We’re checking out the Mangelsen Images of Nature Gallery.
The legendary wildlife and nature photographer Thomas Mangelsen set up his store in Galena in 1994. It’s the only one in the Midwest.
“24 years ago, Thomas Mangelsen opened the gallery here on Main Street right at the point when Galena was going from a sleepy dusty more of an antique feel into what you see today which is shops, galleries and restaurants,” said art consultant David Schmit.
Thomas Mangelsen’s outdoorsy influences have been an enjoyable addition to galena’s peace and bustle.
And if you’re not familiar with his work, you’re about to walk into his wild life.
“Thomas Mangelsen is a world renowned photographer. He’s traveled globally for 45 years,” said Schmit.
What you see on the walls are beautiful canvases of flowers blooming, polar bears dancing and the dark beady eyes of a grizzly bear.
And with the help of David Schmit they come to life.
“You can see blood, she had just finished a meal and so she sat there in the heat of the day and like licked the blood of her paws,” said Schmit.
Schmit says engaging art enthusiasts is the best part of his job.
“Be able to relay the story and point out the nuances about images when you’re walking by and look and say oh it’s pretty…that’s kind of fun to do everyday,” said Schmit.
Mangelsen’s pieces have the tendency to pull you in, take for instance his most famous photograph.
“You can see blood, she had just finished a meal and so she sat there in the heat of the day and like licked the blood of her paws,” said Schmit.
One of Mangelsen’s passions is using his talent to capture species like grizzly bears. Once dominant, now on the verge of extinction.
“They’ve been removed from the endangered species act so many of the bears Tom has photographed over the last say twenty years and he helped make them a well-known particular bear,” said Schmit.
Mangelsen tries to steer ahead as a conservationist as much as he’s known as a photographer.
“It’s something very dear to Tom’s heart. If you would ask him today what you would want happen this year he would want not the trophy hunt to move forward,” said Schmit.
Moments of nature are captured, preserved and presented both online and in galleries. But there’s nothing like standing in front one of his photographs.
“It makes their jaws drop and they tend to walk a little slower and take their time here,” said Schmit.
