Photographer, Former Nobles Teacher Unveils Life's Work at Foster Gallery

A raging sea of supporters came out Friday to see Joe Swayze, a former teacher and professional photographer, at a gallery showcasing his inspiring work.

If the exhibit revealed one thing, it's that Swayze was the man of the hour. Well, two hours as a gallery full of alumni, former students, friends and disciples waited their turn to welcome his presence into their champagne-sipping circles. They wanted to experience his nose-tickling bubbliness and glance into the venerable eyeballs he used to capture so many moments and put before them in bold, black frames.

"He's incredible. His photos are in black and white, so you don't see the color – you only see the shapes and sizes," said Tiffany Tran, a Nobles communications staff member, while taking a few pictures.

The gallery displays three distinct themes or "threads":

• Water and its constant presence in his life
• Travel
• Swayze's life as a teacher at Nobles, a photo appearing for each year of his tenure.

Swayze retired from the school as faculty member, alongside his wife Joanna, in the spring of 2006 after a staggering 36-year run. All the while he had a tremendous influence on students and colleagues, as not just a textbook preacher, but also a practicing artist.

He's spent a lot of time traveling, a huge part of his craft, whether showing off his work stateside at museums and universities or documenting beautiful imagery abroad in such locations as Vietnam, Ireland and Russia. He often treats his camera as a mere passenger, someone to talk to while along for the same ride. When they return together, they show everything the spectator missed out on. 

Though not a teacher per se, Swayze isn't fully retired. He is presently an artist-in-residence at the school. His photos tell the story his itchy feet and child-like sense of curiosity seek out. Given the perpetually hard-beaten condition of his shoes, they were imaginably hard to fill.

John Hirsh, as Swayze's replacement, gives it his best while sharing some common ground. 

"[Swayze and I] have a little history. We worked in the Maine Media workshops together," Hirsh said.

Hirsh, aside from Swayze's old job, also teaches a digital photojournalism class that uses photography as well as audio and other forms of multimedia to accompany written pieces, much in step with the modern state of the industry. 

This journalistic side of photography appealed to one student in particular for whom Swayze taught for a few weeks as a substitute. David DiNicola, a senior and graphics editor for the school's newspaper, got a lot out of the lecture no less.

"It was one of the best classes I've ever taken. I've been interested in journalism, going around the school taking pictures. [Swayze] had a big influence in that way," DiNicola said.

Ned Brewer, a friend of Swayze's made the time to come by, even if he isn't an art buff.

"This is an occasional [thing]," he said while finding a favorite in a photo of a melting sand castle. "I'm an old friend of Joe's, going back to sixties."

Brewer recognized one of the old cameras Swayze used to use within a display case. It was the technology of a past generation. Seeing Swayze once again, he said with a smile, "He doesn't look very different."  

Swayze, finding his way out of the spotlight for a moment said, "I wanted to give the show organization, or myself some organization. Since the show is at [Nobles], there's one print for every year I taught."

Why the heavy inclusion of water?   

"The simple truth is we're all happier when we're near water. And I am lucky enough to have a family association: a small lake in Maine where the family's gone for years. The summer house anchored the show.

"I think there is more than a sweetness to it. There's a nostalgia, a timelessness. It's a fantasy as [Vietnam] photographs [show] rowing on the water, [the traditional conical] hats, mountains; they also have terrible problems [going on]. I chose to celebrate the good. I want my photography to lift people up more."

Swayze's exhibit, entitled "Never Far from the Water: 36 Years, 36 Photographs" will continue until Nov. 19th. Swayze said he may wash in and out of the gallery on occasion, so visitors still may get to meet him.