Join us for reception featuring the photography of the late Thomas Ulrich.

Thomas Ulrich (1936-2024) followed a number of paths in his professional life. For many years he worked in design and documentation for the local office of a larges software company. Before that, he studied and taught archaeology in the Anthropology Department at the University of Massachusetts. Along the way, he also served in the Army, worked in banking and construction, and drove a taxi. Music was another constant presence in his life. He played the double bass for many years in a variety of settings, including jazz, classical, rock, and folk music.

“Photography has been part of my life, on and off, for more than fifty years. I was about twelve years old when I first became fascinated by the camera—a magical little box capable of preserving what I saw. My father explained the mechanics, physics, and chemistry behind film photography, but despite understanding the process, it still felt like magic. In many ways, it still does. The mechanics and physics of digital photography are every bit as fascinating as those of film, perhaps even more so.”

“Throughout all these years, a common thread has run through my work. I am drawn to ordinary things that reveal themselves as extraordinary when viewed with attention. I look for commonplace subjects that possess their own quiet uniqueness, beauty, and significance—things that require patience, curiosity, and a particular way of seeing. What interests me most is the moment of discovery, the instant when something familiar suddenly becomes new.”

“That “aha” moment—the moment when we see something we had not seen before—is why I make photographs.”

Available for viewing during open library hours this October. The gallery occupies the same space as our community room; if there is an ongoing program, we ask that patrons refrain from interrupting the event.