DKG Art Gallery Artist Spotlight: ACT Quickly

Judy Rongey, Upsilon, LA

Our spotlight artist, Judy Rongey, hails from the great magnolia state of Louisiana.  When we say that Judy wears many hats at every level in DKG, that would be an understatement.  With a bright smile and infectious enthusiasm for service leadership, Judy has served as President of the Louisiana State Organization and presently shares her gift of organization as state Treasurer.  If that weren’t enough, Judy is presently co-chairing the DKG International Convention in New Orleans this summer.  Along with her leadership capabilities, Judy has a profound talent in photography.  She has shared her work on the DKG Art Gallery many times previously and brings with her an interesting perspective on the visual arts and its relationship to nurturing development. Take a moment to enjoy her wonderful reflection and be sure to catch that easy acronym to ensure that perfect shot.

Tell us about yourself as an educator and an artist.

Being an elementary teacher for 32 years, I utilized photography as a teaching tool to connect my students to the curriculum and to the world. My photographs were used to create stimulating PowerPoints, books, electronic books, ThingLinks, movies, and flipcharts which positively impacted my teaching and my students’ learning. In 2014, I was awarded Early Childhood Educator Teacher of the Year from the LA Association of Computer Using Educators for my use of computers in my early childhood classroom.  I attribute my award to my blending of photographs into technology and into the curriculum.  I really never thought of myself as an artist until I read this quote by Australian photographer Destin Spark. He said, “Photography is the art of making memories tangible.”

What are your inspirations as you are choosing your scenes and how do you go about doing this?   

I have used photographs to capture memories of my vacations, family, flowers, animals and especially my dog. One of my favorite photos was taken in my backyard of my puppy, Shelby Lou, entitled “Puppy Portrait.” I took multiple pictures of her, but this photo was so unique due to the angle and the lighting which illuminated her coat.

What kind of photographic device (camera or phone) did you use in your gallery submissions?  Do you have any tips for our readers?

Throughout my life, I have used many different cameras to make my memories tangible. I began at an early age capturing my memories with a Kodak Brownie.  As a scuba diver, I captured several award-winning sea life photographs using my Nikon Nikonos V 35 mm camera.  My device of choice currently is my Apple iPhone 11 Pro because it is readily available to capture my memories.

What is the best piece of advice given to you as an artist/photographer or that you can give to someone else? 

My photography advice to give others is to recommend “ACT” quickly. The first recommendation is to “A” adjust your angle when taking pictures. Take pictures from all angles including taking a step forward and a step back. The next recommendation is “C” dealing with composition.  I recommend the use of grid lines to help with centering your subject.  Find the grid lines on your iPhone under “Settings” choose “Camera” and slide on the “Grid.” The “T” recommendation is to take lots of pictures. With multiple shots, you get more chances to get the perfect shot. My perfect photo was an award-winning shot of a barracuda.  It was the last picture of several multiple shots. 

In your view, what is the value of the creative arts in education?

As an early childhood educator, I realized early on the power of creative arts. When young learners are provided open-ended interactive art experiences, they grow across all developmental domains. Art allows young learners an avenue to express themselves and to practice a variety of skills. Creative arts should be a very important component of early childhood education.

Do you have anything else you’d like to share about yourself or your DKG journey?

One more thing…

We congratulate Judy Rongey on her retirement last school year.  She is settling into retirement life, but something tells us that she may be as busy now as she was when she was in the classroom.  Judy enjoys traveling and exploring new adventures with her husband and is looking forward to welcoming each of you in New Orleans this summer for the DKG International Convention.

Let’s keep the conversation going. If you have ideas or comments for the Arts and Humanities Jury, please let us know.

For more information about the International Convention Member Art Gallery, Contact Information: Roxanne Lagarde – lagarderoxanne@gmail.com.  Apply to bring art to New Orleans with the application under the events tab and selecting convention related applications on the webpage.