FOR OAKLAND Mills photographer Jerry Gettleman, beauty is in the hands of the beholder. Gettleman is in the midst of a one-year project to photograph the hands of people doing the things they love.
"I want to emit feelings," Gettleman said. "I want to capture the image of people doing things with their hands that they love to do and capture the feeling they have when they are doing that.
"I also want people to feel something when they look at the images I create. Whether they feel magnificent or disgusted, I want them to feel something."
Gettleman does not title his work. "It's all about perceptions," he said. "I don't want to put myself into your opinion."
His photography and framing business is called "Perceptions." Gettleman, 64, has been taking pictures since he was 15. Over the years, he has studied from books but never taken formal photography courses.
Before starting his current project, he took scenic photographs around the world. "What's nice about photographs is that they take you back to a time and a place that you enjoyed," he said. "Again, it's about feelings."
Gettleman, who is retired, has a master's degree in behavioral science. He said he used skills learned in the course of his studies - conflict resolution and team building - in his job as a manager for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington. He also has bachelor's and master's degrees in geography.
"I've always looked at the world a little bit differently," Gettleman said. "When my kids were younger and we would go on family vacations, I would always try to get them interested in the environment. I wanted them to be aware that the weather was different, the soil was different, people spoke differently. I wanted them to be tolerant and embrace the difference. It's similar to photography. You need to look at the world differently."
The project includes photographs of hands molding clay, hands around musical instruments and hands on the throttle of a motorcycle. His work is scheduled for exhibition in May at Columbia Art Center.
Three of his photographs of a man playing a shofar (a ram's horn sounded during the Jewish High Holidays) are on display at Columbia Art Center in an exhibit titled Art of the Torah.
The juried exhibit, co-sponsored by the Columbia Jewish Congregation, includes 34 other pieces relating to Judaism.
A Passover Chess Set, made by Irene Helitzer, depicts biblical figures on a chess board. The full-size set won third place. A piece titled Torah, an intricate paper-cut of Hebrew verses made by Tamar Fishman of Bethesda, placed second.
Inverse and Reverse, made by Elsa Wachs, is a fabric and metal cloak and a crown made of Hebrew letters and took first place. Helitzer and Wachs are from Sea Cliff, N.Y., and Wallingford, Pa., respectively.
Columbia artists from the west side of town included in the show are Carol Bodin, H.W. Kurlander and Robert Tennabaum.
Art of the Torah runs through Sunday.
The art center is at 6100 Foreland Garth, in Long Reach Village Center. Docent-led tours are available. Admission is free.
Information: 410-730-0075.
Good eggs
Oakland Mills High School students were honored last month at the school's annual Academic Letter Breakfast.
To qualify for an academic letter, a student must be on the silver honor roll with a 3.5 grade point average or the gold honor roll with a 4.0 GPA for all four quarters of the past year.
"The letter is a way to celebrate excellence in our students," said PTA member June Magruder, the breakfast coordinator.
Parents, staff members and students attended the breakfast. Principal Marshall Peterson was speaker.
Receiving the award were sophomores Mahmoud Abouelrous, Kelcy Adamec, Travis Anthony, Delicia Atkins Bey, Naana Boampong, Jennifer Burt, Evan Hartranft, Johanna Haydon, Rachel Heinly, Nicholas Hopkins, Daniel Howse, Faith Johnson, Krystle Kinsey, Jyoti Kuvelker, Marissa Ludwig, Christopher Mckitterick, Amanda Mezei, Jeffrey Nathan, Binwi Ngwa-Suh, Lumnwi Ngwa-Suh, Shayna O'Neill, Jonathan Pagano, Bryan Parent, Jessica Rennenkampf, Emily Richardson, Kimberly Sealey, Tyler Selby, Brian Silvea, Sara Smith, Miilhan Stephens, Claire Tolbert, Jermiah Tsang and Kwon Yang.
Juniors who received the award were Michael Beare, Nidhi Bedi, Summer Blake, Jonathan Buechler, Min Choi, Allison Densmore, Monica Downs, Viktoria Elkis, Megan Firko, Rani Francis, Jessica Gratch, Sylvia Johnson, Melissa Jones, Kathryn Kimble, Sarah Klyap, Alexis Lanz, Shawn Magnuson, Joy Meeder, Jennifer Nathan, Anne Painter, Molly Pieplow, Sana Sahand, Dana Shepherd, Tracy Singer, Danielle St. Lawrence, Linda Striano and Yang Zhao.
Seniors honored were Sharon Berlin, Allison Bohac, Hafsa Bora, Meredith Brenner, Casey Carlin, Choi Choi, Kristen Cole, Alden Cramer, Patricia Ellinger, Sydney Fernandes, Angela Franklin, Perry Gorelik, Mark Grgurich, Allison Heinly, Jennifer Hersey, David Huber, Lauranne Lanz, Landon LeDoux, Kristin Livingston, Adam Magruder, Eric Marshall, Kelly Olsen, Fahad Qayumi, Elaine Scudder, Melissa Seesz, Jyoti Singh, Kristin Stephens, Maegan Supple, Mirag Vamja, Matoli Vifansi and Jessie Wilson.