Judy Messer, a new local in Great Barrington, brings us the exhibit “Stillness in Stories” in celebrating over 40 years of working as a still film photographer.
Messer’s work has been featured on billboards, buses, book jackets for Little Brown, and album covers, and exhibited in personal collections throughout New England and around the world. Known for her master crafting of natural light combinations that depict the mood and spirit of the subjects, composing of elements and story, and her natural and practiced ability to connect and reflect heartfully, Messer creates a beautiful documentary approach to portrait making.
How do I reflect a persons story in a moment in time? This was a question she carried and took on to take part in a creative and soul level way. She has always loved people and is comfortable with them. Connecting feels natural and necessary. This is our true nature when heart attuned! And the heart was what she’s personally aspired to nurture, and her creative tool became her camera. One of her ways into her authentic peace was to reflect others ways.
This exhibit is a unique view from her over 40 years with heart & camera.
At this time, Messer is creating a book “Heart & Camera” her turn of the century photographic journey, and seeking platforms for reserving presentations at college art departments and in other creative and healing communities.
The presentation intention is to educate about the process and the concepts required to achieve the portrait sessions. Messer will share some of her personal obstacles and celebrations to becoming an independent woman still film photographer, and the beautiful reflections of what was able to happen when choosing to live with her eyes and heart open to a creative way of personal expression, humanity and its story.
Messer continues to make the oil paintings of “People in Peace,” inspired by her photographs of people along the way.
Displaying now through Halloween are images from Messer’s documentary portfolios.
Included portfolios are:“People in Peace,” a new ongoing project where she is studying oil painting and using this medium to express again a documentary series she did for her own inspiration of practicing/ cultivating peace! The oil paintings were made from these moments that she photographed and thought, this would make a beautiful painting!
“Spark” is a portfolio of people engaged in ways or practices that spark their energy for living with quality in their senior years.
“The Artist’s Portrait” is a portfolio she started long ago of a community of people who choose to live their authentic path as creatives who needed more respect and visual representation.
“Binding a Valley” is a B&W still film photographic portfolio of people from the Pioneer Valley who worked in the book making art field in the 90’s. Living and working out of Northampton, MA for over 40 years, she got to be there during the hay-day of great food, music and arts, and so beautifully rich in talent and inspiration were people involved in a process that brought common books to collectible rare art books to life!
“Portraits of Children” is a portfolio that was the essence of her over 40 years of working in still film.
These people and so many more has widened her heart, deepening her compassion and understanding for humanity. What the eyes see the soul experiences.
This exhibit is an insight to her soul and the “Stories in Stillness” that reflect it.