THE ART ECONOMY | David Zlotky Photography
By KIM GRONNIGER | Photos by JOHN BURNS
Topekan David Zlotky developed a passion for drawing when he was a child. As an adult, he spent hours honing his skills on sketchpads in front of masterworks at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The inspiration paid off when three renowned collections selected four of his paintings.
Zlotky’s oil portrait of Georgia Neese Clark Gray, a Topeka native and the first woman to serve as Treasurer of the United States, hangs in the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. The National Air and Space Museum purchased his nostalgic depiction of a picnic in front of a Beechcraft biplane after they awarded it second place in their international competition. Two of his paintings of Air Force jets are now part of the U.S. Air Force Art Collection.
“The Air Force had a program that allowed you to trade donated art for experiences, and I wanted to go up in a jet fighter,” said Zlotky, who has a pilot’s license. “I went to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita and went up in an F-4 Phantom, and even got to fly it a little bit. It was the ride of my life.”
Zlotky’s artistic expressions highlight his eclectic life experiences. His father worked in the aerospace industry in California before moving the family to Topeka when Zlotky was in the sixth grade. That was the same year Zlotky’s uncle loaned him a camera, igniting his passion for photography.
At 21, he spent the summer working on a dude ranch where he flipped and held calves while they were branded. This experience informed his latest artistic focus on Kansas rodeo riders.
Zlotky’s photography captures the riders’ strength and skill. Using a multi-layered process, he transforms the images to showcase their adrenaline-laced feats in vivid detail.
His collection was recently showcased at the Stephen Smith Gallery located in downtown Topeka.
“It means a lot to have my work in a top-level gallery and have people come to see it and appreciate it, especially when they buy it,” Zlotky said, laughing. “I like being able to get people’s reactions to the pieces and answer their questions about how I made them.”
Zlotky reduces the gritty rodeo scenery so that the riders become the focus of the images. The result is something he describes as halfway between a painting and a photograph.
“A lot of the problems you have to solve for as a fine art photographer are similar to those you have to consider as a painter, but the tools are different,” he said. “Both forms require decisions about contrast, composition and effective use of light.”
Retired from several professional jobs that blended his love for photography with his love of art, Zlotky had his rodeo idea two years ago while shooting landscapes of Flint Hills.
“Rodeos are part of our country’s heritage, and I decided I wanted to photograph some,” he said. “It’s a little slice of Americana, God and country kind of event that’s very informal and fun to experience.”
Zlotky has attended rodeos in arenas in Eskridge, Manhattan, Strong City and Topeka, with plans to explore more.
He was already familiar with horses, having owned them with his wife. In 2001, he and his wife decided to sell their horses and move into town.
“My horse, Blackjack, was a spirited animal and we worried that if we sold him someone might get hurt,” he said. “But one day a guy showed up in a beat-up truck with a saddle and wanted to try him out. As soon as that cowboy climbed on Blackjack, they took off galloping through our pasture and I was so impressed that I got my camera and took several pictures of them at full speed. That was the day when I realized I was not a horseman. That cowboy was, and Blackjack knew it.”
Zlotky’s most recent project reflects his fascination with horses and showmanship. He appreciates the fan-fueled flair of riders as they barrel race, rope calves and ride bulls or broncos. He also respects “the clowns and the pick-up riders, the ones who aren’t competing who help the others get to safety. Bull riding has to be one of the most dangerous sports in existence.”
His rodeo artworks take an average of 10 days to complete. He produces 15 limited edition prints of each, and provides a certificate of authenticity with a unique registered number.
But it’s not just the canvas that captivates Zlotky’s attention. He uses a variety of woodworking tools and techniques to craft frames from oak, maple and mahogany that complement his imagery.
He also writes detailed gallery summaries to provide additional depth and understanding about what his images show.
The popularity of “Yellowstone,” a show that Zlotky watches, has kindled a nationwide interest in ranch and rodeo culture that he hopes will encourage other galleries to display his work. He’s had recent conversations with two interested galleries in Steamboat Springs.
“Capturing the rodeo artistically is challenging and a lot of fun, and an exciting demonstration of the skills used every day by working cowhands across the West,” he said. “It’s gratifying for me to see people respond to and respect the courage, skill and athleticism of the individuals I’ve profiled.”
reFocus Awards Honors David Zlotky at the 2023 Black & White Photo Contest
Out of entrants from 77 countries from around the world who submitted their best work in this year's contest, David Zlotky emerged as one of the most extraordinary and received GOLD honors in the Domestic Animals category for his entry With a Little Help from My Friends.He also was selected by the judges for an honorable mention in the Events category."
This is a major honor. The quality of the work submitted and the stature of the international judging cohort makes it a real honor to have a piece given the highest award in a category," said David Zlotky.
The reFocus Awards is a global community comprised of photographers in over 97 countries.
