Post Christmas Shots

These images symbolize the end of the Christmas season.

Photo Roulette

So, I am going back to an old project called photo roulette. Basically, my camera assigns a 4 digit number to my images and I noticed when I looked for my images, that many old images also came up with the same number. So, I choose a number at random (using a random software program) then from the results I choose 2 images to pair together. In this last round, I have been adding text. It is the first thing that comes to my mind when I look at the photos together.

The Ragdale House Speaks

The Ragdale House Speaks is finished and we had a book signing party last week at the Ragdale House. Thanks so much to everyone who came!

My photographs from the book will be up in the house through the New Year and copies of the book are available for $45 through through the Ragdale Foundation (www.Ragdale.org).

What an amazing journey it has been. I spend last Saturday hanging images all over the house and it was a glorious fall day and I kept seeing new shots as the light kept changing. The house has held my interest for over a year, as the light and feel change with each season.

Here are some images from the book:

There is a wonderful article about Susan Tillett (the author) and the project in the Lake Forest newspaper here.

Ragdale

I am working on a book about the Ragdale main house and as I go through the hundreds of pictures I have shot, it is fun to reminisce and think about the life of the family who lived there and the hundreds of residents who have come through and (as I imagine it) all had magical experiences there. The first time I was accepted to Ragdale, I was so young as an artist and so nervous and insecure. I was stunned when I was accepted and so grateful, but scared. It really allowed me to open up and accept that I was an artist and this was the life I wanted to pursue.

Al Davalle

(This post appeared simultaneously on Aline Smithson's blog Lenscratch)

I first came across the work of Al Davalle on the Lenswork website. His ghostly, abstract black-and white-images caught my eye because they were like nothing I had ever seen before, and when I found out that they are images of wood dust frozen by strobe lights, I was intrigued. It turns out Al has been working with wood for over 25 years and he loves wood and loves trees and so was prodded to do a photo project about this passion by his friend, the amazing photographer and teacher Jeff Curto.

Over several months, Al said he shot hundreds of images of wood - of the furniture he was making, his woodworking tools, wood varnishes, and even the trees in the woods behind his house. None of these photographs stuck with him. But one day, while sitting in his woodshop, he saw the light hitting the wood dust floating through the air and he realized how beautiful it was and thought he'd try to capture it.

The results, a project he has named "A Universe Within," are mesmerizing.

Everything Matters

I was surrounded by artists asking me about the title to my show. In a way, it was an easy out, a title that would encompass all, but I was feeling especially connected to the world when I chose it and well, everything does matter (one artist told me a friend of her's had a show called "Matter Matters" which is also true).

The week leading up to the show opening was pretty blissful. I was staying at Ragdale again and two fawns (named "Rag" and "Dale") greeted me when I arrived. I took walks and saw hundreds of dragon flies, butterflies of all colors and a frog or two. The sound of the fountain lulled me to sleep and even the heat and mosquitoes couldn't dampen my spirits (and it was HOT!). I met another amazing group of residents, felt lifted by their artistic energy and their stories. Among the group was a playright and a performance artist, so the group was very lively. I even got to collaborate on a performance by Travis (see photo)

All this is to say, everything really does matter and I feel very lucky when I find the time to slow down and really look and listen.



And I got a wonderful review of my show

Recent Exhibitions

My image "Sunday Morning" was chosen for the Vermont PhotoPlace Gallery exhibition "Nostalgia," juried by Larissa Leclair.

This image was chosen for the exhibition Bed Two, juried by Harvey Stein and shown at the Umbrella Arts Gallery in Manhattan.

Diptych

House Gleaning

I am working on a project tentatively titled "everything matters". They are mostly small, poignant, domestic shots. In working on it, I have discovered it is about growing up in a family that does not talk about anything that matters. I grew up in a staunch New England family where no one spoke about their feelings. As a result, I think it was a shock to my parents to have an artist in the family who wanted to express things. We still don't talk about anything "real" just superficial things and as a kid, I used to sneak around and look at objects in rooms in order to glean information. I think that is partly why I became a photographer.

