Strolling past the Melvina J. Freedson Gallery’s Gifford Landen Photographics exhibit is like taking a walk through Key West’s Old Town neighborhood. Lakewood shutterbug Landen captures the colorfully lighted shopping district in his new photography exhibit, which gathers 17 new works. “Old Town,” for example, measures 32 inches long and pieces together five distinct panels. “He draws you in with the color,” says gallery owner Helen Libens. “Then he elongates the pieces to engulf you in a panoramic view. It’s like you’re right there on Duval Street.”

Photographics includes shots of Hilton Head waterscapes and other vacation hotspots found on the Florida coastline. It also features lakeshore snapshots of the Avon Lake Boat Club and the port entrance of the Cleveland Yacht Club, where both Libens and Landen skipper their own powerboats. “It’s not like he’s photographing just a boat,” says Libens. “His eyes see further than that. He works with a lot of light, color, and space. It’s a part of his life.”
Dec. 14-Jan. 6, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

This article appears in Dec 13-19, 2006.