Art Review by: Jud Yalkut (2009 - Color of Energy Gallery, Dayton, OH)
With a painterly sense, many of McLarty's images have a rich baroque swirling texture to them, typified by the iconic image titled "Scheherazade" inspired by the indefatigable story-telling princess of the "Arabian Nights." .... Read Full Review

June 2009 - The Zanesville Museum of Art, Zanesville OH.
65th Annual All Ohio Exhibition, (Photographs Named "Best in Show")
"I can see this is going to be a guy (McLarty) who'll be a great photo artist. The way he handles colors is something else" Read Full Article

August 2009- Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition Winner
Raven's Glenn Winery Sponsors Award

Q How can delicate wildflowers be transformed into a dancing chorus line?

A While under the imaginative spell of Xenia photographer Doug McLarty.

McLarty has dozens of stunning images gracing the walls of the Winds Cafe. The restaurant's cozy rooms and nooks and crannies seem tailor-made for McLarty's unusual floral combinations and whimsical designs.

"I try to take nature and put it in a context that people don't generally see," McLarty said. "Some people mistake my art for paintings, because they say they've never seen this type of lighting in photographs. That really makes me feel good."

McLarty uses a scanner to achieve the lighting effects he wants. He lays the natural elements right on the glass, and "has to think upside down" when he's creating a design. He places a black cloth directly on or a little above for the background. The end result makes the colors pop.

Take thistles, for instance. Most people think of them as nuisances. McLarty sees their potential beauty and arranges them in such a way that others see that beauty, too.

In another work, a large seagrape leaf becomes an elegant veined vase for a rose-hued floral spray. A red-and-green pepper sliced in half take on figural poses in "Tony and Carmela." He sometimes adds bamboo slats to create Japanese-style designs, or long ribbons to create movement. Sometimes he removes parts to get the effect he wants.

"These flowers normally grow in clumps of four. It's beautiful, but you can't see the detail in them until you peel the petals off one at a time," he said, describing "Chorus Line." "Now they all have individual headdresses that make it look like a Vegas deal."

McLarty gathers the natural elements for his more recent works within 200 yards of his home in Xenia, on New Jersey beaches or along the shore of Naples, Fla. In the past 40 years, he has photographed landscape and botanical images throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Florida and western U.S. He moved from traditional black-and-white film to digital processing six years ago.

ZANESVILLE - Ohio artists waited at the Zanesville Art Center as the winners of The Ohio Show 2009 were announced with the Best of Show going to two photographs.

Doug McLarty, of Xenia, won Best of Show and a $1,000 award for his two photographs, Cone of Tranquility and Red Leaf Study I. Working in photography for the past 40 years, mainly print film and black and white, McLarty went to digital photography four years ago and was inspired to try a new way of making photographs.

"I'm very excited," he said after winning the award. "It's mostly design inspired. People have really responded to it."

Tia and Michael Martinez, of Columbus, were two of the people who responded to McLarty's photographs.

"His work's fantastic. I don't know how he does it but I like how the colors are so vivid and blended like that” Tia said.

"I can see this is going to be a guy (McLarty) who'll be a great photo artist. The way he handles colors is something else. I can see why he won. There's a lot of nice artwork here but his really stands out.”

The Ohio Show received 199 entries from 116 artists living in 45 Ohio cities and towns. "It was the 65th year for the show," said Susan Talbot-Stanaway, museum director. "It used to be a regional show but now it's the largest Ohio show in the state. It's open to any Ohio artists."

The Ohio Show will be on display until July 22.