From vintage doorknobs, typewriter keys, and spools of thread — to Fenway Park, the Prudential building and the old and new Newton North High Schools — photographer Sharon Schindler has captured striking images of both everyday objects and well-known area landmarks.
The Newton Free Library is exhibiting 21 of her artworks in the current show, “Back in Time,” now through the end of October.
“I feel honored,” said Schindler, who has lived in the city for about 35 years. Her studio is located in Boston’s SoWa Art + Design District, where she exhibits and sells her work.
Schindler prints her photos on birchwood, giving each piece a unique grain background with a “vintage vibe,” she said.
Many of the eye-catching images in the library exhibit were taken during visits to the triennial Brimfield Antique Show, a massive, multi-field flea market featuring thousands of vendors. There, she found the ordinary and extraordinary, all on display and for sale at the outdoor event.
One time, she recalled walking past booths when she saw a rack of old billiard balls. She said the light was perfect, so she captured the image.
“I’m very drawn to things that are unusual … shadows, patterns, light,” she said.
Newton in spotlight
Schindler found that her photos of retro, everyday objects — as well as pictures of beloved landmarks — really resonated with her audience.
In addition to photographing famed buildings throughout Boston, she created a one-of-a-kind record of the demolition of the old Newton North High School, as well as the construction of its replacement, the new Newton North.
In 2009, she was asked to document the 125 murals inside the old school before it was torn down and the artwork was lost forever.
Schindler didn’t stop after taking photos of the murals. Instead, she wanted to capture the entire school before it was turned to dust.
On that journey, she recalled walking across the catwalk high above the theater in the old school, to take pictures from different vantage points. She also created images of “relics” discovered in the building, including old band and sports uniforms, yearbooks, newspapers, trophies, furniture, and more.
Inspired to continue visually documenting the dual project due to her passion for architecture, Schindler also captured the rise of the massive new school. With so many photos, she self-published “Newton North High School, 1973-2010,” which she gifted to the library, Historic Newton, and the school itself, “to give back to the city,” she said.
Schindler is continuing to document architectural changes in Newton as she takes photos of teardowns in the city as well as the construction of the new senior center, the Cooper Center for Active Living, on Walnut Street.
Sharon Schindler’s exhibit at the Newton Free Library runs through October. For more information on Sharon Schindler and her photography, visit www.sharonschindlerphotography.com.
