Autumn Through Penny Parrish’s Lens at UMW
Scarlet leaves, a cloudless blue sky, and sunlight spilling across a leaf-covered lawn: autumn provided a colorful subject for Brush Strokes Gallery photographer Penny A. Parrish today at the University of Mary Washington.
In her photograph, red branches reach across the frame above a carpet of fallen leaves. Green grass peeks through below, while brick walls and campus buildings anchor the scene. Long shadows add depth—and in the lower left corner, Parrish’s own shadow appears, camera raised to capture the moment.
The image reflects the interests described in her artist profile: seasonal colors, simple scenes, and the lines and angles of buildings. Although active in Fredericksburg’s arts community, Parrish also enjoys the solitude of working alone with her camera.
Her creative path followed careers in television journalism and law enforcement. After retiring from the FBI Academy in 2012, she found an artistic home at Brush Strokes Gallery. Having moved to Fredericksburg from Minnesota, she is also drawn to Virginia’s history and its possibilities for photography. Her work has earned national and regional recognition.
Here, the photograph’s appeal lies in the relationship between its details. The leaves overhead echo those scattered on the ground. Sunlit reds stand out against shaded grass. Branches cross the orderly lines of the brickwork, bringing the season into the campus setting.
Parrish’s care extends to the presentation of her photographs, too. She repurposes older frames, giving them a second life around her artwork—a practice that reflects her environmental awareness.
Her autumn view of UMW offers a reason to pause on a familiar walk. With a camera and an attentive eye, an everyday campus scene becomes a moment worth sharing.
Explore more of her photography on Penny A. Parrish’s artist page at Brush Strokes Gallery.