FYI

I'm back in Philadelphia again. Maggie is going to classes today and if all goes well, the wife and I are heading back home this evening. It seems that everything is returning to 'normal'.

I did some email folder cleanup on Saturday and discovered that I had completely missed a number of photo submissions going back as far as June. Don't know how I managed that but I will be posting some of those this week.

BTW, have I mentioned how much I dislike driving the Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway?

FYI #2, Tim Atherton, over on photo-muse has some great reading suggestions today. Check them out - and, btw, Tim's blog really is one of the best out there on the subject of photography, emphasis on "it's about the pictures, dummy" (past and present) - highly recommended.

ku # 486 ~

It's been dry • click to embiggenIf not entirely clear and vibrant, the forecast for Maggie is very good. She continues to improve and maybe, just maybe, she will be released later today. Several doctors still have to sign off on it but the probability is high.

There is still no diagnosis, only speculation that it was a viral infection of some kind. The neurologist continues to run tests looking for all kinds of exotic stuff but nothing shows up. My speculation is that it's the same viral thing that I had - including 3 days of bedridden high fever semi-delirium - that laid me low for the better part of 2 weeks in early August. It just hit Maggie harder or she had a much lower tolerance for it. But, no one knows anything for sure.

So, just like today's picture, things are getting brighter even though it's still quite hazy.

civilized ku # 57 ~ joyous in the ICU

Laughing to keep from crying • click to embiggenThroughout the darkest ICU days, I insisted that the rule in the ICU be, 'put on a happy face'. For the most part, this was not as difficult as it first might seem.

It was helpful that the 'big ones' were rather quickly being ruled out, but the support of the wife's family - many of whom lived less than 10 miles away, right across the river from Philadelphia - was beyond measure. Two of the wife's sisters were at the hospital within a hour of Maggie's arrival. They provided a running account of Maggie's status - by cell phone - during our 6 1/2 drive to Philadelphia. During Maggie's days in the ICU, there was always at least one and at times up to four family members there for support.

On Sunday (day 2), we were able to get a number of things from Maggie's dorm room - in the picture, you can see her IPod Nano, teddy bear, favorite pillow and pictures of friends on the wall. In addition to the wife, there is a cousin and an aunt, each holding one of Maggie's hands. The banter was about good times with Mags. The mood was joyous.

It must be said that the staff in the ICU was helpful in maintaining the joyous-ness. There were friendly and very 'tolerant' when it came to the 'rules'. We were in constant violation of the max number of visitors, cell phones (although banned) were overlooked, cameras (although banned) were never confiscated, 'outside' food and beverages (although banned) were overlooked, personal possessions of the patient - see above - (although banned) were allowed, and no one even mentioned the bottle of Makers Mark (hand-crafted Kentucky bourbon whiskey) on the floor in the brown paper bag.

So, although it was a very tense, stressful and trying time, we managed to keep in joyous in the ICU.

urban ku # 106 ~ update on reality, truth in pictures and Maggie.

Dashing through the night • click to embiggenMaggie's resting and recuperating nicely in her hospital room. No tubes. No antibiotics. No sedation. Weak as hell, but she's eating like a horse. And, no, despite ongoing tests, the answer is - we still don't know.

Me, after a dash through the night (to avoid any daylight/commuter traffic on the Jersey Turnpike/Parkway), I'm back home tending to some business. Maggie's surrounded by extended family and we've purchased train tickets for her boyfriend and best friend so they can be there as well. They are on the train as I write. Things are looking good.

Yesterday, Aaron wrote - "Not being able to get down there and share some good vibes for her in person, I am overwhelmed by these photos in a way I don't like .... (I have) conflicting emotions on whether I should have looked at these or not ..." - interesting emotions/reaction coming from the guy who is giving the world his emotion/reaction-inducing Cinemascapes.

