WNC gallery features Larry Neel exhibit

The Western Nevada College Fallon Gallery welcomes Larry Neel and his exhibit that will be displayed through February.

Since Neel was 9 years old, he had dreams of going to Africa. His inspiration to travel came from collecting wildlife trading cards, inserted in wrappers of Sugar Daddies. He also watched Wild Kingdom and became fascinated with the diversity and wonders of the different species.

In the summer of 2013 after 21 hours of traveling, his plane landed in Serengeti, and his dream came true. Neel was there to see the tail end of the migration of the wildebeest, when the land was dry, the rivers had receded, and an abundance of predators visited the existing waterholes to feast.

His experienced guide understood his desire to photograph, and for 10 days he traveled and captured photographs that showed the personality, behaviors, and habitats of wildlife.

A second trip to Africa occurred in February 2016 when the wildebeests were calving. It was another epoch time to see a dynamic pageant of animals that followed this event to prey and reproduce off of the vulnerable wildebeests. Their numbers were staggering, as far as the eye could see.

Neel was there to capture their movement and see the dynamics, a real life Wild Kingdom. He was allowed closer access to the animals, and these photos of lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants, and more show the abundance and cycles of life on the grasslands.

Neel was able to share this unique life experience with wife Martha and granddaughter Elke.