Photography Exhibit Impresses in Island Park

The ocean, sparkling as the sun glints off its glassy surface, catching the reflection of boats scattered about, comes into view as one drives down Park Avenue off East Main Road into Island Park. 

Sun-worshippers and shell-collectors alike bask along the beach while Flo's Clam Shack entices them with the savory aroma of their fare. Buoys, rustic row boats, and window boxes bursting with brightly colored flowers adorn the quaint beach cottages along Park Avenue and those along the tiny streets that make up the neighborhood of Island Park. 

These scenes, along with the people who live there, personify Island Park and are the reasons local resident and photographer, Eric Broudy, chose to spend an entire year capturing them with his lens. He displayed 40 of these images in an exhibition for the community titled "Impressions of Island Park 2009 – 2010," which ran this past weekend.

The location of the exhibit, cleverly displayed on a wire strung between to lamp posts along the Park Avenue sea wall, hung like an homage to Island Park as the images prominently displayed multiple perspectives of the community in the open-air, some mirroring the exact setting. 

The unique location of the exhibition was certainly a novel one that generated quite a buzz, as one could hear murmurs from visitors to the exhibit commenting on the innovative way to display the photos. Another stated that something like this should be held every weekend in the summer. 

Broudy himself cracked with a smile, "I'm not sure if it was the best idea. We've already lost a few to the wind." 

But he did not let the blustery afternoon deter him, and enlisted the help of his wife, Daisy Broudy, to control the fluttering photos.

The photographs, intended to "to show the area to its residents in a new light – to let them see where they live through the eye of an appreciating outsider," are a compilation of people and mixed scenes ranging from idyllic still life pieces to portraits of residents at work and play. 

In one photo, a young boy in bright red crocs is captured ambling by his home on a presumably hot day, his tiny bike resting neglected in the background against a row of bright yellow buoys.  

In another photo, Broudy beautifully captures the interaction and influence of individuals with their natural surroundings. This particular photo shows a residents' yard overlooking the water, clothes hanging from a clothes-line beside a wooden porch clearly taking advantage of the warm summer breeze gusting off the water; an intricately stacked pile of buoys appear in the foreground further demonstrating close ties to the ocean. 

Also exemplifying this interaction is an image of residents enjoying their watery surroundings as they dive off the Escape Bridge. Broudy captures the shot at the perfect moment, as one subject hits the water creating a splash as the other simultaneously soars into the air. 

Some of the portraits depicting Island Park business owners include Rocky Sardinha of Rocky's Auto Repair, Sharon Graziano of Graziano's Café and Pete Raposa of PJR construction.

Broudy, president of the Portsmouth Arts Guild, incorporated several images of the natural scenery in Island Park, including a breathtaking photograph of a sunset saturated with vibrant shades of pinks and purples.

Broudy made prints available for purchase during the exhibition, and also created a book of the entire show, which visitors to the exhibit could order.

When asked how the turn out had been so far, Broudy's wife commented "It has been good, but the weekend will be great. This is a working community so I think more people will be able to come out and enjoy the exhibit during the weekend."

If you were unable attend, you might be able to attend a similar exhibition in the future, as many residents seemed inspired by Broudy's inventive display, perhaps inspiring enough to motivate other local artists and photographers to show their work to the community.