Ellen Augarten
This is Me: Portraits of Pathlight is a photography project that focuses the camera lens on people served by Pathlight throughout Western Massachusetts. Renowned local photographers have partnered with Pathlight to shoot portraits that convey the strength, beauty, complexity, and personality of people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism.
Meet photographer Ellen:
“I have been picking up my camera for thirty plus years in a professional capacity, focusing most of my attention on children and families, as I continue to do. In addition, my personal work explores the fun-filled and addictive techniques of multiple exposure and intentional camera movement. It was gratifying to have been an Artist in Residence at Mesa Verde National Park last year with the express purpose of using these techniques to document the extensive burned trees within the park. Many examples of this current work are on my website.”
About the Portraits of Pathlight project: “I became aware of the project as a Northampton Arts Council board member when we were reviewing our Spring submissions. Pathlight had requested funds to cover some of the printing costs for this gallery exhibit. I approached them, asking if they needed another photographer. Back in the early 1970s, my husband and I were live-in house managers at a community residence in Northampton. The twelve men living in the house were transitioning into the community from Belchertown State School and Northampton State Hospital. Living and working with them was a formative, challenging, and often wonderful experience for me. Though our group home was run by another organization, I know that Pathlight pioneered community residences in the state in 1971, and was originally founded in 1952 by five mothers of young children with developmental disabilities. I wanted to be one of the photographers involved with Portraits of Pathlight and was thrilled to be invited to participate.”
Visit Ellen’s website to view more of her stunning work: ellenaugartenphotography.com
Be sure to join us at the This is Me: Portraits of Pathlight opening reception at the Northampton Center for the Arts during Arts Night Out on September 13, 2019 from 5pm-8pm, for each portrait’s big debut!
