Patrick Drickey – Class of 1967
My name is Patrick Drickey, and it’s my good fortune to be an award-winning photographer, businessman, and art gallery owner. I wanted to live a life of adventure from my earliest years, but I’ll begin my story in 1966, when I was still a Burke high school student.
Knowing that college was not an option for me, faced with the draft, I joined the Navy at age 17. As a result, I found myself in Saigon three days before the 1968 TET offensive, but it was during my tour of duty in Vietnam that I discovered the world of photography and a vision for what I might do with my life. My Navy supply commander threw monthly parties at the compound to promote camaraderie and morale among troops and friendly civilians, and these small celebrations attracted photographers from the AP (Associate Press) and UPI (United Press International). Those photojournalists were definitely a breed apart from the naval officers with whom I served.
“I was 19 years old, and the photographers were the first people I met who never complained about their jobs. They couldn’t wait to get their next assignment, wherever it would take them, and that intrigued me. I admired that attitude, and thought I wanted that kind of adventure in my life.”
Returning to the States in 1969, I began pursuing this newfound aspiration. There were no photojournalism programs at any nearby school, so I pieced together my own curriculum by taking a course here and a course there. One course, taught by renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman, led to a 5-year stint with the Leo A. Daly architectural firm, one of the top five firms in the USA, doing work across the globe.
Early on, I identified as an art photographer, joining the art crowd in Omaha’s Old Market in the 1970s. I became a founding member of the Artists Cooperative Gallery, located above M’s Pub. Collaboration with other artists, both in the Co-Op and beyond, has been a vital factor in my career. I worked with friends and local artists like Catherine Ferguson, Ree Kaneko, Larry Sosso, and fellow Burke alumnus Kent Bellows, photographing artwork for record-keeping and sales.
In the mid-70s, I embarked on a second career, building a business as a commercial and advertising photographer. My professional apprenticeship began under the tutelage of Walter and Nancy Griffith and their company, Photographers Associated, where I learned studio photography. I soon picked up accounts with agencies like Holland, Dreeves and Reilly, and Bozell & Jacobs.
Golf photography became my forté in a surprising way: While working with the ad agency for Cushman Industries and Rainbird Irrigation, I pitched the idea of photographing products against the scenic backdrop of the golf courses where they were used. Rainbird loved it, and the next thing I knew I was on a whirlwind tour of the world’s best courses, starting with Pebble Beach, in 1995. My panoramic format shot of the famous No. 7 hole proved a pivotal moment that would launch my company, Stonehouse Publishing.
Stonehouse signed deals with the USGA (United States Golf Association) who put my golf course prints in their catalog. My shot of Pebble Beach was one of their top selling items for six consecutive issues, earning the attention of the British Open, which hired me to photograph all the Open’s rotation courses. My shot of St. Andrews Links was selected as one of the course’s official photos for the 2010 Open, and prominent Open players autographed the photo for permanent display in the St. Andrews clubhouse. It was a rare honor for an American photographer, and I became one of the foremost names in golf photography, traveling around the world to capture famous courses.
I joined forces with another Burke alumnus, Mort Mortensen, for the book “Green Glory,” a visual tribute to the Majors in golf’s modern era. The book featured a foreword by Jack Nicholas, and I credit Mortensen, the president of Burke’s 1967 class, as one of the people who was key to my success in this phase of my life. Others, like Kent Bellows, Mike Hill, Tim Eller, and many more friends and collaborators, also brought their positive influence to my journey.
After selling Stonehouse Publishing, I began the next chapter of my life with a new venture. In 2013 I founded Gallery 1516, a non-profit exhibition and performance space dedicated to celebrating Nebraska and regional arts. Using my experience from the Artists Co-Op, and in recognition of long friendships with local and regional artists, I felt uniquely qualified to understand the needs of the arts community and the important role my new gallery could play. I envisioned Gallery 1516 as a platform from which artists, musicians, writers, and other creatives could step onto a larger stage, and fortunately, during the past ten years, the gallery has provided that stage.
Collaboration once again played a vital part in making Gallery 1516 an important factor in the Omaha arts scene. We have worked with organizations like the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA), Sheldon Art Museum, International Quilt Museum, Opera Omaha, and many more. I credit these relationships with helping build Gallery 1516’s profile, expanding its ability to support the needs of not only artists, but collectors, and the community.
Beginning with my foundation at Burke High School back in the 1960s, my life has been a journey buoyed by friendships and professional relationships every step of the way. Never one to follow the common path, I have sought to live life on my own terms, finding success throughout my careers as a photographer and business owner.
I was always lucky in life and lucky in marriage as well. My wife Karen, is a retired Bryan High art teacher, together we have a son and daughter, and I enjoy spending time with them and my grandkids.
I’m certain that during the next chapter of my life the adventures will continue. Thank you to the Burke High Alumni Association for this honor.
