La Paz Photographer has Showing at Marina CostaBaja

Marina CostaBaja recently hosted a photo exhibition by La Paz resident Tom Ireton. Tom, probably better know to the La Paz cruising fleet as “Tom on La Casita” from his VHF call sign, displayed about 2 dozen of his photographic works. A good crowd attended the opening night with hosted wine and cheese and the premier viewing of Tom’s works.

Tom, guest & wife Gina

Tom has worked with his artistic side here in La Paz the entire five years I have known him. His always positive, homespun attitude has been put to work assisting the La Paz Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is also the voice that many cruisers in La Paz listen to on the morning ‘net’ for news of cultural events in the city.

His photographic works were topnotch. Tom starts with digital images he captures of local Baja scenes. Then through computer magic, manipulates the images for a greater focus of interest or color saturation. This makes the images even more stunning than real, but with a gentle touch of the computer brush.

More below...

(Click on Tom's works to enlarge)

In attracting people to the opening, I was fortunate enough to find a way to crawl into the very bowels of the soul of the entire marine community simply by using the words: “Free Wine and Food.” To make a long story short, we had about 200 guests pass through the exhibition the night that it opened. Several of the talented local people were gracious enough to take time and walk me through the exhibit making the suggestions that I had sought after.

Tom then went on to explain his involvement and love of the La Paz Youth Symphony Orchestra.

About 6 years ago I got a call from Lic. Luis Peláez Garcia, Director of the State Music School here in La Paz, who

Artist Thomas Ireton

I have know Tom more than five years and his wife Gina for more than three, but I had to admit I knew little of what he had done ‘back in reality’ as we often refer to "Life before La Paz." So, I asked Tom to provide us a little background on how he arrived here and how he developed his photography.

Tom wrote: After I retired from being a printing paper salesman for 30 years and having grown sick and tired of 60 years of the Northwest rain, I found my self reading articles about different sailing destinations. It seemed that no matter how nice and exotic they sounded, there were always a few negative comments.. “They don’t like sailboats” … “No security in the marinas” or “Expensive… to much paperwork required.”

You name it, if it was a sailing destination on this planet, someone had a problem with it. Except for La Paz, no one had anything bad to say about La Paz (well, except a couple people mentioned that you need to be careful because many people go there and just don’t leave) Well of course that was no problem for me because I had an agenda and would be just passing through. Needless to say I arrive in La Paz over 6 years ago and guess I must be still “just passing through.”

As to how I became involved in photography, I guess that just like a million or so others, I cut my teeth on an Argus C-3, one of the best affordable, and most exotic 35mm cameras of “it’s time”. I’ve always read photographic articles and listed photography as a hobby for as long as I can remember.

About 8 years ago I set aside my trusty Leica and bought my first digital camera. For me it has been a very interesting “adventure” and I still tell people that “digital photography is about the most fun a person can have… standing up.”

I don’t have a special area of photography, I just like taking pictures, one time just driving down a road I saw a guy mending a fishing net, another time a little girl sweeping in front of a church, a dead cockroach, back room at the weavers, any thing that has some form or color might catch my eye.

In my quest to improve my photography, I got the idea of maybe putting on a Photo Exhibition and inviting along with my friends, all of the top Photographers, Graphic designers and Artists in La Paz and asking for their suggestions. About the same time somehow Lic. Elsa de La Paz Esquivel Amador, the cultural director of the State, invited me to show my Photos at the Casa De Cultura.

Tom Ireton's show at Marina CostaBaja

told me that he was going to put together a youth Symphony, and wondered if I could give him a hand.

Well, the rest is history. In just over 5 years The La Paz Youth Symphony has really become the Symphony orchestra of the State of BCS and travels, when time permits, bring the sounds of Brahms, Wagner, Bach, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Moncayo, Mahler, Vivaldi and the Beatles, to about every corner of BCS.

A couple of years ago the orchestra covered 8 villages in 10 days performing in some of the little out of the way places including Bahia Tortugas, Punta Abreojos, and San Ignacio. It was a great experience for the young musicians. In some of the smaller locations I think that close to 100% of the population turned out for the concerts. They had never been visited by and many people had never seen a live symphony orchestra.

I presently assist with the Brass dept. at the school and have 9 brass students. I teach “Finale”, a music transcription program, conduct a little and like every one else try to fit in where needed.

Music has been a wonderful teaching vehicle, oh we teach the kids which buttons to push and about sharps and flats and Beethoven and stuff, but that is all sort of a ruse, …. what we really teach is about self esteem, creativity, about values, about working together and taking responsibility for one’s own actions, and believe it or not, once in a while even a bit about the value of being on time.

I would like to put in a plug at this point for instruments for the La Paz School of Music. If you have or know of someone who has an old Trumpet, Flute, Clarinet Viola or some other instrument in the basement or attic, we would sure put it to good use here. They don’t have to be new or in perfect shape. Donating an instrument can serve as an opportunity for you to make a difference, possibly a big difference, in the lives of a young person.

At present we have students who began at your school here in La Paz, now studying in Paris, Japan, Cuba, Mexico City, the US and Canada. BCS can be very proud of these young people, I know that I am.

Thanks to Tom Ireton for his interview and images. If you would like to assist Tom with donations to the La Paz School of Music you may send The Baja Insider a message on our Contact Us page.