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.

(mixed) ku # 484 ~ autumn is creeping in

Autumn is creeping in • click to embiggenThis AM, James responded to my response (on ku # 483) to one of his prior comments. He wrote, "... What is different for me about your more "natural" picturing is the feeling I get that you are exploring aspects of the forest ... that are not easily captured...and explore this region in ways that others tend to overlook. Or maybe what I am trying to say is, these are in no way "typical" of what I have come to expect from "nature photography" in this region ... not "grand scenic" or "marcos" ... but rather intimate and real the way you would experience them stumbling through the Adirondack forest ..."

James is an Adirondacker and is therefore familiar with more than just the 'roadside attractions'/picture postcard impressions that many visitors have of the area. I appreciate his insight into my pictures very much becasue I am trying to "explore this region in ways that others tend to overlook'. As I have stated many times, the 'details' of the Adirondacks, in all their natural "grit", are what I believe are the defining 'natural' characteristic of the park.

That said, I believe the old adage which states that the genius is in the details and I find it both amazing and depressing how many of my fellow humans are so wrapped up in the 'shock and awe' of life - I call it the SuperBowlHalftimeShow mentality - that they never see the genius. In fact, I believe it is the reigning American consumer culture of wretched excess, with its\ driving principle of fanning the flames of 'shock and awe' simply for economic gain, that is killing the 'thinking' genius and propagating an unthinking pavlovian response to the bell of unrestrained 'desire'.

In is my hope that my pictures are clogging at least a small part of the breach of brain drain that is so prevalent in our American culture.

ku # 483 ~ incredible # 2

Birch and erratic in the forest • click to embiggenWhat with a trip to Montreal, my work load and grand jury duty (a 3 month term, but only 12-14 days of actual jury-ing), I haven't had much time to think about things photography. However, as I stated in ku # 480, my intent was to return to the boulder field in the woods, and I have managed to do so, ever so briefly.

And it was on ku # 480 that James stated, "... I know it's not always as fashionable to appreciate strictly "natural" shots here...".

I did take note of this and have intented to respond so here goes - in the beginning, The Landscapist was almost all about strictly "natural" shots, although, truth be told, certainly not your average camera-club nature shots. Over time, my gaze has drifted more towards the 'social' landscape, but I still picture the strictly natural world with as great passion as I ever have, even if sometimes the strictly natural world is 'just' a stage or backdrop to some human 'intervention'.

That said, it is my hope that "strictly" natural shots will always be presented - by me and others - and appreciated here on The Landscapist.

civilized ku # 56 ~ satisfied customers

Sunday brunch in the Old City, Montreal • click to embiggenMontreal is a great city for a delightful getaway. For us, it's only an hour away - it speeds thing up if you know the back way across the border into Canada (and back again).

In any event, if the Montreal tourism folks need a couple pictures of well satisified visitors, here they are. Looks like everyone was getting exactly what they wanted, so to speak.

civilized ku # 55 ~ antithesis, or, oh, the tragedy

MAtthew's smiling but feeels like a turd • click to embiggenIn an tourism antithesis event (see urban ku # 102 ~ a tourism "nightmare", this past weekend the wife and I stayed ( a return visit) in a hotel. In fact, in Canada's #1 rated hotel - the Auberge du Vieux-Port in Montreal.

One of the reasons that we return to the Auberge du Vieux-Port is Matthew, the valet. The entire staff is excellent, but if this guy can't make you feel warm and welcome, no one can. He always seems to be there in the lobby, right outside of the elevator, full of greetings, banter and helpful information. His sense of humor and timing is exquisite and everything about him seems utterly genuine.

Upon arrival, he greets you at your car, unloads your stuff and gets you to your room. After that he parks your car. Upon departure, it works in reverse and therein is the tragedy. Due to a quirky series of circumstance surrounding a marthon nearby, Matthew delivered our (brand new) car for departure complete with a nasty gouge in the front bumper. Matthew was beside himself (if only my kids could at least appear as crest-fallen, remorseful and contrite as Matthew).

The hotel, of course, made everything right but Matthew seemed so out of sorts that we gave him a really big tip to help him snap out of it.