Patricia Parsons is an Ottawa-based artist. She employs a diary approach to photography, amassing large quantities of images taken from everyday life. This approach delves into her unique exploration of memory and the creation of future memories, which stems from personal lived experiences. For many years, she primarily used digital cameras, however, with the reintroduction to analog an old spark was reignited. It is within the process of documenting and image making where she finds the connection to peace and tangible memory. Parsons continues to experiment and push the boundaries of what is capable.
Project Work
Ottawa-based artist Patricia Parsons employs apersonal approach to her photography practice. Creating images that provide anesthetic of movement through colour, Patricia explores a world through eyeswhich have a restricted colour appreciation – a number of her family membershave achromatopsia, a disorder characterized by the absence of colour vision,decreased vision, light sensitivity, and repetitive, uncontrolled eyemovements. As an example, cyan is not recognized by individuals with thecondition.
Appreciating that ourworld view is defined by colour – the red car, the blue dress – and that colouris not a fixed notion, Patricia explores various means to skew the colourpalette.
When composing an image, Patricia must consider that for a person with achromatopsia, colour has noeffect on his mood. Red doesn’t represent anger or love. Yellow does notsuggest happiness or hope. A green banana does not mean that it is not ripe.
The images will introduceachromatopsia to her audience. They will attempt to provide the viewers with aglimpse of what her family members experience. An ‘attempt’ as Patricia herselfis translating her own perception of the family experiences. It is literallyher vision of their vision.
The images give theaudience opportunities to pause and reflect on the experience of others. Theyalso may consider their own life is, and how different it might be should theirbody be in some way not as it now is. All this said, Patricia essentially aimsalso to present images that are aesthetically pleasing while presenting analternate view.
Having primarily useddigital format, with the associated ease of adjustments and creating what isnot, Patricia has a wish to return to film. This move to analog documentationhas sparked a renewed exploration in possibilities through the basic tools ofthe photographer.
For Patricia, thisexploration is through the use of various filter combinations, andexperimentation with colour separation during production to alter colour.Through the use of reflectors and filters on still life, Patricia finds a senseof movement in an altered image. This experimentation will advance hertechnical skills, and the knowledge gained will contribute to her artisticdevelopment.
As an emerging artist, Iam open to new ideas. Through this residency, I will benefit from the input ofothers, varied perspectives and knowledge sharing. I’m eager to considertravelling down new paths, and to see how I might take this to a differentlevel. I’m interested in collaboration and possibilities. This residency offersthis.
Artist Statement
Patricia Parsons’ first experiences as an artist was during high school when she realized that she could do, and loved to do, things that many others didn’t. However, she also compared herself to others to her own detriment. For the next couple of decades, she put drawing aside and picked up photographing practical subject matter solely forher own enjoyment.
As a mom of young children, she decided that she wanted to be better at photography, and to record her children growing up on film. She shared her photos often. She was proud of what she produced. She was told that she was skilled and was approached on a few occasions to photograph weddings and family portraits.
Later she joined a local photography club to learn more. She won first place in an inter-club competition with photographers that studied the art. A few years later, a co-worker asked if she could use Patricia’s photographs to complete an office set-up she was working on in Quebec City. Of course, Parsons said yes. This meant enlarging 40 to 50 of her photographs and professionally developing and framing them for display. This led to requests to use her images in more offices.
She continued to study through practical experience, learning through trial and error, with a few weekend courses taken here and there.
Despite her focused training, acclaim and success, Patricia still suffers from imposter syndrome.
Patricia is currently based in Ottawa, working primarily in digital with a strong presence of analog (medium format and 35mm).
Work
Volunteer Photographer
2015 – present
Various events/locations
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
- Took photos to support and document the cause of the day.
- Attended various events, from public appearances to political conferences, in order to obtain photographs for future publication.
- Edited and organized photos to share, and sorted through shots to find the best possible photograph to use for a their promotions.
- Managed creative suite of software and tools to edit images for colour correction and a variety of factors, according to editorial guidelines.
Key Achievements
- 2016 “Inter-club competition” 1st place on subject. RA photo club host.
- Published with Canadian National Geographic on line
- Published in PhotoEd magazine
- Permanent installations in Quebec City, Montreal, Hamilton and Ottawa
Wedding, family and event Photographer
2015 – present
Ottawa and surrounding areas.
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
- Worked with clients to understand the needs and wants for delivery of best photography.
- Ensured all photographic equipment was functional and cared for, including DSLRs, lenses, tripods, lighting, and more.
- Composed images and video after events, processed best images, and delivered photos to clients for review and approval.
Education
School of Photographic Arts – Ottawa
Algonquin college – Interactive Multimedia and Design
Algonquin college – Design and Graphics
Ottawa, ON
Relevant Coursework: Black-and-White Darkroom and chemistry including cyanotype. Documentary, landscape and architecture, portraiture and still life. Light and Shadow. History of photographic arts and writing. Deep dive into past and present photographic artists. Photoshop work and editing processes.
Key Skills
- Editorial Photography
- Visual Journalism
- Adobe Photoshop
- Finding Light for Portraiture and still life
- Environmental Portraiture
- Action Photography