no black smoke) and designed so the center burns only. When they get to the bottom, they can be reused by putting a votive or tea light candle in it after it burns.”

The candle designs range from plain, solid colors to themed candles with patterns, Southwest designs, spiritual, stained glass patterns and more.

McDonald said the lit stained glass candles have translucent colors that look like beautiful stained glass windows with the light shining through.

“As the pillar burns down, the chips or ‘window panes’ light up as the flame ignites each color chip,” he says. “The more the pillar burns, the more of the stained glass effect you have. When one of the candles is about three-quarters burned, the entire shell looks like a lit stained glass window.”

Illuminations Gallery stocks a variety of other candles made by different manufacturers, including scented candles and ornamental candles.

McDonald also provides professional photographic services, tours and seminars.

Illuminations Gallery, 10 Tubac Road, is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 6 p.m. The telephone number is 520-398-8028.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740