Photo by Jesse Vuona.
Archive for the ‘Photography’ CategoryWhat I feel I should be doing right nowWednesday, August 11th, 2010Master ShotsThursday, August 5th, 2010My recent Darkroom entry for The Maine has a fun story I feel photographer Kris Larson (my “subject”) would not fault me for sharing. I first saw Larson’s deep B&W images of blueberry pickers in East Machias, Maine on the wall of CMCA Curator Emeritus Bruce Brown’s temporary office when we met a few months back. I should note everyone in the art world who has a lick of taste is hoping that “temporary” becomes permanent as Brown is the leading authority on photography in Maine - if not New England. He is also one of the nicest and most articulate persons I have ever met. Bruce kindly gave me Larson’s phone number and allowed me to use his name as an introduction. Good thing, because when I phoned Larson as soon as I mentioned Bruce’s name he was all ears and happy to help website (the maine is a paperless space housed on the Internet) unseen. Larson, you see, does not have a computer or Internet access. He does not have email, a Facebook account, or iPhone. He does have Netflix thanks to a friendly neighbor and great taste in movies (I know because after we spoke I added some of his recommendations to my Netflix queue and thus far have yet to be disappointed). When I sent him my interview questions it was by traditional post. His typed out (on a typewriter) responses arrived in my mailbox delivered by a US Postal Service employee. My thank you note was handwritten, as is my custom, and mailed back to him via …U.S. Post. It was a delightful and nostalgic exchange. As helpful as modern technology is to communicating, it is also impersonal. Larson will likely not see the post I did on him, which makes his trust in Bruce and me that much more appreciated. I hope to visit him in the blueberry fields of Machiasport and see the traditions he captures so beautifully on film.
The MaineSaturday, July 17th, 2010A few months ago I began working on The Maine, a paperless space focused on the life and culture of Maine. It is my great pleasure to share this project with you and my even greater hope you will appreciate and be entertained by the fresh material produced weekly. The ABOUT section sums up well why my very talented friends and I are doing this and the content speaks for itself. Enjoy! A few recent entries:
My interview with bookseller and photographer Timothy Whelan. Photograph by Jon Edwards.
Brian Willson’s foray into birding in Rockport and on Monhegan Island.
Moxie, the official Maine State Beverage article by Stewart Engesser with photograph by Jon Levitt.
Goat farming article and photographs by Karl Schatz.
Margaret Hathaway’s personal account of her battle with “Big Mama” groundhog. Feeling at home at the Hartstone InnThursday, July 8th, 2010I have read Frank Bruni, the former New York Times restaurant reviewer, refer to his job of eating for work as a tough one. While dining at Eric Ripert’s restaurant is a dream of mine, he not only had the opportunity to dine there on numerous occasions, and was paid to do it. Granted he had to take on an intense exercise routine to balance out his daily caloric intake. Well, I felt a tiny bit like him yesterday when I just “had” to attend one of Michael Salmon’s cooking classes at the Hartstone Inn. Just “had” to eat his cookies, drink a fancy cocktail, hang out with his lovely wife/my friend Mary Jo plus a few other friends I never get to see enough of, learn a few really cool cooking/baking techniques, dine on a lobster roll handmade by Michael (with lettuce from his garden and locally caught Maine lobster), watch a professional photographer at work, and eat a lot more of Michael’s goodies. Um, yes I even got to lick a spatula. This was all done for a feature article to run in a fall issue of one of the nation’s top shelter publications. Seriously though after all that food I felt like I needed to walk several miles, nap, and attend a Zumba class. Instead I “had” to eat more with the editor, photographer, and Mary Jo at Shepherd’s Pie (new restaurant Brian Hill of Francine’s opened month or two ago in Rockport, ME.) Hey it is a tough job at time, but someone has to do it - really they do! A few pics from the day…
Mustache ChampionsTuesday, June 29th, 2010One more reason to love NYC - the crazy art exhibits you find in the most unusual places. While purchasing a jar of Anarchy Jam at Chelsea Market I stumble across this brilliant/hilarious collection of photographs by David Mead. Check out these beard and mustache champions!
Extraordinary SacrificeThursday, June 24th, 2010James Nachtwey’s B&W pictures are breathtaking regardless the subject matter. From hell and back he is the anti-war photographer who for a quarter of a century has been in the middle of just about every major conflict and center of devastation from Bosnia and the Philippines to Afghanistan and Haiti. When asked how he maintains his faith in humanity in the face of inhumanity he responded: The people I encounter when I’m in the field - that’s where my inspiration comes from. To see ordinary people coping with such disasters and such suffering, continuing to go on, surviving, trying to make a life, to maintain their family - it humbles me. I don’t know if I would have their strength and their grace and that inspires me. People deserve better than what they’re getting, and what they’re getting is quite often not necessary. It didn’t have to happen. It’s not the natural condition and something can be done about it. My faith in humanity comes from what I witness it.
