CUMBERLAND - The C. William Gilchrist Museum of the Arts will open its 2007 season on April 15 with an exhibition called "Photographic Art" by photographer Charlie Thomas.

An opening reception will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. with refreshments and entertainment and an opportunity to meet the artist.

The exhibition runs until May 6 and the museum will be open to the public Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Thomas is a photographer living in Allegany County. His photography is focused on capturing elements of nature - primarily flowers, wildlife and landscapes. A substantial amount of his work involves extremely close shots of flowers which reveal the beauty and intricacy of even their smallest elements.

"I don't consciously attempt to make a statement through my photography. To the extent there is a subconscious statement because of my choice of subjects, it is the incredible beauty of nature even in its most minute form," said Thomas, who attributes his affinity for nature in all its forms to the fact that he grew up on the grounds of Herrington Manor State Park, where his father was the superintendent.

Thomas noted that he works exclusively with a digital camera. That allows him not only to capture the images he composes in his viewfinder but also permits him to create photographic art.

A. Aubrey Bodine, the award-winning photographer for the Baltimore Sun, was one of his earliest influences in viewing photography as an art. Bodine routinely manipulated his photographs in the darkroom - superimposing elements of one photograph into another, experimenting with dyes, etc. - to produce a particular effect, likening it to a writer using adjectives.

In the same way, Thomas uses a digital darkroom - the computer. "Many of my photographs are 'as is;' others I have manipulated to produce a particular mood or effect," he said. Again, as Bodine pointed out, "The picture is the thing, not the manner of arriving at it."

Born and raised in Garrett County, Thomas graduated from Southern High School and attended Garrett Community College and Frostburg State College. He retired from the Maryland State Police after 30 years of service, serving the last 12 years as a criminal investigator with the C3I Unit in Allegany County.

In addition to photography, Thomas spends his time in landscape design and gardening.

He is a member of the Allegany County Arts Council, the Allegany Area Arts Alliance and the Garrett County Arts Council.

Group tours are welcome at Gilchrist. For further information, call (301) 777-9234.