FYI ~ comment-posting problems

I have received a number of emails about the inability to post comments over the past few days - more today than previously.

I have contacted SquareSpace support about this and I am awaiting a reply, although the wife seems to think "... that you wrote so much you filled up the internet and there is no room to comment."

FYI ~ Cinemascape fallout

Over the past few days, there has been a small but steady flow of visitors to The Landscapist from The Radiant Vista community as the result of this forum post about Aaron's Cinemascapes.

It's interesting to note that someone over there was able to recognize that "Aaron is actually the son of Mark Hobson of The Landscapist blog... who isn't exactly a fan of The Radiant Vista." Then someone was kind enough to link to this Landscapist entry to put an exclamation point on the not-a-fan notion.

What I find interesting, although typical of when I get a mention on another site that creates a flow of new visitors, is that no visitor from The Radiant Vista has had anything to say about anything. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Now I know the problem doesn't lie with me - my musings are brilliant, informative and sometime provocative, and, my pictures are also brilliant, creative and superb. So, I often wonder what the deal is?

PS - and, oh yeh, my thanks to Aaron for letting me ride on his coattail.

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.

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.

FYI ~ cinemascape fever

Global clippings • click to embiggenIt is interesting, to say the least, following the 'round the world hubbub about Aaron's Cinemascapes.

The opening for his NYC show should prove to very interesting since a couple of biggies on the NYC art scene have picked up on his work and are writing about it even before the show. All of this buzz has been mainly product of the web - it is simply amazing how it has spread like wildfire around the globe. Embiggen the 'clippings' thumbnail and note all the different languages.

Aaron's pictures certainly deserve the attention they are garnering, but the speed with which they have gained atention around the world is simply incredible.

FYI ~ meet the French guys

The French guys on our trip this past weekend • click to embiggenIn my last installment - ku # 481 - Mike said; "Surrender monkies? When did they surrender? Remember the Resistance. Who bailed the Colonists out when they were being thrashed by the Brits? Where do these epithets arise? "Cheese eating, wine-swilling" — just because they know how to eat well is no cause for jealousy — get educated."

Just in case Mike thought my 'cheese-eating, wine- swilling, surrender monkey' comment was anything other than shot at the morons who coined it, let me introduce myself and my grandson, Hugo - we are 14th and 16th generation descedents of the one of the Duzine - 12 French Huguenot family heads who, in 1677, founded the village of New Paltz, NY.

Hugo and I are the descendents of Hugo Freer, whose house, built circa 1698, still stands today on Huguenot Street in New Paltz.

'nuff said about the French.

PS - the other side of my family hails from the Emerald Isle - guess that's why I love potatoes, beer, links golf and a lady named Kelleher (not necessarily in that order)

ku # 479 ~ getting out of town

A large shattered erratic on the Bog River • click to embiggenIt's hard to believe but an entire summer has kind of sneaked by under the radar. It seems as though I was not able to get into any kind of summer flow - way too many 'matters' to tend to (house renovations, college preparations, a few unexpected work projects and spending most of August well under the weather).

One casualty of all this is that the wife and I have not been out in the canoes together even once this summer. Now that the nest is empty, our first priority is a 3 day / 2 night canoe trip this weekend, although, the tent will house our part-time nester, Hugo.

Hugo's mom and dad (the Cinemascapist) are out of town for a wedding in Pittsburgh and then a swing over to NYC to finalize a few details for his upcoming exhibition. Aaron and his pictures are being featured in e-zine articles all over the world. It seems that nary a day goes by that doesn't include a request for an interview.

If you aren't keeping up with his work, you should be - Aaron Hobson ~ Cinemascapes. He has also posted a new picture here in the Guest Photographer Forum.

PS - The Landscapist's Stand Apart From The Crowd Award of Recognition goes to Tim, who distinguished himself over the past 2 days by being the lone first-time visitor (out of over 1,800) to leave a comment. Thank you, Tim (and, yes, our college princess has an especially spacious dorm room since her roomate was a no-show. A replacement is not likely and in 2 weeks she can call maintenance and have the extra bed and wardrobe removed which we will replace with a couch, coffe table and floor lamp.)

FYI ~ He's off and running

House wine and other views • click to embiggenIn a heroic feat of mind over body, I managed to get my still-ailing body out of the house and to Aaron's 'preview' exhibition. It was a great success.

Congratulations to Aaron - his first 'real' gallery show, a very nice turnout throughout the evening, and, actual opening night print sales.

Next stop, NYC.