Paulette Mortimer

Paulette A. N. Mortimer was born in Nassau, Bahamas on November 4, 1975 to the late Christopher and Mary Mortimer. Graduated from St. Augustine’s College in 1993 and then, from the College of the Bahamas in 1996 with an Associate of Arts Degree in Languages and Communication Option B: French. She later obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in French from Barry University in 1998 followed by a Masters of Business Administration Degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2002. The highest achievement that she has obtained in her educational career was a Master Certificate of Specialization in International Business from Nova Southeastern University in 2004.
The love for fine art photography developed during her college years in Miami where she was exposed to handcolouring, handtoning, pinhole, colour, and panoramic photography as well as experimenting with different printing processes and developing different types of film and paper. She made sure that she took classes that offered something new. When she made the decision to return to make a living from doing art eight years ago her inspiration came from a variety of sources. She would often tell you that one of her inspiration have been to focus on channeling her late father’s inner spirit and his love for music, love of nature, travel, and architecture and now she has included her two older brothers.
A dear friend and photography major in college liked to take photos of people in infrared. She always thought the look was so interesting and was told to try it. She immediately tried black and white since she was able to develop the film herself. She was introduced to it in 1998 and has continued to use it to the present day. She would often return to scenes to shoot in black and white infrared because there was such an element of surprise. She loved working with this medium because it challenges her to try endless possibilities and at the end of the day it makes her feel good. Infrared films initially gave her the ability to make pictures with a special look and she was delighted to hear that each image sparks an emotion to a viewer. The surreal colour of dark skies with snow-white foliage and increased contrast appeals to her artistic roots. She tries to create a new appreciation of a scene with every image and she is often looking for unthinkable scenes to photograph and recreate that remarkable look in infrared.
Paulette`s favourite film was the Kodak HIE now discontinued but, she continued to take photos in black and white infrared by discovering the world of digital infrared photography. She has invested in three cameras to date without completely converting them to take solely infrared. She can still do other areas in photography. Even though it can be achieved through photographic programs, she preferred to add a red filter in front of her lens. It reminds her of the days when she was shooting infrared film. Paulette`s current works have included another medium called encaustic wax art which is an ancient painting medium that mixes molten wax with dry pigments and resin. There are times when she would include both of these mediums together as a form of meditation.
In the past nineteen years, she has transferred some of her images onto other mediums making them more functional. Other materials include ceramic and glass tile, wood, fabric and metallic paper. While participating in” Arts for the Parks” Marsh Harbour, Abaco eight years ago, she has been told that she is an eclectic artist because she would create necklaces with polymer clay and ice resin, painting with encaustics wax paints along with the Photography for sale at trade shows. She constantly tried to find mediums that would challenge he and it brings her great joy knowing that people love her photographs and paintings enough to hang on their walls or through producing everyday items one could use in their homes for example tile trivets, tote bags, tee shirts, pillow cases to name a few. She has done a total of four solo exhibitions from 2004 to 2008, eight group exhibitions from 1998 to the present day and twenty-one trade shows. Recent achievements consist of being featured in a new volume of “Inspiration: International Art Book” Vol. 4 which features top contemporary masters from all over the world. More than 3,500 artists apply each year, but only 100 were actually featured and she was among them. In addition, she has reopened her art store Third Eye Artworks & Collectibles in the International Bazaar Arcade, in the heart of Downtown Nassau, The Bahamas. There you can find her works.