Patty Swanson's Photography Show Opens at Noah Webster House

Photography has long been considered art, but West Hartford’s Patty Swanson, who was awarded 2012 Photographer of the Year in the creative and art/electronic imaging categories by the Connecticut Professional Photography Association, takes it to another level with her unique renditions of what she calls “otherwise abandoned, left-for-dead subjects.”

“Living Remains: A Resurrection Thru the Lens” is appropriately debuting near Halloween – at a time when thoughts may naturally turn to the supernatural, spooky and haunting – but these eery and funky images are not just seasonal.

“All of the images have a particular theme: something long forgotten that’s being resurrected through the lens,” said Swanson. Most of the images were taken on the same day in a rural area of Pennsylvania, but interspersed are images Swanson took in Maine, Vermont, and Ireland.

Swanson has been involved in many projects at West Hartford’s Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society, but this is her first gallery show. “I never had anything cohesive until now,” she said.

The collection features everyday subjects – homes, barns, tractors, cars, trucks, even trees – seemingly abandoned yet an integral part of the changing and very-much-alive landscape.

Many of the images on display in “Living Remains” are vastly different from the original photographs, all the result of Swanson’s artistic interpretation of the subject. She applies color to create a desired effect – sometimes transforming an otherwise somber scene into something much more cheerful and vibrant. However, vintage sepia tones are more appropriate for other images, she said.

Swanson also puts a lot of time into creative names for her images. “There’s No Place Like Home” and “Beetle Juice” are the titles of two of the pieces in the upcoming show.

“As the West Hartford Historical Society, we’re delighted to be able to explore our culture today and one of the ways we’re doing that is by showcasing local artists,” said Chris Dobbs, executive director of the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society. “Patty Swanson’s artwork exemplifies some of the best photography in the state, and as a museum we’re thrilled to be able to be the first to exhibit it.”

“Living Remains: A Resurrection Thru the Lens” opens to the public at the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society, 227 South Main St., West Hartford, on Friday, Oct. 11, 2013. The exhibit will remain in place through January 2014. Museum hours are Thursday through Monday, from 1 to 4 p.m.

The images, which are each uniquely and artfully framed, are also being offered for sale with a portion of sales being donated to support the programs of the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society.

Swanson is a Certified Professional Photographer, a designation held by only three percent of photographers worldwide. She specializes in portrait photography (high school seniors, families, corporate) and creates custom-designed albums and wall portraits. She also regularly donates her time and expertise to many local charities, including an ongoing project photographing premature babies and their families in the neo-natal intensive care unit at the UConn Health Center.

“I would love to do more landscapes,” said Swanson, and she welcomes the opportunity to photograph and create a work of art out of someone’s favorite scene.

For more information, visit the museum’s website http://noahwebsterhouse.org or the Patty Swanson Photography website http://pattyswanson.com.