they don't write'em like that anymore

Snow storm, Gram's house, Nolo, PA 1970(?) ©Joe Visnesky

I brought a bunch of negative and prints back from PA a couple years ago and I'm finally getting around to scanning them. This particular image was taken in front of my Grandmother's house. It's really great to find these photos again as I'm working on the project about my Grandmother. We were just in PA for Thanksgiving (around the time this photo was most likely taken) and while there was snow, there was much, much less. I'm really taken with this shot. Everything about it seems really timeless to me. Even the old car is something you could still run into Western Pennsylvania. I guess this is the time of year for nostalgia and I love it!

messengerbird

©Michael Worful, from the series "Big Dogs and Little Dogs"

My good friend Michael Worful recently updated his site.
Stop by and check it out.

headed north and east

Dad at the Fulton Run field, Fulton Run, PA 2008

We're headed to Pennsylvania tomorrow morning for Thanksgiving. Can't wait to see family and friends. When we were home in September I began work on a project about my Dad. He played in a slow-pitch softball league when I was a kid and going to his games in the summer was always high point of vacation. A lot of the players' families came out and watching a game in the warm glow of the summer sun was about as carefree as it could get. Plus, the after game trip to the bar (the team sponsor) to play some mini bowling was a pretty fun time too. The league died a few years ago and my Dad hasn't played in nearly 15. A lot of the fields are in company mining towns (or what used to be) and were part of the coal league that existed in the area. The roots of it all are very working class and something that, for the most part, continued on in the league my Dad played in. I don't have a formal project statement yet, but it's really about how some things change and how some never will. The project is ongoing and while I probably won't be working on it on this trip home, the photo above is one of the starting points of the project and I wanted share the beginnings.

Flak Photo

A new photo that was featured on this blog last week is now featured on Flak Photo today! Thanks to Andy Adams for the continued support. He really does a lot for emerging photographers and I for one am extremely grateful. And he's always on the lookout for new work, so send him some!

Sound Structures

Friend, fellow photographer and western Pennsylvanian, and all around good guy Jacob Koestler has finished up a new body of work entitled "Sound Structures." I feel a real connection to Jacob's series as I too am from Western Pennsylvania and can really relate to the "middle class frame of mind" he talks about in the project statement. Great work from a great guy. If you're in the Johnstown area go check out the show, where you can also pick up a copy of the accompanying book (or go here to get yourself one right now).

a new morning, changing weather

Changing weather, St. Louis, MO 2008

I know it's naive to say, but somehow it feels like everything is going to be ok.

more good news

Snow sheet, St. Louis, MO 2006

I'm excited (again) to report that work from my sometimes you just know series has been selected for inclusion in the flat files at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Again, a big thanks to the Contemporary for all they do to support local artists!

good news

I'm excited to report that I was chosen by Sina Najafi (co-founder and editor-in-chief of Cabinet magazine) for a studio visit this Friday (tomorrow) through the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis' Emerson Visiting Critics and Curators Series. I'm excited, a bit nervous, but most of all, really thankful for the opportunity. The Contemporary really does a lot to give St. Louis artists the opportunity to have their work in front of some amazing jurors/critics/etc. Thanks CAMSTL!

grandma project update

squirrel and last supper, nolo, pa 2008


ceiling pattern, nolo, pa 2008

I'm still in the process of editing the series on my Grandmother. It's going well, slowly, but well. Above are a couple photos from the trip home over Labor Day.

H E R E and T H E R E photos

Michael Worful

Here are some fairly crappy point and shoot installation shots of the show. I'll replace these with some better photos soon. Until then, enjoy virtually.


Jacob Koestler, Justin Visnesky, Greg Barth, Laura McAllister (l to r)


Laura McAllister, Ed Panar, Elizabeth Fleming (l to r)



Ed Panar


Elizabeth Fleming


Jacob Koestler

review

Stefene Russell at St. Louis Magazine posted a nice write up about
H E R E and T H E R E on the STL Mag Look/Listen blog. Thanks Stefene!

busy, busy, busy

I'm really sleeping over here. I'll be posting install shots
as well as some "party pics" from the show soon. Stay tuned.
And thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday!

HERE and THERE

The lineup for the show is finally final. All the info is above. I'm really excited about how things are shaping up. It's going to be even more exciting once prints start arriving! Below are links to everyone's work.

