Visitors to the Finistère restaurant in uptown Port Townsend will have an opportunity to take in a rare reception with local photographer David King Rowe IV on Sunday, Oct. 6.

While Rowe’s exhibition of photographs is slated to remain at Finistère, at 1025 Lawrence St., through Dec. 31, his reception on “an exploration of natural elements” and “intimate studies from tidal fronts along the Pacific Coast” is from 5-7 p.m.

Rowe had previously partnered with Finistère for such a reception and exhibit in 2022.

“I don’t do a lot of public shows of my photos,” Rowe said. “The photo world is a very personal venture for me, but I’ve grown very fond of Port Townsend over the past six years. I enjoy sharing and interacting with the sincere people who live here, who have been excited and interested in my work.”

Rowe was born on the central coast of California, and has approached the American West Coast with a sense of wonder. His move to Port Townsend in 2018 has seen him continue to explore the Olympic Peninsula’s forests, mountains, streams and coastal shorelines.

“From a young age, I’ve felt a connection to the natural world,” Rowe said. “The turbulence and uncertainty of my late teens led to my discovery of art, a potential path outside the traditional structure that was laid before me.”

Rowe credited the camera with affording him “a unique way of interacting with the outside world,” while the Pacific Coast offered him the “intrigue” of “the chaos and calm of the coastal storms.” He relishes nature’s turning “what was at first a very whimsical and lighthearted engagement” into “a study in introspection,” and “a powerful regulation of the self through release and play.”

Rowe compared his prints to “totems,” each serving as a “reflection of a time and emotional state.” He said his relatively “simple” subjects of land, sea and air yield “combinations with vast complexity,” and “a marvelous harmony.” It has retained his curiosity as he’s grown as a person.

“Each new chapter in life has brought about adjustments to my perspective on reality, thus allowing new insights through what has always been,” said Rowe, who cited the sea itself as one such constant.

Finistère is “a beautiful space run by beautiful people,” which he enjoys in no small part because he feels the space allows his prints to “breathe.”

“There will always be a sense of sincerity and emotional reflection in the studies I make, but this collection is a bit of a departure from my norm,” Rowe said. “Over the past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed the peaceful wanderings of shorelines, ranging from the Puget Sound to the southern reaches of the Pacific Ocean.”

Rowe noted that his perspective has shifted from “the vastness of the sea” to “a lighthearted exploration of the coast,” resulting in “an assortment of tidal studies, ranging from minimalistic detail to my more typically expansive” views, producing “playful compositions with honest intrigue.”

Rowe takes pride in his prints, which stem from “a very intimate hands-on process,” in which “delicate paper is treated with respect.” He seeks to “harmonize my subject matter with the proper end medium.”

Rowe added, “Presentation can dramatically affect the overall experience for a viewer, myself included. I hope to share, with whomever is curious enough to come see the exhibition, a bit of myself (and) an honest attempt at understanding one’s self, through the photographic medium.”