Geoffrey Mikol has been taking photographs for nearly a decade, and now the 23-year-old, who has Down syndrome, has opened a new art gallery.
Geoffrey owns River Bend Gallery in Galena, Illinois, and recently moved to a bigger gallery because his photography is so successful. He uses his photographs to express himself and has definitely found a captive audience interested in his impressive work.
“When he picked it up and started taking pictures, it wasn’t a shock,” Geoffrey’s dad, Paul Mikol, told WXOW. “What was a shock is how good everything was.”
Geoffrey began his photography business while in college by exhibiting his photographs at Chicago-area art shows. Since then, he has won numerous awards for his work and has a following of collectors. Geoffrey then decided to pursue a full-time career as an artist after he graduated college.
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His photography captures “moments in nature that still the soul and quiet your senses,” and even some humor, too. Geoffrey told WXOW that his favorite image is the back of a buck that he calls “Kiss My ***.”
Geoffrey comes from a talented family—his mother is a pianist and his grandmother was a pastel artist—and although his father has also done some photography, he admits Geoffrey is “much better.”
“He really has been well received,” Paul told The Galenian. “They’re totally blown away by the artwork, which is very gratifying.” Paul says they often hear that Geoffrey’s photography is “calming.”
Geoffrey and his father and mother go on road trips or go camping so he can take pictures of things that catch his creative eye. Some photos showcased on his website include “Breathing in Morning,” “Waterfall,” “Tree Watching Sunset,” “Misty Morning Meadow” and “Embraced By Fog.”
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The photos are available for purchase at riverbendgalleries.com and range in price from $20-$95. To learn more, follow Geoffrey on Facebook.
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