Pam Mills explores 'Wanderlust' at BAYarts

An image taken by Mills on one of her many trips. 

View Image Gallery

Pam Mills is displaying her exhibition, "Wanderlust: Faces from Places," this month at BAYarts in the Dianne Boldman Education Gallery. In it, she shows candidly captured moments from all over the world, inviting viewers to join in her spirited wandering.

Mills has always been fond of travel and started her adventures early in life. "Living in the U.K., European travel was pretty accessible. My first trip, I was 16 ... I was invited by my Auntie Olwen who had bought a villa on the island of Menorca. That was the start of my wanderlust! She is 94 this spring and has traveled the world until six years ago. I hope I can continue in her footsteps!"

Twenty-three years ago Mills moved to the United States. "That gave me the opportunity to see this wonderful country – east, west, north and south! I particularly love California and Maine." Of course, the travel doesn't stop there. "Last year I visited Prague, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam," she says. "Most years I try to get home to see family. The U.K. is near and dear to me."

There are certain aspects to the world that particularly catch her eye. "I love to capture the architecture and landscape wherever I am, but I really love street photography. It’s always surprising ... you just have to keep the camera at the ready!"

Observing people greatly appeals to her. "The more I travel I feel that we are all so connected. A memorable trip a number of years ago took me to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf," Mills continues, "that’s when it struck me how similar we all are around the world. We want to live happy, content and purposeful lives."

Long drawn to photography, Mills says technology has helped make it more accessible to use. "I was always intimidated by film cameras but with the digital age, the technical side of photography can become secondary to the artistic component. Comparing it to driving a stick shift, she says she hopes to get comfortable enough to move from automatic to manual. "It's a journey!"

And it's a journey that started because of a generous friend. "A few years back my friend Susan (friends call us Thelma and Louise) and I started to plan trips. Sue is a wonderful photographer and gifted me her DSLR when she updated hers. That was it, I was hooked."

Mills' best travel advice also revolves around connection. "I have traveled a little by myself but have found the travel experience is so much more fun when shared with friends or family."

The exhibition's opening reception is Friday, Feb. 7, 7-9 p.m. On display until March 6.