Greg Barth

Elizabeth Fleming

Jacob Koestler

Laura McAllister

Ed Panar

Justin Visnesky

Michael Worful

Hope to see you there!

limited edition help-fund-an-awesome-show print sale

I've been busy curating a show for my friends Dave and Bevin at Snowflake/Citystock. I'll also have work in the show, which I was feeling kind of weird about, but I think I'm over at this point. The show is called "Here and There" and is a marriage of my life here in St. Louis and the life I still have in my native Pennsylvania. I'm going to hold off on posting the artists involved because I'm still waiting to hear from one person, but I'm extremely excited about the way things are shaping up. That being said, I'm taking a page from Liz and Daniel's books and offering up an 8"x10" print in an edition of 20 for the ridiculous price of $30 (including shipping to where ever you'd like it shipped) to help fund my endeavor. The photo is one of two 30"x40"s I'll have in the show. This is the mini version at a mini price. If you're interested, click the button below to buy it up. Thanks in advance for the support. And if you're in the area I'd love to see you at the opening (on Saturday, September 13). More info on the show to come very soon...


PRINT INFO

title: Sunny Hair, St. Louis, MO 2008
size: 8"x10" w/ an approximate 1" border for framing
edition: 20, signed and number on the verso
production notes: digital c-prints printed on 

Fuji Crystal Archive paper with a matte finish

$30 (including shipping)

back, again...

gram's kitchen (wal-mart trash bag), nolo, pa 2008

We're back from another trip home to see my family. Eliot was not sick this time, so it was an enjoyable trip for all! I was able to work more on my series about my grandmother. Above is another preview. Hopefully I'll have some time to edit this thing soon.

gram at window, nolo, pa  2007

we're off to pennsylvania on friday so posts may be even more sporadic than usual (i'm not sure if that's even possible). i hope to continue the project i started on my grandma last year. this is one of the photos from the work in progress. 

wanderlustagrapher

amy elkins was kind enough to include me in her wonderful project, wanderlustagraphy. you can see my photo here.

i am really taken with amy's series "family and california" as i too can relate to the distance between family and the way home changes and doesn't.

thanks again amy!

change of scenery

sunny hair, sunny wall, st. louis, mo 2008

i recently got back the first roll of film shot in our new apartment. i mentioned in an earlier post that we have much more natural light in our new space and these photos are a study (of sorts) of said light. i'm really happy with how these turned out and have a  feeling these two images will turn into a series of some sort. i've been shooting a lot of vertical photos lately for some reason, so maybe that will be part of the theme. 

show news

i have some work in the final show at Ellen Curlee's current gallery location. the details on the future of the gallery are still in secret/mystery mode, but hopefully i'll be able to report more on that later. until then, come on down and see some great work and buy a print or two. it should be a great closing party! and i should probably mention said reception is from 6-9 pm this friday (may 23). 

tired

untitled (pink pillows on bed), st. louis mo, 2006

we finally finished moving this week and i'm tired… happy, but tired. we sold our house and are now renting. the new place is actually bigger than our house and it's all on one floor, something i'm really getting into. i'm looking forward to a nice relaxing summer, free of yard work and worrying that our air conditioner is going to shoot craps. and who knows, maybe i'll have some time to take photos again. i'm already feeling inspired by the new and naturally brighter space.

two halves make a whole

when i first bought my half frame camera i was super excited about it and used it like crazy. then i became bored, mainly because it took too long to go through a roll of film (kodak, could you please make those little 8 exposure rolls again? thanks.). this last roll took me a year to go through. i've also been a little busy with a now-one-year-old, getting a house ready to sell, and blah, blah, blah. anyway, enough words here are some new half frames. enjoy.

american sunset, st. louis, mo 2007

legs and a lid, st. louis, mo 2007

tagged, st. louis, mo 2007

finish, st. louis, mo 2007

drink...

water glass on kitchen table, st. louis, mo 2008

i could go for one right now.

more holiday trip-home photos

victory in jesus, indiana, pa 2007


christmas dinner table, nolo, pa 2007


grandma's end table, nolo, pa 2007

back home and (somewhat) rested

eliot and heather, christmas day, nolo, pa, 2007

back in st. louis and back (almost) to the normal routine. i thought i should post a photo of eliot at his sickest, since i was whining about it the last post. he's never this still, ever. that's what roseola does to a baby. is this blog becoming a baby blog?