Exhibit Features Williamstown Resident's Camera Work
 Jeanne Driscoll's first photography exhibit is on display at the Milne Library through August. |
The Williamstown resident's first photography exhibit opened at the David and Joyce Milne Public Library on Wednesday night and can be viewed until Aug. 31. The reception, to say the least, was a success with people coming as far away as Bennington, Vt., and Albany, N.Y., to see her digital documentation of foreign lands and peoples.
Since her retirement in 2000, Driscoll has traveled to many places, including China (2002), Egypt (2007), India (2008) and, most recently, Thailand (2009). Retirement revived her lifelong interest in travel, something she had little time or energy to do while she was still working. Driscoll worked in human resources, both for the former Sheaffer Eaton and at Canyon Ranch Spa and Resort; she is a trustee of the Milne Library.
"I usually travel to a country for two weeks at a time," Driscoll explained. "However, I actually spent three weeks in India. On my return, I showed my friend Bob Behr, another photographer in Williamstown, my pictures and he encouraged me to consider exhibiting my work."
Driscoll takes about 500 photographs on each trip and has photo albums of each at home. The daunting task in setting up the exhibit was going through and choosing the best photographs, because she knew that she could not display them all.
In the children's section of the library is one of the exhibit's most popular pieces: a digital photo frame displaying pictures of Suda the elephant who lives in the Maetang Elephant Camp in Thailand. Upon her visit to the camp, Driscoll discovered that Suda is an artist. The slideshow features the elephant's work (she's been known to do self-portraits) and her day of activity at the camp.
"My grandson loved the elephant pictures when I showed him," said Driscoll. "If he liked them I thought that other children might get enjoyment out of them, too."
She was correct. Young Lola Bohle from Berlin surely agreed. She attended the exhibit with her grandmother Mary O'Connor, a resident of Williamstown.
"Lola and I are so impressed with the elephant pictures, they are amazing," said O'Connor. "My granddaughter and daughter are visiting for a month this summer and I bring Lola to the library many times a week. She just loves looking at Suda paint her picture."
 Visitors cluster around a digital frame show ing pictures of Suda, the painting elephant; below, samples of Driscoll's work. |
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The Maetang Elephant Camp is dedicated to the care and preservation of the Asian elephant. Most of its profits are used to improve the lives of the elephants, their mahouts (the person who cares for the elephant for the duration of the elephant's life) and the condition of the camp.
Many people on hand were amazed that the beautiful pictures were taken with an ordinary digital camera. But, said Reg Jones, "The key to a good photograph is not the quality of the camera but the eye of the photographer.
"I am utterly amazed that these pictures were not taken using a tripod," Jones said. "Jeanne's steadiness and eye for detail is amazing. She has an extremely good eye."
Jones, head of patron services at the Bennington Center for the Arts and associated with Bennington's Oldcastle Theatre, where Driscoll and her husband, Rick, are on the board of directors, is an avid fan and collector of Driscoll's work.
"Jeanne has a way of capturing the moment," he said. "The expressions on people's faces in her photographs prove that Jeanne has a sweet, relaxing, friendly personality which makes her subjects feel comfortable. It is evident that she has established a report with them."
"I have never shared my photos with a group," said Driscoll. "Being my first attempt at anything like this, I am very pleased with the turnout."
Enlargements of Driscoll's photography were made by Mark Swirsky of the Photo Shop in Pittsfield. Copies of the photos can be made to order and prices range from $75 to $190. To purchase a photograph or to talk to Driscoll about her experiences abroad, contact her at 413-458-8681 or at ephans@verizon.net.
