Arts
MANIPULATING MEMORIES
JAMES RUDDY
Winter 2010 |
My interest in photography began during my teenage years. I began taking landscape photos for fun. As an adult, after many years of performing wedding and portrait photography, I realized I no longer enjoyed what I was doing. Now I use the medium of photography for artistic, creative expression.
While fine art photography is a business, I feel much better knowing I am creating the photographs that I want to, for myself.
It is also very satisfying to me when people express interest and enjoyment in what I have created.
My creative process emanates from historical and current events, old and modern technologies, natural occurrences, man-made events or just about anything that happens to catch my eye. Themes that appear in my work include: abstract form, dreaming, minimalism, place and time, and water. Urban and rural landscapes are preferred subject matter.
I have an interest in architecture and history and much of my work depicts Sudbury’s historical landmarks and buildings.
My pursuit of photography as an art form combines both analogue film and digital technology. While I embrace digital photography, my favourite area of photographic creativity involves the use of Polaroid film to produce “emulsion lifts” and “film manipulations.” The photographs produced with these film processes often appear as abstract, surreal or painterly.
The Polaroid film techniques allow me to create images that defy the conventional appearance of a photograph without resorting to digital manipulation.
James Ruddy has participated in art events such as the La Cloche Art Show, Greater Sudbury Art Tour, and Art in Bloom. His work is on display at Artists on Elgin, Art Gallery of Sudbury, and his own gallery located in the historic Flour Mill area of the city. To view more of his photography, visit www.jamieruddy.com.
This article appeared in the Fall 2009 issue.
