“Reaching Out”

Feb 1, 2018 - Feb 28, 2018 | Themes: Nature, Photo Journalism, Travel, Abstract

Rosemary Polletta expresses her feelings through her photography.

Rosemary Polletta, an award winning photographer in Western MA, will present her first solo exhibit at The Floyd Gallery.

• Rosemary has honed an unique approach and style through the years.
• Her feelings run deep and she successfully converts this energy into her artwork.
• The exhibit contain a common theme of “reaching out” graphically or metaphorically.
• She is a member of our long running Advancealots Seminar and has participated in The Gallery’s Learning Center workshops from Manhattan to Rhode Island and on to Newfoundland. 

"Even though I had been fascinated with photography for a number of years, it was on the urging of a very dear relative 9 years ago, after my Mom died, that prompted me to spend more time on my ‘hobby.'  So I purchased my first digital camera.  That was also the time that I met Robert Floyd. I took his digital DSLR beginner’s course at the MA Audubon Wildlife Center in Easthampton. But it was really after experiencing the death of my husband that I found that I was drawn to using my camera to capture images that I felt expressed my own feelings of loss and grief.  And so I can identify with a quote from Todd Hido, “When you’ve had a bad experience, you sometimes feel compelled to recreate it in a way that allows you to control it."  So, over the last several years I’ve attempted to use photography as my emotional outlet, using it as a form of expression and creativity. Making photos has allowed me to express my feelings through the flowers, landscapes, or scenes that represent for me a time passed, life or beauty spent.  It was Dorothea Lange who said, “Photography takes an instant out of time altering life by holding it still."

At the same time, I also have admired the work of some of the ‘old masters’ in photography.  Those who were able to infuse mood and emotion into their images, while at the same time keeping their compositions simple.  I often attempt to emulate that feeling/approach when I process some of my images.

Photography will always be a ‘work in progress,' sometimes having to work more diligently at it than at other times. It is a pleasure than reaps rewards. What adds to my satisfaction is seeing the reaction one of my images will have on others.  That they are touched by the images I create is truly rewarding."

_Rosemary Polletta, Springfield, MA