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ARTIST’S STATEMENT
After years of looking at light in other
parts of the world, a trip to the American Southwest in 2008 caused me
to fully appreciate the quality of light in the Pacific Northwest and
caused me to return to native surroundings and local experience to make
my art.
It is true that Taos and the nearby region
where the celebrated painter Georgia O’Keefe and other artists have made
famous has wonderful qualities of light – however, I was actually
surprised as I gazed day after day at those skies and landscapes. I
realized ironically that that landscapes and light isn't as good as the
what I have in my own backyard; in my homeland of the Pacific Northwest.
The conclusion is obviously that their light
is only better advertised in the old art centers of New York and I
returned home to celebrate ~ and try to capture the light in my own eye
in my own region.
I rise early to watch the morning sun as it plays off the mountains and
causes fog to rise in the valleys. Mt. Rainier awakens and starts
to glow in hues too beautiful to
capture ~ but I try anyway.
The
sun going home sometimes shouts
out its goodnights across the sky or slips gently into the good night
playing with the curves of the Black Hills or lights a path for a
kayaker heading home.
With
digital I am now enthralled by shooting late into the night or with moon
glow as this new technology allows capturing, handheld, light as
never possible with film.
I hope you enjoy my own work as well as the historic photographic prints
I make. Inquires
and comments are always welcome.
HISTORY
My interest in photography began in childhood at the elbow of my Dad. As
I was shy, I got out of being the subject by becoming the photographer. There was power
there behind the lens... I could use
a camera as a tool to approach people and events otherwise barred.
As I am short - I can also get to the front of a crowd without much
notice.
A camera allows me to
indulge an incurable curiosity. I sent away cereal box tops to buy my first camera in 1957 and
still cherish it. I have shot Nikons since 1977.
Most of my work was in Black & White until I fell in love with color
when I went digital 2 years ago. Now I get to be the painter I
never had the patience to be.
My first memorable photo-shoot was of Janis Joplin on her last tour;
Seattle, 1967. Favorite shoot - Raymond Burr - what a delightful soul.
I also got to be his chauffeur and was the only crew that ate raw
Olympia Oysters so we sat together drinking wine eating oysters and he
told me about his love affairs.
Surviving as a free-lance photographer in a small market
region hasn't been easy. News,
documentary, architecture, event, wedding, portraits, models and
politicians; although everything is documentary to me. I probably
wouldn't still be in photography if I hadn't bought the Jeffers
Collection. It was printing Vibert's 8 x 10 negatives that made me
dissatisfied with 35mm.
I
have been a newspaper editor, Olympia News, still miss that weekly
paper, a Visitor Services Director
at Washington's Capitol...and, I've taught local history. I've also written a lot
and hope to do a great deal more in the future. I think of myself as a photo-journalist more than
an artist.
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