“Images of South Dakota” Photography

The Dacotah Prairie Museum featured a new exhibit entitled “Images of South Dakota” which highlights the photography of Java, SD artist Stuart Surma. This exhibit ran June 8 - August 8, 2005. The display included wildlife, landscapes, horses, cattle and portraits all viewed through the unique lens of Surma’s camera. Surma has been honing his skills as a photographer for nearly 40 years, his interest beginning with the first purchase of a 35mm camera from an army PX in Viet Nam while doing a tour of duty in the army in 1967.

Stuart was born and raised in South Dakota, graduating high school in Waubay and continuing his education at SDSU. He graduated in 1971 with a degree in Wildlife Management and now lives in Java where he is a Waste Treatment Plant manager for WEB water.

Surma’s two favorite places to shoot pictures are the Moreau River breaks in the fall of the year and the Slim Buttes between Bison and Buffalo in northwest South Dakota. “This state has some unique scenery like no where else in the world!” Stuart says. In 1963, Surma caught a ride home with his roommate, Jack Reich of Isabel, SD. His parents owned a ranch on the Moreau River and Stuart had never been west of the Missouri before. He remembers being astounded at the beauty of the landscape and thus began a life-long love of the area.

Stuart Surma is a regular exhibitor at the Mobridge Art Show where he has receive several “people’s choice” and “judge’s choice” awards for his photography. He has exhibited at the Granary, near Groton, at “Goosefest” in Pierre and had a one-man show at the Emporium Gallery at Pierre. He was voted “Artist of the Day” at the State Fair in Huron and invited to show and sell his artwork at the Governor’s Hunt and the First Lady’s Prairie Art Showcase for the past four years.

Stuart’s photographs have graced several WEB water calendars made available to all customers, and the photographs in the Museum Exhibit represent the best of Surma’s work as we view “Images of South Dakota” through his camera lens.

For information on other past exhibits in the Dacotah Gallery, please click here.