Depending on who you ask, Franklin County is either a rural oasis of festivals, fairs and hidden gems or just a cluster of sleepy towns. Highlighted by his latest photo exhibit, local photographer Joe R. Parzych finds the beauty in both.

Parzych, a photojournalist whose work has been featured in publications such as the Greenfield Recorder, Montague Reporter and Country Folks national trade farming magazine, will have his work on display inside the Great Falls Discovery Center’s Great Hall until Jan. 29. In addition to capturing the vibrancy of festivities and other goings-on in the region over the past 24 years, Parzych’s portfolio “provides an autistic perspective to everyday objects that people overlook,” the photographer described in a press release.

“When I go for the shoot,” Parzych said, “I go look for the out-of-the-ordinary and look for things that people don’t see every day.”

Parzych’s exhibit, titled “Photo Beat, Past and Present — Moving Forward in Time, Capturing of the Moment,” is just one of three or four shows he’s had over the course of his career, the photographer recalled. The program is the Great Falls Discovery Center’s precursor to the Smithsonian’s “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” exhibit that will be held from Feb. 5 to March 18. Parzych, a Gill native and current Greenfield resident, is perfectly suited to fulfill this role as somebody particularly “fueled by his passion for local history and community,” the Center expressed in a press release.

“It’s this concern about the environment (that motivates me),” Parzych said of working in rural Franklin County. “I’ve been a big supporter of agriculture and farming.”

Parzych also attributed his drive to his upbringing. He recalled beginning his journey at seven years old as an apprentice under his grandfather, photojournalist and Gill resident Joseph A. Parzych. Other family members, such as his aunt, who had Down syndrome and was an original member of The United Arc, further inspired Parzych as he navigated his field as somebody with autism.

“It shows a different world,” Parzych, a United Arc member himself, said of his perspective. “I’m a firm believer that Albert Einstein had a form of autism and there’s been a lot of people in this world (who have excelled with it).”

Photos on display at the Great Falls Discovery Center include shots ranging from Franklin County Fair scenes to high-resolution close-ups of flowers and artistic angles of local bridges. Aside from simply providing something to look at, Parzych hopes to leave visitors with a deeper appreciation for where they live and what they take for granted.

“I hope they walk in to be inspired with creativity, and that someday, future generations learn in a cultural way,” he said.

The Great Falls Discovery Center is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parzych will have a reception for his work from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 28 in the Great Hall. Light refreshments will be provided.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

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