Vision-impaired first grader shows work with Westmoreland Photographers

Westmoreland Photographers Society members chose “Eye of the Beholder” as the title of a show opening with a reception at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Greensburg Art Center.

One of those “beholders” is a 6-year-old photographer who will exhibit three images taken in the Ohiopyle area.

What makes this artist so special is not just her age, but also the circumstances she has overcome to be able to practice her craft.

Grace Sanner, a first grader at Norvelt Elementary School, was a victim of shaken baby syndrome at just 3 months old. She was left with a brain hemorrhage, skull fracture, broken ribs and other injuries.

She has vision impairments, including no depth perception, and limited use of her left arm and hand.

“I just cried when I printed her photos,” said Martie Sanner of Mt. Pleasant Township, the society’s director of galleries and shows.

Sanner and her husband, Bob, adopted Grace when she was 6 months old.

“I am just amazed at her work. Seeing her work shows other people what they can overcome,” she said.

Grace first started taking photos on her Kindle.

“For Christmas, I got her a kid’s camera. The quality was terrible, but I just wanted her to learn to hold it,” Sanner said.

As her interest progressed, Sanner gave Grace her old Canon T5 Rebel camera and took her on an outing with other members of the group.

“I turned on the auto-focus because of her eyesight and showed her how to point the camera and frame her picture,” she said.

The photos that Grace will exhibit include a flower bed, a cow sculpture and a Good Humor truck.

“Eye of the Beholder” includes 51 color and black-and-white images by 17 of the society’s 45 members. They’re a mix of old and new pieces including landscapes and still-life images.

The landscapes feature local scenes, along with far-flung vistas including a Scottish castle and California’s Death Valley and Yosemite National Park.

All works will be for sale, with prices ranging from about $35 to $450.

“No one wants to keep their photos,” Sanner said.

While Westmoreland Photographers Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary, “Eye of the Beholder” is not technically an anniversary exhibition.

“I don’t think we even thought of that when we were planning the show, but it’s a great accomplishment to stay alive for so long,” Sanner said. “A lot of groups come and go. It just shows that our members love to do what they do.”

Membership is open to both amateurs and professionals. The group holds regular meetings, outings and exhibitions and offers classes in various aspects of photography.

Information is available at wps.photography.

Hours for the free opening reception are 6 to 8 p.m. in the center at 230 Todd School Road, Hempfield.

The show will run through Oct. 15 and can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, call 724-837-6791 or visit greensburgartcenter.org.