Through Photographs: Art that Touches the Soul

Danyele Lockard, Northampton Community College (NCC) student, wanted to study psychology. In high school, teachers piqued her interest in the subject, and she found the human mind and persona interesting. She also really loved her art classes in school. She decided to pursue art therapy, which could blend the two interests. 

Lockard came to NCC in 2019 to major in fine arts. It was then that she developed a love for film photography and said, “Candid shots of people are my favorite. I try to capture how people are acting, how they may be thinking, or how they react to the camera when they see it.” This desire to capture the essence of a person continued to melt her passion for psychology into her artwork.  

Working with film instead of digital photography forces Lockard to analyze and think about how she wants to capture her shot. “I have a limited number of exposures, and it makes me think, ‘What do I want in my composition? What is my goal with this shot or project?’ not to mention getting the lighting, aperture, etc. just the right way for the shot because I can’t go back and review it on a digital screen.” 

Lockard uses a dark room to develop her “wet prints,” and she believes the quality is richer than digital prints. She can manipulate her photos as well, choosing to make certain areas on the photograph darker or lighter with the use of lights and developers in the dark room. She also learned a fun process called “film soup” where she boils the film in water and lemon to achieve a chemical reaction giving it what she describes as an “oil spill” appearance across the photograph. 

“You’re more hands-on in the process,” Lockard says, “but if I mess it up, I can’t just command+z and undo a crop or a change I've made like with digital.”  

Now, Lockard, is exhibiting some of her work at the 14th Annual Hope & Healing Juried Art Show running until March 31 at the Allentown Art Museum. She found out about the show through one of her art professors at NCC, Rachel Gorchov. She applied, her artwork was accepted, and it is the third exhibit where she’s displayed her pieces.  

High school and college students show their work with the theme of healing and peace. The art is made available for free to any healthcare provider to display in their offices or establishments to comfort patients. You can see her pieces at not only the art museum, but also at the Hope and Healing Art Center in Bethlehem, where anyone can purchase the artwork on display. 

Because of her interest in art therapy, this exhibit was dear to Lockard’s heart. “Once I realized this could help people in healthcare settings, I knew I wanted to apply. A piece can make you feel calmer or less aggravated when you’re at the doctor, and I’ve seen that firsthand. My grandparents are disabled, and I take them to the doctor. When there’s colorful or calming artwork, it makes them feel more relaxed.” 

Lockard’s grandfather is not only an inspiration for her photography, he also encourages her. Her grandfather had a film camera of his own, his father had a Kodak Brownie, and his mom had a Pentax camera. He kept the cameras and lets Lockard use them for her projects. “My grandma was his muse when he was taking photos, and he still has photos that he took of her when she was younger.” Lockard uses both her grandparents in many of the photos she takes today. She’s gotten creative and used her grandfather's EKG from when he got his hip replaced for inspiration behind some of her work, and other pieces simply show the beauty in her grandparents’ souls.  

As for her future, once she graduates, she intends to apply to Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Lakewood, CO for extra training if it's financially possible for her. 

“Don’t stop working with art if it’s your passion,” she advises her peers, “I have moments where I just cry. Sometimes, it feels like I can’t do it. Just keep pushing because what’s the worst that could happen? There’s really no rules to break. Just try something different if one avenue in artwork doesn’t work for you. Try a different medium until there’s a good fit.” 

You can see more of Lockard’s artwork at danyfilm.com.