Ralph Hassenpflug and River Arts invite the public to the opening reception for his solo exhibition in the River Arts West Gallery, Friday, September 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. At his show at River Arts, Hassenpflug will present groups of new work from 2013. Those will include the subjects Maine, New York City, figure, solitude and others. The exhibition will run through October 2.

Hassenpflug was born in West Germany during the years of the Cold War. In addition to a college education in French and German literature at the Université François Rabelais in Tours, France, and at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universitaet in Frankfurt, Germany, his only formal art education consists of classes and workshops at the International Center of Photography in New York City and the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport.

Hassenpflug self-educates through the study of 20th century masters. He is moved and inspired by the work of poetic photographers like Francesca Woodman, Susan Burnstine and Keith Carter. He immigrated to the United States in 2002 and settled on the coast of Maine. He travels extensively.

Over the past six months Hassenpflug's work has been shown at a dozen juried shows in Maine. The Maine Photography Show has accepted his work into their 2013 exhibition. He has been published in Maine Art Scene Magazine and by Stone Voices Magazine. Hassenpflug is currently under contract for a photo book about sacred places in Brittany, France. A sample of his work can be found on his website www.ralphhassenpflug.com.

The mission of River Arts is to nurture and encourage participation in the arts throughout the region of Midcoast Maine by providing exhibition, studio and performance spaces, classes and workshops, for people of all ages and abilities and support a wide range of activities in artistic disciplines by partnering with other arts and performance organizations to produce program.

River Arts is located at 241 Route 1 north, Damariscotta. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.

For information about membership and the many exhibitions, classes, events and opportunities at River Arts, visit www.riverartsme.org, call 207-563-1507 or stop in.