The Awards Collective was created to feature the works of artist who have received a Juror’s Award or Director’s Award in ASG’s Online exhibitions.  Bob Tully’s  image The Bu received the Juror’s Award in the light exhibition juried by Laurie Klein.  Bob’s exhibition Low Falls was featured from April 1 to April 30, 2025 and is discussed in our GalleryTalk with Bob.

Artist Statement

In the golden light of the late 1960s and early 70s, nestled deep in the woods near Woodstock, there existed a sanctuary—a place where water met rock, where bodies met earth, and where souls met freedom. This hidden swimming hole Low Falls, fed by a cascading waterfall, was more than just a place to cool off; it was a sacred space where the counterculture spirit flourished, where clothing was optional but authenticity was not.

My work seeks to capture the essence of that era—an untamed, unfiltered celebration of nature, community, and self-expression. Through my lens, I document the fluid connection between human and landscape, the way sun-kissed skin blends with dappled light on water, and the way laughter echoes through the trees like an ancient hymn to the wild. These photographs are not just images; they are echoes of an ethos, a time when we shed societal constraints as easily as we shed our clothes, immersing ourselves in something purer, something real.

To stand at the edge of that waterfall, to witness bodies suspended in motion, caught between earth and sky, is to understand the fleeting, beautiful impermanence of life. My work is an invitation—to remember, to dream, to step back into a time when we belonged to the land, and it belonged to us.

Bob Tully
April, 2025

Bio

I was born in the South Bronx and experienced my early life in the many diverse neighborhoods of New York City. My introduction to the imaginal world of photography materialized in a unique place and time. I witnessed my first photo print slowly appearing in the swirling liquid filled developing pan on a combat base during the Vietnam War. I was so thrilled I immediately knew what I wanted to pursue when I returned back home. I attended the New York Institute of Photography where the majority of the instructors were working professionals. I relocated to California and entered the City College of San Francisco which had an excellent two year photography program. I managed a community rental photo lab underneath North Beach Camera which catered to the local photographers of North Beach. Shortly after I was very fortunate to have a photography studio downtown San Francisco. I then became interested in video and attended the College of Marin to study television production. Again I relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the Entertainment Industry. I was extremely fortunate to be member of five Emmy Award wining camera crews. Before retiring I return to school and attended Santa Monica College to refresh and learn the contemporary techniques of digital world of photography.

website: tullyphoto.com
instagram: @tullyphoto

link to online exhibition