My Nonprofit Reviews

I once told Ron DeWitt and Steve Cassle that if it weren’t for The Tamarack Foundation, I would not be where I am today as a photographer. And I meant it. While on my own, I struggled to market and sell my photography and failed four times to be juried into Tamarack. My career made a quick turn for the better after being mentored by Steve Cassle in a pre-jury session at the Artisan Services Office in Beckley. I was subsequently juried into Tamarack and in a little over a year sold more than $3000 of photography at Tamarack. I even sold a piece at a Juried show in North Carolina. Without the advice and guidance of The Tamarack Foundation none of this would have happened. Steve Cassle and The Tamarack Foundation are continuing to assist my artistic and product development. Along with another Tamarack artisan, Randall Sanger, I am going to publish a book of photography of the waterfalls of the New River Gorge. Both Randy and I view this book as more than a personal goal; we believe our book will motivate many others to experience for themselves the beauty of the Gorge and to help preserve it. From the outset, The Tamarack Foundation has nurtured and supported this book by marketing, artistic, and practical guidance. I should mention that the artistic talent of my coauthor, Randall Sanger, was also developed and honed by The Tamarack Foundation. Steve Cassle mentored Randy as well, and Randy is now a juried artisan at Tamarack and MountainMade and will be the Photographer-in-Residence for the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in the month of June. Randy and I are just two of the many artisans that The Tamarack Foundation has helped. I can only imagine how many more artisans they have assisted. Personally, I will always be grateful for the past support of The Tamarack Foundation and will continue to need its help for future development as an artisan. Ed Rehbein

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