“The Sacrifice” First Day of SummerMonday, June 21st, 2010Today is the first official day of summer. Yay!!! Summers are short in Maine so I plan to make the most of every warm dry day. What fun things will you be doing this summer?
What I am most looking forward to doing this summer. Evening walks and staring up at the stars (I love this year round). Wearing bright summery dresses and my denim shorts. Sipping margaritas and eating chips and salsa outside. Reading in my backyard. At the top of my pile are Irene Nemirovsky’s Dimanche and Lost Trails, Lost Cities by Colonel P.H. Fawcett. Standing up on a surfboard. (I will actually be content catching waves and not getting hit by the board again and again :)). A weekend on Isle au Haut with friends. This pretty much involves eating, hiking, eating, biking, eating, star gazing. I feel it is my obligation as a guest to eat as many shrimp puffs and chocolate truffles as humanly possible. Wouldn’t you!?
Making pesto with the basil from my garden (I throw in parsley and walnuts). With any luck I can throw some of my backyard tomatoes in with the (homemade) pasta later this summer. Digging my toes into the dirt. A week in Midcoast Maine swimming in the lake and attending faculty slideshows at the Maine Media Workshops. An overnight trip aboard the Schooner J. & E. Riggin where I will be surrounded by four of the people I love most in this world - as much for their genuine compassion as their zest for life - Annie, Jon and their absolutely magical daughters Chloe and Ella whose curiosity thankfully knows no bounds .
Top photo The Year in Pictures. Bottom photo by Elizabeth Poisson. Silent FogSunday, June 13th, 2010Yet more fog has settled in, though I should not complain as we avoided two days of rain. Still, I could really use some sunshine and an opportunity to wear my cute summer things. Or maybe just not have to wear long pants and a sweater (albeit a light one). I had a wonderful weekend, the best parts of which were seeing friends and having a delicious meal at Chef Brian Hill’s newly opened Shepherd’s Pie in Rockport, Maine. His revolutionary duck hot dogs (I almost never eat bird) and finger licking good onion rings are reason to go back time and again. Photographer/multimedia artist Jonathan Laurence was among the people I ran into while there, his photos of the restaurant will run in an upcoming issue of Maine Magazine. I cannot wait to see/share them (this one of the pickled vegetables is the best I could do with my iPhone)!
Other highlights included: Finding this amazing postcard of the Cash family by Annie Leibovitz at Tim Whelan’s photography shop in Rockport. In all my travels I have never found as great a selection of photography books and rarely does a shop keeper’s passion for his work match Tim’s.
Celebrating National Dairy Month at Cow and Calf Day at Farmers Fare - dairy farmers, owners of Kate’s Butter (I always bake with), and samples of special baked goods made with Maine dairy products. Visiting the aromatic new Glendarragh Farm Lavender shop in Camden, which owner Lorie Costigan has beautifully decorated with antique barn pieces and thoughtfully filled with laundry soap, lavender-infused pillows and bath products, and of course dried bundles of lavender from her family’s organic farm. Lorie spent years editing local papers, so it is nice to see her doing her own thing now as a natural extension of the work she and her family have been doing on their 26-acre farm in Appleton, Maine.
Getting a massage at RHEAL Day Spa in Rockland. At this blissful retreat I felt all the stress melt away as the therapist worked out each knot in my back. Owner Rhonda Nordstrom, center in the photo, is one of my gals. She is the sweetest woman with incredible taste and great passion for life.
RHEAL staff photo by Annie Higbee. Weekend FunFriday, May 28th, 2010Have a wonderful long weekend. Hope you have fun plans! I am back to Ogunquit for another surf lesson (it’s so much fun), then packing up the car and Paige for a couple days at a friend’s camp somewhere several hours north of Portland. Should be an adventure. A few terrific images to get us on our way!
Top photo William Eggleston. Middle photo Forever is Today. Bottom photo Slim Aarons. Big Digs at the Museum of Fine ArtsThursday, May 27th, 2010Congratulations to my friend Peter Vanderwarker, whose stunning portfolio of images of Boston’s Big Dig was recently acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Peter took the pictures under a National Endowment for the Arts grant between 1987 and 2004. His next show will be at Gallery Naga in February, 2011. For the show, he recently spent a month shooting images in Africa and China.
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