Look closely at the grain of wood or a swirling cloud and you’re bound to see some familiar shapes. Photographer Jeffrey Rappo uses these natural impressions as inspiration for his abstract work.

With his camera Rappo seeks out interesting surfaces and patterns in nature to photograph. Cemetery stones and statues are a favorite of his for their color and texture.

The Marion man, along with two other artists, will have artwork on display at the Marion Arts Center. The abstract art exhibit starts with a reception at the center Friday, March 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

To develop his pieces, Rappo uses free association to assign words to images and then tells a story by linking those words into sentences.

“I’ve always enjoyed music and photography and film. All kinds of storytelling,” he said.

Using a software program, Rappo manipulates the images into new, abstract works.

For other pieces he numbers each image in a series and then draws connections from numbers in his life, such as birthdays and important dates.

“I like to see what happens when they get put together,” said Rappo.

He created an image called “The Sun” using this method. A large number one anchors the image that appears to be a face winking at the viewer.

A social science graduate from UMass Dartmouth, Rappo said he has an interest in the human mind and human interactions. Photography allows him to explore the unusual and darker aspects of the human psyche, he said.

“I try to find the odd and make it odder,” he said. Relatively new to photography, Rappo purchased a camera two years ago and is self-taught. While some say his work is abstract, the artist prefers to think of it a bit differently.

“I like to think of it as more experimental,” he said.