Patricia Ann Parsons

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.