Friday, November 5th - Friday, November 26th, 2021

The Strand Center for the Arts was thrilled to host “Photographic Images of the Night Sky’s Majesty, Beauty, and Splendor,” artwork created by photographer, Herb Carpenter, in the Main Gallery.

Herb Carpenter grew up in Boston and came to Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 1957 as a nuclear weapons technician. After his discharge he joined the city’s police department, beginning a 22-year career that would ultimately define him. For 10 of his years in law enforcement he was a criminal investigator, responsible for the department’s major crime scene photography. In 1975 he became chief of the department; he retired in 1981.

While he worked his way up through the ranks of the police department, Herb also attended SUNY Plattsburgh, earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling. He filled his elective course requirements with classes in Astronomy and Photography.

Following his police retirement, Herb established The Northeast Group, a printing and mailing company that grew to include fulfillment and distribution services. One of his proudest accomplishments has been publishing Strictly Business, a monthly magazine that has focused on business in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties for more than 30 years. Herb also founded several other companies over the years.

Herb’s community service has included membership on the Boards of Directors of Glens Falls National Bank and Arrow Financial Corporation, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, member of the Town of Plattsburgh finance committee, a director of the United Way, and until recently a member of the Strand Center for the Arts Board of Directors.

When his son, Michael joined The Northeast Group and assumed management of the company, Herb had the freedom to pursue a new career. He became a professor at SUNY Plattsburgh’s School of Business & Economics and for 12 years taught Business Ethics and Public Speaking. During that time, he increased his focus on Astronomy and producing images of the night sky.

Now semi-retired, Herb is pursuing his hobby and delivering Astronomy presentations to area schools and other interested organizations. In hindsight he realizes his interest in Astronomy actually began in 1956 when he was stationed at an Air Base just below the Artic Circle. It was there, where the sky -- unlike Boston’s -- was clear, unpolluted, and majestic, that he knew the night sky would become a lifetime interest.

“As soon as I saw Herb’s work, I knew that we had to feature it in our gallery,” stated Gallery Director, David Monette. “It is something so different than the photography exhibits we’ve had in the past. To see these awe-inspiring images of galaxies and star clusters on our gallery walls was something I had to make happen.”