The West Hartford Art League’s Second Annual Instagram Exhibit will open Jan. 7, 2016.

Closed for the Season by Lee Fenwick is one of the works featured in the WHAL’s Instagram Exhibit. Submitted photo

Submitted by Roxanne Stachelek, Executive Director, West Hartford Art League

The West Hartford Art League is holding its Second Annual Instagram Exhibit from Jan. 7 – 24, 2016, in the Saltbox Gallery at 37 Buena Vista Rd.

For those of you not familiar with the Instagram app, Instagram allows users to take and share photos on their phones, with users across the world on the internet. Filters allow you to make adjustments before you post to your Instagram account. The problem is – if you’re not on Instagram, you’ve been missing out on a lot of good images. This exhibit changes all that.

“There’s a lot of good photography being taken on people’s phones, and most of it will never be printed,” according to Executive Director Roxanne Stachelek. “I like the idea of having users print the photos they‘ve taken in Instagram, as it blurs the line between a ‘snapshot’ – usually meaning something taken fairly quickly, and fine art photography. In reality, there isn’t a line anymore. You’ll see some good photography, taken on people’s phones,  on our walls in this exhibit.”

The Second Annual Instagram exhibit features over 35 works of art, covering a variety of subject matter. Photographer Marc Regis was the awards juror. Regis, an award-winning photojournalist, worked for the Hartford Courant for 17 years and has traveled on special assignments to St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas, England, and France.

There will be an opening reception Thursday, Jan. 7, from 6 – 8 p.m. that is free and open to the public. Awards will be presented at 7 p.m.

The Saltbox Gallery is located at 37 Buena Vista Rd. in West Hartford. Gallery hours (after Jan. 7) are Thursday – Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Visit www.westhartfordart.org for more information.

Santa Monica by Jamie Bannon is one of the works featured in the WHAL’s Instagram Exhibit. Submitted photo