Heather Grimmer's first solo photography exhibit, "Filtered Reality," will be held at Market Street Art Studios beginning Saturday. (PHOTOS BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER / ENP PHOTOGRAPHER)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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East Niagara Post photographer and co-publisher Heather Grimmer will hold her first solo photography exhibit beginning Saturday at Market Street Art Studios, where she has been a resident artist for four years.

Grimmer, widely known for her vibrant photos of local landmarks, has delved deeper into herself to share with viewers the truth behind the beauty. A survivor of domestic violence, she offers the exhibit as a celebration of her survival and a rare public exploration of how she filtered the experiences in her life — what she allowed to show through to the public.

"Through exploring the process of my own recovery, I realized that it was in part my love of art and photography that helped me progress past the trauma of the memories that lingered after," she said. "My goal I'd like to pursue is to develop an art therapy program for others having faced traumatic experiences of their own."

The exhibit uses built structures in varying states as a metaphor for public facades people present.

The Market Street Art Studios show, which runs through Sept. 12, features works from the past 15 years of Grimmer's photography career. It will also feature a 156-page full-color magazine that offers an even more in-depth look at "Filtered Reality," the title of the exhibition. Copies of the magazine will be available for public purchase.

Prior to launching East Niagara Post, Grimmer worked as a freelance photographer for Greater Niagara Newspapers. Additionally, the award-winning photographer shoots professional in-studio and on-location photos for private clients.

Formally trained in architecture at Syracuse Universtity, she continues to explore research in architecture and graphic design's effects on human behavior through her work as a graphic designer and successful website developer with HG Design Studios.

A 156-page magazine featuring scores of Grimmer's photos will be available for purchase at the exhibit.

All those elements come through in the exhibition. "This has been an exciting project because as I developed the progression of thought behind the dynamics of personal conflict and public facade, I found myself unconsciously developing a metaphor to the built environment and gravitating towards my passion for architecture and incorporating my formal education of such from Syracuse University School of Architecture," she said.

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