If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, the downtown Winslow art gallery Danger has even more to say as of late.

The local centric art boutique is the newfound home of photographic artist Michelee Scott, of MScott-Photography, who only recently arrived on the island and is already making a niche for herself in the island’s vibrant art scene.

“I like the community,” Scott said of her initial experiences with other Bainbridge artists. “I love the whole artist community. It’s very welcoming, and I’m really appreciating that.”

Scott is a primarily self-taught fine art photographer, whose preferred subjects are landscapes and architectural studies in both rural and urban settings. Her work has appeared in exhibitions at the J. Paul Getty Museum and Subtext Gallery in San Diego, among others.

A print of her image “Mesa Arch Sunrise” was selected for inclusion in the invitation-only 2013 Cannes International Film Festival celebrity gift lounge. A print of her image “Tree of Light” was also selected for inclusion in the likewise exclusive 2014 Golden Globe Celebrity gift lounge, both in association with The Artisan Group.

Scott, who moved to Bainbridge Island this past summer with her Navy officer husband from San Diego, quickly found a new home for her work after visiting Danger on a whim.

“It was literally the first store we came into when we moved here,” she said of her first visit to the boutique with her husband.

“You see it, and it kind of draws you in. It’s my vibe. I love this kind of thing and I said, ‘Let’s go check this out.’ So we came in and walked around and the idea didn’t really hit me then, but later once we got a little bit settled I really wanted to reach out a little bit and see what’s out there.”

Upon contacting Danger about possibly exhibiting some work, Scott was surprised to find the atmosphere so welcoming.

“I love their attitude,” Scott said. “I love that it’s women-owned and operated, that was a real plus for me. They’ve been very supportive. I’m really happy and proud to have my work here.”

Visitors to the art gallery can now see and purchase many of Scott’s prints in various sizes and on a variety of surfaces, including aluminum and fabric.

“The fabric thing is new,” Scott explained. “I saw someone who was creating these clutches and I just had this idea that instead of buying a pattern, why not make my photography the pattern? So I started seeing how that would work. I do everything but the sewing.”

Experiencing success with her initial experiments with alternative surfaces, Scott has turned her attention to new ideas, including printing on different fabrics and even wrapping paper.

Scott, whose first career was as a registered nurse, did not actually consider photography as an occupation until she had retired from the medical field.

“I always have a camera, I’ve always had a camera,” she said of her lifelong hobby. “I’ll always have a camera with me.”

She initially became inspired to pursue photography seriously by the positive reactions that she received online after posting many of her images there, and later by the encouragement of several instructors. Though never officially trained in photography, Scott has taken numerous classes to improve her craft.

“I probably have enough course credits for half of a master of fine arts,” Scott laughed. “But it’s all been hodgepodge with moving, and taking different seminars and classes and whatnot.”

Though she was a long-time film photographer and still shoots that way today, unlike many traditional photography purists Scott welcomes the advances of the digital age and enjoys digital manipulation when it serves to enhance her ultimate vision for the image.

“I love the computer. I’m a Photoshop junkie,” Scott said. “I love Photoshop. For me, probably 60 percent of my joy is in the editing room. I can literally spend hours and hours with one photo. I love to layer and rip things apart.”

Scott’s work will also be featured in a show slated to take place in late November of next year at the Treehouse Cafe in downtown Lynwood, and she hopes to participate in more regional shows and art collectives as she meets more island artists.

To see more of her work, visit www.mscott-photography.com.