I knew when I was making these pictures that they would pack a wallop, especially for those who know and are close to Maggie - many of whom are not able to be by her side. In part, that was my intent - to make it 'real'. If one has not experienced anything like this personally, then it all tends to be rather 'abstract'. As I wrote yesterday, the wife and I, the extended family and friends knew all of the words involved with this event. Now, those words have added meaning and a sense of 'real-ness' attached to them.

Yesterday's pictures are why I get a little bent out of shape when photography discussions about truth and the real in pictures wander a little too much into the 'abstract'.

the meaning of life# 7 ~ no pictures in the ICU

OK, I took pictures in the ICU • click to embiggenThe phone call was made at 1 PM on Saturday from about 380 miles away and we began our real-world education about words and phrases that we already thought we knew.

Words and phrases like: ER, unresponsive, agitated and combative, very sick girl, meningitis, toxic shock, pregnancy complications, West Nile, Coxsackie, influenza, we don't know, ICU (no pictures, please), breathing tube, cultures, blood work, MRI, CAT scan, spleen, antibiotics, intravenous, we don't know, tumor, stroke, clot, x-ray, EKG, EEG, spinal fluid, we don't know, sedation, near coma state, infectious disease, pulmonary, neurologist, cardiologist, heart rate, pulse rate, lung fluid, respirator, suction, compression, we don't know, restraints, we don't know, we just don't know.

A very stressful and tense 72 hrs later, Maggie is lucid, out of the ICU and apparently out of danger. The strange thing is, they still don't know. Not a clue. Maybe a virulent viral infection. Maybe.

urban ku # 105 ~ inspiration

Indigenous inspiration • click to embiggenThe Adirondack rustic architecture/furniture tradition goes back to the early days of human habitation within the Adirondacks. Arguably, the birth/pinnacle of the rustic architecture/furniture tradition was found at the Vanderbilt's Sagamore, an Adirondack Great Camp, located near Raquette Lake in the Central Adirondacks.

The Vanderbilts had a large year-round full-time staff at Sagamore (1.526 acres and 27 buildings) - many (with their families) lived on the grounds in a worker's complex, complete with schoolhouse. The Vanderbilts, especially Margaret Vanserbilt, were great patrons of the craftspeople at Sagamore and amongst the workers were a group of artisans. The craftsmen and women lived in a closed community on the site and worked daily with each other in an apprentice to master relationship. One worker, a gardener by the name of George Wilson, created twig mosaic furniture - the most intricate of the rustic style. Others artistically adopted the natural materials available to them and the rustic style was born.

I bring this up because of it's relevance to yesterday's topic of 'teaching'. One of the things that schooling in the arts is not so good at is teaching how to find/foster 'inspiration'. In the case of these Adirondack rustic artisans, their inspiration was all around them. They just and to open their eyes and 'see'.

ku # 485 ~ on being a grasshopper

Rock, tree and fence post • click to embiggenOver the past few weeks, there has been some discussion here and there about teaching art, or, more accurately, can how to be an artist be taught?

My thoughts on the subject, which really annoy those who don't believe that artists possess anything 'special' (that others don't), is that the 'mechanics'/theory and history of just about any medium can be taught, but mastering mechanics/theory and knowing history does not an artist make - that comes from within. Some have it, some don't. Within the ranks of 'those who have it', some have in spades, some only a lesser allotment.

Back in my halcyon studio/commercial days, my studio was a regular stop on the R.I.T. (Rochester Institute of Technology, Photography Dept.) day trip rota. One professor in particular always encouraged me to give my you're wasting mom and dad's money, just learn the mechanics, drop out of school and use all that tuition money to buy film, processing and prints - just shoot your ass off and discover what, if anything, you have to say speech. And then, after they were suitably impressed with all of my Fortune 500 company clients and work, let them know that I had never had a single day of photography education in my life.

And, of course, then there's my son, Aaron, the Cinemascapist, who seems to have less than a single day of photography education in his life - making pictures for less than a year and he has A NYC gallery show and mounting worldwide fame and recognition.

Go figure on both counts.

