My first exposure to artistic expression came unexpectedly one sunny morning at the kitchen table. I was no more than five or six years old. My Mother came and sat across from me with pencil and paper in hand and began to draw. I had never seen her do this before. She focused on the drawing for a time and eventually held up an image. It was a portrait of me, and it really was me! Light, shadow and the fine details of my face were all there.
In the early 60s when the Beatles were tops on my list, my Mom would invite me to sit with her and listen to the hi-fi. She introduced me to such greats as Sarah Vaughn, Stan Getz, Carlos Jobim and Tony Bennett. Often she would close her eyes, almost always with a smile on her face as we listened. I started closing my eyes as well. Every now and then she’d say, “listen to this part. Isn’t that wonderful?” In pointing out the small details she taught me how to experience a greater whole, a more elevated whole.
Ultimately, she showed me how to see and feel beauty.
Today, my own artistic expression is a driving force in my life. As I walk thru my days I can’t help but notice how light, shadow, composition and story come together… in Nature, on a city street, or in the face of a human being. Fleeting moments of visual serendipity, here then gone…perfect moments, really.
When I’m dialed in and my artistic eye can ‘see’, I find these moments are happening all the time. Seeing the world in this way ignites a yearning to create an image that does justice to the elements that are presenting and can be elevated to the artistic vision my mind sees for it as a photograph. It’s rarely about documenting, and mostly about my camera for the sake of art.
It’s my never ending ticket to ride!
Thank you for engaging with my images.
Warmly,
Patrice Ryan
PS. The majority of photographs included here have been taken with my iPhone…it’s the camera I always have with me. I carry my DSLR and tripod primarily for night photography.