Members of Main Street Artists Gallery in Quincy invite the community to view the life’s work of Erik Weber during an opening reception Friday, March 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. “This will be a special event to acknowledge the passing of a unique and gifted man,” said organizers. The event includes wine and appetizers.
Erik Weber, a photographer and chronicler of culture and society, will be celebrated during the month of March at Main Street Artists Gallery. The gallery will feature a collection of Weber’s photographs, many provided by private collectors.
Weber, a founding member of Main Street Artists Gallery, passed away Dec. 4, 2023. Weber is described as a man at the intersection of the Beat Generation and the rise of what came after. His discerning eye was a unique lens into this collision of ideas and creation, which drove a San Francisco culture.
Weber photographed the book covers and images of literary notables such as Allen Ginsberg, novelist/poet Richard Brautigan and counterculture writer Ken Kesey, as they produced literature that continue to serve as benchmarks of culture today.
As the house photographer for Slim’s Nightclub in San Francisco during 1988 to 1991, Weber captured the royalty of jazz, blues and rock and roll. Stars like Junior Walker, Albert Collins, LaVern Baker, Chuck Berry and Sonny Rollins were regular guests and subjects of Weber’s shoots. In addition, he shot album covers for Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Charles Brown and many others.
Weber’s book “Portrait of a Traveling Mind” offers a pictorial journal of his trek through Asia from August 1967 to March 1970. The images drew public acclaim and were featured in a show at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Some of the photographs are part of its permanent collection. Weber published a total of three photographic books, two of which will be available at Main Street Artists Gallery. Organizers report that the books are out of print and, thus, quite a special treat for the gallery to offer.
Some of Weber’s lesser-known subjects are the best-loved subjects in Plumas County: area locals. He moved from the Bay Area with his wife Sally to Plumas County, where his lens turned to the rugged beauty of the northern Sierra and the people of Indian Valley. On display are the people he knew and loved and the place where he made his home.
The Main Street Artists Gallery team is proud to present this collection of Weber’s photographs and invites the community to celebrate the talent and vistas of this remarkable man. Some works on display are available for sale.
Main Street Artists Gallery will also feature a group show of gallery members’ work during the month of March. Main Street Artists Gallery is located at 436 Main St. in Quincy. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Friday and 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call 530-283-1909.
Information submitted by Main Street Artists Gallery
