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"Iris Leaves," Henry Domke, courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden
The woman gazed peacefully up at the giant flower full of bright yellows, oranges and greens, while the small boy at her side excitedly jumped and pointed upward.
"Look Mommy!" the boy grinned. "It's a monster flower! See it has spots, just like a leopard."
Somehow, I don't think "monster flower" is what Henry Domke had in mind when he photographed the Turk's Cap Lily. Still, when the small boy's eyes scanned the print, he saw a monster. Then again, who could blame him? The 5-by-7 foot picture was more than three times his size. If a lily that large jumped off the canvas, it could smother him.
Actually, few audiences would agree with the young art critic (he didn't look old enough to be in kindergarten, and probably only knew as much about art as he did about crayons) because Domke's work is actually widely known for its tranqulity. After 25 years as a family physician in Jefferson City, Domke saw the calming effect of art in hospitals. In 2007, he quit his practice, and now takes nature photographs as his full-time career. Since then, he has soothed patients around the world with his work, which hangs in medical facilities around the country. With "The Healing Art of Henry Domke," an exhibit featuring 11 of the artist's large-scale photographs which opened May 28, the artist gains a new audience outside hospital walls.
In his work, Domke magnifies the beauty of ordinary plants. Through his photographs, the leaves and grass your feet crush on a daily basis demand recognition for their usually unnoticeable and natural beauty. Even with the lure of sunshine, flowers and fountains on the other side of the glass doors, garden-goers’ eyes can’t resist the peaceful colors and contours of Domke's work.
"This is the only exhibit that I've ever wanted to put in every room of my home," says MoBot staff member Betty Mays. She favors "Iris Leaves," admiring it for the sunshine and prosperity bursting from its canvas. "It would be wonderful to wake up and see that every morning—instead of the TV," she says.
Looking at his art, you'd never guess Domke works mostly from home. And it's hard to believe you can find plants with such stunning colors and features in Missouri, but Domke finds it easy to hunt down interesting specimens on on his 600-acre nature restoration project. Recently, he's been touring the country and shooting full landscapes which has expanded his artwork to photos of mountains and bodies of water.
The exhibit, which runs through August 15, is in Monsanto Hall on the upper level of the Ridgway Visitor Center. Regular Garden hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. To learn more about Henry Domke and his work, visit henrydomke.com; for a preview of the exhibit click here. —Maggie Menderski
