Dorothy Amore Pilla - Carnival

Showing at the gallery January & February, 2018

Artist Statement


The carnival scene, a true assault on the senses, serves as a metaphor for the distractions, tribulations, and dangers of coping in a modern society. The images, devoid of loud music coming from the rides and calls of the game hawkers, draw attention to the array of bright lights, garish colors, dizzying movement, and the fun and fear factor endemic in the carnival landscape.

Where is the participant in all of this chaos? Might one be lost and isolated in the confusion of the moment? Does one escape the chaos by becoming merely an observer, or rather loose oneself and partake in the beckoning and sensational thrills offered?

My work represents not what actually exists, but rather impressions of what I saw and captured through the lens of my camera. The resulting image is a composite of many thoughts relating to the original idea.

Photography is the medium that brings to life my imaginings fueled by encounters with commonplace things. In their complexity, my Photoshop manipulated images go beyond representation of what was and come alive with what might be. I deconstruct and transform reality from mundane representation to complex images that embody the essence of the subject.  I find relevant the words of Paul Klee: "Art does not imitate the visual, it makes visual".

My early concentration in printmaking, along with my experience in drawing, painting, and traditional photography, has had a significant impact on my work. My roots as a printmaker are reflected in the layering and multiple-imagery in my current work and, as in printmaking, each image evolves through a series of stages. As I build my images, the process of working digitally is, for me, much like the manipulation of color and form in layers using virtual tools and pigment.

Artist Bio

I am a native of New England and have chosen to always live near the coast. My academic preparation includes a Four-year Diploma and a Fifth-year Graduate Certificate from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, a Bachelor of Science in Art Education, a Master of Arts, and a Museum Education Certificate from Tufts University in Medford. Following a career in higher art education at Tufts University, I am now a full time visual artist with work in private and corporate collections. I now reside with my husband in the coastal town of Duxbury, MA where we own and operate Night and Day Studio.

Artist Resume

Dorothy Amore Pilla
781.834.9525 (studio)
617.827.2124 (cell)
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web Site: dorothyamorepilla.com