That said, in all the discussion about the topic, this little tidbit from Bill Jay - I'd buy LensWork magazine just to read his EndNotes column; "... the only learning which has been meaningful has been self-motivated, self-taught, self-appropriated, self-discovered."

But, when it comes to teaching how to be an artist he also wrote: "I have to admit it: I am only interested in changing lives, not providing information for its own sake. It sounds impertinent and I make the statement with some embarrassment. I do not know why such admissions are awkward but they are, like conducing to virtue, or advocating Beauty and Goodness, or even Truth, or urging on the artist as spiritual seeker. Such notions, nowadays, tend to prompt the gagging reflex. But I cannot imagine the purpose of education if such concepts are not at issue. And centrally so." (emph., Ed.)

A recommendation: back when I was urging photography students to tune in, turn on and drop out, if I had known about Robert Henri's book, The Art Spirit, I certainly would insisted that it be the very first thing that they spend mom and dad's money on, and that they, like student members of the Communist Party who were encouraged to carry copies of Mao's Little Red Book, read it and carry it with them wherever they go.

Update on Friday, September 14, 2007 at 12:11PM by gravitas et nugalis

Gordon Coale asked; "I've been wondering what you shoot all those square pictures with..."

Hey Gordon, you're not alone in your wondering.

I do my picturing with either an Olympus e510 or e500 and then crop to square. In my film days, amongst many other formats, sub-miniature - 8×10, I learned to love the square format with a Bronica.

FYI ~ even more Cinemascape fever

On Monday, Aaron sent me an email stating, "so it's wonderful that people in Russia think I'm famous, and a chinese magazine wants to show my work and that I get random emails from people simply just to proclaim their admiration, etc...but why hasn't a single teenie tiny print been sold? is that a concern? are the "right" people just not seeing this?

10k unique visits in 3 weeks. 24k pageloads. 34+ blogs and e-zines from every continent, except africa.

??? I'm beginning to worry that it is just imagery that is extremely interesting to view and experience, but not something people want to hang on their walls? which begs the question, who the hell hangs Witkin on their walls? I know he makes sales other than books?

arghhh..."

Ahhh, welcome to one of the many wonderful forms artist's angst. My response? For crying out loud, you haven't even had your show yet. Patience, my son. Remember, patience is a virtue.

And that's all it would have been, except ...

I get a call from Aaron around 8:30pm last evening, and guess what? He sold 4 of his 40×20 limited edition (15) prints to member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston.

So, here's a suggestion - NO MORE WHINING FROM YOU

Update on Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 10:00AM by gravitas et nugalis

Featured Comment: Carol wrote; "I didn't know who Witkin was - and thought it was interesting that you hadn't linked it. So, I Googled his name - and now wished I hadn't. I came up with Joel-Peter Witkin.... and can't believe that sells. It's my fervent hope that I came up with the wrong Witkin. In any event, I have to go look at something else and get it out of my head."

Carol, you found the right guy. I don't know if I should tell you this but, he's been a Hobson household favorite for over 20 years. I have all his books - just got a new one last week. Feel free to borrow one anytime.

When Aaron was a high school sophomore, in biology class they were discussing hermaphrodites in the animal kingdom and the teacher (Catholic school) opined that they didn't exist in the human species - where upon Aaron raised his hand and said, "Yes they do. My dad has pictures." The teacher always looked at me kinda funny like after that.

Birth of Venus ~ Joel Peter-Witkin • click to embiggen
The teacher challenged him to write his term paper about the subject. Aaron spent quite a few hours in the Univ. of Pittsburgh's medical library doing research and discovered all the medical research to prove his point. He used this Witkin photograph on the cover of his biology term paper. He got an A+++ on the paper but the teacher wouldn't show it to the class.

FYI, Witkin's prints, which are considered to be very collectible, sell for beaucoup bucks - $15,000 and up (why I don't have any). One of his prints recently sold for $40,800 at auction. And BTW, Richard Gere is one of his most avid collectors.