Patricia Lay-Dorsey

Update from 2015:

My life and work as a photographer continues to give me incredible delight and satisfaction. I have also been fortunate to have quite a bit of international recognition coming my way, recognition that has led to exhibits, a published photography book, online features, presentations, etc. You can see and read all about it on my website, www.patricialaydorsey.com, or simply Google Patricia Lay-Dorsey. My favorite platform for sharing my photos is currently Instagram, and my username is @patricialaydorsey. I’m afraid I will have to miss our 55th reunion but send my love and will be with you in spirit

Sending love and gratitude to Luke and Bev

Life as improv: that has been my experience over these 50 years. One note leading to another, traveling in unexpected yet natural directions. A masters in social work led to work with children in an inner city Detroit hospital. Drawing with the children led back to school, this time in art. A career in art led me to facilitating art therapy with people from around the world at a global refugee shelter. Work with the refugees opened my eyes to the price of war, an awakening that sent me out on the streets as a committed peace activist. Demonstrating on behalf of an unjustly detained co-founder of one of the Arab world’s largest relief organizations led me to visit him and his family in Beirut, Lebanon in 2005. Living with the effects of MS for 20 years inspired me to create a photo project of self portraits that ended up being featured on the NY Times Lens blog in November 2009. I discovered digital photography through keeping a daily blog for six years, and since 2006 have been a woman obsessed with this new way of expressing myself creatively.

When Smith College School for Social Work sent me to Detroit for my second year field placement in 1965, I met and later married a wonderful man named Ed. For the past 44 years I have been fortunate to live in a city I love with a man I adore. And the song continues. I invite you to email me at playdorsey@comcast.net and come visit my website http://www.patricialaydorsey.com