I just looked up glean to see if I spelled it correctly and here is the definition. I think #1 and #3 apply to me:

glean
   /glin/ Show Spelled[gleen] Show IPA
–verb (used with object)
1.to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.
2.to gather (grain or the like) after the reapers or regular gatherers.
3.to learn, discover, or find out, usually little by little or slowly.

I love the word even more after seeing the film "The Gleaners" by Agnes Varda.

Sally Mann

I remember seeing this photo at the New Orleans Museum almost 20 years ago and it is still one of my favorites. Something about the mix of innocence and play in her work draws me in.

The Ocean

I live next to the Pacific ocean and it astounds me on a daily basis. I love the sound of the surf and the feel of the spray. I believe water is restorative and a walk on the beach always clears my head and makes me feel rejuvenated.

Chicago band Canasta takes off!

I have been photographing the Chicago band Canasta since its infancy and they just released a new album which is getting amazing press all over the place. I took the promo photos for them a while back and its nice to see them all over. The album, called "the Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather", has been reviewed by the Onion, the Chicagoist, the Examiner and the Reader, to name a few and is getting rave reviews! Check it out (and download 3 free songs) at www.Canastamusic.com

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San Giovanni in Bragora

My father died when I was 25 and it is safe to say my world was completely shattered and I had to regroup. The good thing was, I was so shook up, I decided I might as well do what I always had dreamed of, which was become a photographer, so I did.

When he died, people donated money to Save Venice, an organization that raised money to preserve the art in Venice. We had a funeral, but we didn't bury my father, just scattered his ashes near his childhood home and I always felt weird that he didn't have a grave stone.

Venice was my father's spiritual home and my project Lost in Venice is very much about him and my loss, grief and sense of spirituality. Somehow it took me until about 3 years ago to track down the painting that had been restored in his name and right there next to the painting is a plaque with his name on it. I was so happy because I feel like he finally had a resting place in this church.

I walked out of the church feeling great and turned to photograph the facade and there was a rainbow coming down from the sky. It was just amazing!

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Photo Roulette

My camera assigns all of my images a 4 digit number. However, I have had several digital cameras now, so the numbers repeat. A while back I realized it was sort of a mystical game to see what images share numbers. so now I have decided to make it a bit of a project. I put in a number every day and post two of images that come up with that number. I am calling it photo roulette.

Here is # 8118

Rejection

I hate rejection. It still hurts. I still get upset, even though I have had so many wonderful exhibitions.

Sometimes things come your way that you were not even expecting. Those moments are sweeter. Sweet enough to take away the bitterness of rejection. Maybe...

Book cover

I worked all day yesterday on this image (well it is actually a composite of 3 images) for a book cover for my friend Sybil's upcoming short story collection Talismans. She is a wonderful writer and the book is about growing up, longing, traveling and finding love.
Go to www.sybilbaker.com for more info.

Here is the final product, which will be available in December.

My cat sleeps 22 hours a day

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night." Edgar Allen Poe

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras was just a full fledged fun-filled four days. What a celebration and what a gorgeous city. We stayed in the most amazing house thanks to our friends Ben and Dina.

Art Afternoon

I gave up my seat for a free roundtrip ticket and had a wonderful afternoon at the Art Institute and in downtown Chicago. It was snowing and cold, but the Renzo Piano new wing was beautiful. Had a nice extra evening with old friends and tried ostrich meat for the first time. It was actually pretty good.

Flying

I didn't fly for many years. I think it started in high school. Somewhere around my 16th birthday and reading The World According to Garp, I became deathly afraid a plane would crash into my house. We lived on the 4th floor and I frequently heard the planes going into Logan Airport in Boston in the middle of the night. I think it might have had something to do with the fact that I was home alone that summer and my parents were in Europe. In any case, after that, I became deathly afraid of getting on planes. So for about 10 years I just stopped flying. I took a lot of long car trips and trains (once took the train from Chicago to San Francisco - which despite taking 4 days was spectacular). Now with the miracle of xanax, I fly again a lot. I still don't love it, but it is no longer as painful. And I do always marvel when we get above the clouds, that this is a view our ancestors never saw. And I do love going places too.