Art - Breaking
Ground in a New Medium
Local photographer finds art in the digital world
When Manchester resident Lynda Elliott
lost her job at a local printing company due to layoffs, she had
no idea it would turn out to be a creative catalyst.
“Because
I worked with film, I had a really hard time getting another job,”
she said. “Most places deal primarily with digital image development.”
Elliott,
a longtime photographer with a degree in graphic arts, decided that
if she couldn't beat them, she'd join them. That's when she got her
hands on her first digital camera.
“With
a digital camera, I found that I could take more chances with photos,
and I really opened up as a photographer,” Elliott said. “With
a traditional camera, I was always so worried about getting the perfect
shot, because film and supplies are expensive. With the digital camera,
I could take photo after photo and not worry about it, because if it
didn't turn out well I could just delete it.”
Between
sending out resumes and hitting the pavement looking for work, Elliott
began to focus on her art.
“I had
always been passionate about it, but it was always something I did
on the side,”
she said. “But it's funny, when you take away all of the other
distractions, it just started to grow and become more important to
me.”
While still unemployed,
Lynda took an Adobe Photoshop class at Pioneer Computer School.
“All
these possibilities were opened to me after that,” she said.
After completing the course, she began to experiment with her photography
by distorting or accenting colors, perspectives and focus. The result
was a series of abstract photographs that were new and fresh.
Last year, Elliott decided to enter an art show, after much cajoling
from friends. She participated in the Manchester Artists Association's
Art in the Park show last September.
“My
work stuck out like a sore thumb,” she said with a laugh. “My
photos were so different, so out there. I thought, what did I do?”
Much
to her surprise, the work was well received by the spectators and
the jury of the show.
“I won first
place for photography, and I sold a piece,” she said. “I
never expected that for my first show. I was just happy to be showing
my work.”
Since that show,
Elliott has exhibited at E.W. Poore, the Holiday Renaissance at Langer
Place, and Jewell and the Beanstalk. Her work at E.W. Poore is on
display until Jan. 31. The exhibit features 21 pieces, both photographs
and digital images.
Elliott recently
joined the Nashua Artists Association and hopes to show her work in
the Greeley Park Art Festival and at shows in Boston this summer.
She would like to show more of her work in Manchester as well.
It's
not easy to get my work into the galleries around here, because
for the most part, they don't accept digital photography. I think it's
too new to be considered an art medium,” she said. She hopes
to break that barrier, and encourages other photographers who work
in digital to keep trying.
One of the
most striking aspects of Elliott's work, whether it's posed shots,
candid shots, or abstract digital imagery, is her unique perspective.
Her unusual camera angles, attention to light, and slightly askew
composition make her work eye grabbing.
“I
don't know where that came from,” she said. “I think
it's something I've always had. I've always looked at the world a
little differently, I guess. But I'm glad, because it has really
helped my photography.”
For more
information on Lynda's work, go to www.lyndaelliott.com, or see
her exhibit at E.W. Poore, 531 Front St.
-Michelle
Saturley This article was posted from:
HippoPressManchester
Vol.4, No.4
Jan. 22-28, 2004
www.hippopress.com |
