EASTON, Pa. — An avid Easton photographer is showcasing a year-long project documenting his walks along the Karl Stirner Arts Trail and offering up select prints with sales benefiting the walkway.
Attorney and photographer Edward Shaughnessy’s “KSAT 2021: A Walkabout” is on display at Easton Public Market. It documents a year of daily walks along the well-known path.
Shaughnessy has been an attorney in Easton for more than over 35 years, enjoying trips along the trail as a welcome respite from the hectic nature of everyday life.
Shaughnessy credits the daily treks along the 1.75-mile trail as not only a matter of personal wellness but also as an opportunity to capture the trail’s natural beauty and artistic charm through his camera lens.
Shaughnessy's display includes each of his 365 meticulously crafted images alongside select prints, which will be made available for $50 each.
To support the trail, Shaughnessy will donate 75% of the proceeds from sales to the Karl Stirner Arts Trail organization to continue its mission to promote art, nature and wellness throughout the Easton community.
The remaining 25% will support future art exhibitions at Easton Public Market.
“We're thrilled to share Edward Shaughnessy's stunning visual narrative of the Karl Stirner Arts Trail, His passion for both photography and our community shines through in every image."Megan McBride
“We're thrilled to share Edward Shaughnessy's stunning visual narrative of the Karl Stirner Arts Trail," Easton Market District Director of Greater Easton Development Partnership Megan McBride said.
"His passion for both photography and our community shines through in every image."
"KSAT 2021. A Walkabout" will be on display until April 6.
Story of the trail
The story of the Karl Stirner Arts Trail began with the state awarding Easton and Lafayette College a $9 million grant, with $2 million designated for the improvement of a neglected 1.5-mile stretch of land alongside the Bushkill Creek.
Over the past few years, city officials and a citizen trail committee worked together to develop a plan for the land.
Easton advocate Dick McAteer and his friends came forward with an intriguing idea: Why not look beyond simply providing an outdoor recreation space by decorating the trail with artistic installations amidst the beauty of nature?
Mayor Sal Panto Jr. named the planned trail after Karl Stirner, a prominent sculptor and one of the city’s most influential champions of the arts.
By spring 2011, the city had finalized the trail design, and the Karl Stirner Arts Trail opened that fall.
The first piece designed for the trail was Willie Cole’s Grace Gate, which served as a symbolic and walking passage between the trail and nearby Easton Cemetery.
Stirner’s well-known red arch, "Untitled (Arch for the KSAT)," was put into place under his guidance in 2014.
In 2016, the trail incorporated and was granted tax-exempt nonprofit status.
Today, the trail includes sculptures and installations by more than 20 artists, highlighting a bridge between the creative force of humanity and the beauty of nature.
