Many people who travel collect souvenirs and trinkets that are indicative of the getaway setting they have enjoyed. But an upcoming exhibit at the 50 Penn Place Gallery will reflect a variety of unusual photographic memories from around the world.

“Martini Travels” is a photography sojourn that reflects Terry Zinn’s fascination with that seductive and history-laden cocktail~ the Martini. The Gallery will feature an opening reception for 20 of his 16 x 20” canvas prints of his entire “Martini Travels” portfolio. The exhibit will hang from March 6 through April 30. The opening reception is March 9 from 6-8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Zinn’s fascination with this fabled drink began innocently. Zinn was introduced to the legendary Oklahoma artist Harold Stevenson in 1995 at an impromptu lunch. “I found him to be a most interesting world traveler, with an incredible background ~ coming from the small town of Idabel, Oklahoma. Through his innate talent, his oil paintings were showcased in exhibitions in Paris, France and New York City. Stevenson’s paintings also reflect his numerous travels throughout Europe and a vast range of associations with the ionic modern artists of his time, including Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock.”

Zinn remembers that chance meeting so well and the charisma that Stevenson exuded. “Harold had a Martini that day. Now, I can’t help but associate Martinis with him and the glamour of the world-wide locations he frequented while living in New York and Paris, France and still maintaining his native ties to Idabel and Oklahoma.”

“Harold doesn’t make Martinis the way I like them the best ~ vigorously shaken. Harold likes a gentle stir. Even in his 80s and still living in Idabel, Harold can still tell quite a tale and make a congenial Martini. Personally, I like three olives to snack on with mine. Harold drops in just one small olive for ‘decoration’ only. He is a visual artist after all,” Zinn said.

“Martini Travels” is a photographic and journalistic project Zinn has been seriously working on since Stevenson introduced him to the esoteric joys of Martinis. As a professional travel writer and photographer for more than 20 years, Zinn has incorporated specific Martini or cocktail images, against the environs of various destinations around the world. A book of his photographs and commentary is also currently in production.

“In my travels, I have tried to have a Martini in whatever world-wide locale I was visiting. This is not as easy as it seems,” Zinn notes. “Even some of the most upscale establishments in major cities in the world do not offer a proper cocktail in an appropriate Martini glass.”

Some of the “Martini Travels” destinations include Washington, D.C., Dallas, Seattle, Monument Valley, Santa Fe, Savannah, Chicago, the Grand Tetons, Palm Springs, both coasts in Florida, the Anazasi ruins in Mesa Verde National Park, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Times Square in New York City and the Oklahoma State Capitol. International settings include Belize, the Galapagos Islands, Lima Peru, Segovia, Spain, the Baltic States, Berlin and the River Danube.

“Where I find a good Martini, I usually find epicurean tastes,” Zinn said.

“When one can relax and contemplate the beauty and privilege of being in enviable destinations, it’s only proper to give thanks with a beverage for the opportunity. A photograph is designed to capture a fleeting moment in time and that is what I try to do. Of course the resulting photograph, viewed much later at home, is a time to revel in a special moment of exceptional travel satisfaction.”

Zinn has had past exhibitions at the Oklahoma State Capitol, City Arts, Arts Place, the Center for the American Indian, Jacobson House in Norman, the Norick Art Center at Oklahoma City University, his alma mater, and in private collections.

He is past president of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, and in 2007, received the “Exhibitors Choice” Journalist Award, voted on by 72 national and international professional travel exhibitors at the Palm Springs Travel Media Showcase. In 2004, he was named “Best Travel Photographer” at the Tucson, Arizona TMS.

Zinn schedules his journalistic travels around being the full-time photography processing manager at the Oklahoma Historical Society at the Oklahoma History Center. In 2007, Zinn was recognized for his three official Oklahoma Centennial Projects, which were his private journalistic and photography contributions to Oklahoma’s Centennial.

The 50 Penn Place Gallery is located in Suite 113 on the ground floor of 50 Penn, located at 1900 Northwest Expressway. For additional information about the exhibit, call the gallery at 405 848-5567  or Terry Zinn  t4z@aol.com   (405) 943-5296.