This morning Dan Nauman, of Bighorn Forge, picked up three prints to represent his Lynden Sculpture Garden Gate in a competition. I’d photographed the main west Gate for Dan back in early August of last year. Below – you can see the photographs Dan chose for the competition. You can see the rest of the shoot as well, including the east, exit gate here.
We had a wonderful conversation about art and artists, craft and craftspersons. The last couple times Dan and I have been together we talked about the importance of exchanging ideas; talking to other artists in other mediums; critiques; etc. I’m currently reading Patti Smith’s Just Kids. I’m at the point in the book where she and Robert Mapplethorpe are living in the Chelsea Hotel – one of the artistic salons of the 50s, 60s, 70s – reminiscent of the Left Bank of Paris in the 20s – and reminding me of my own experiences in the 60s and 70s on the east side of Milwaukee.
Some many years ago I managed to get a couple salons together. A small group – a novelist, a poet, a couple singer-songwriters, a photographer – got together to sing, read, look at photographs. It was good fun. I’d like to do more like that. How about you?
As Dan walked out the door I asked him, “When, where and whom should we invite to the first artist’s salon of 2013?” And now I throw it out to you all – Want to get together with other “creatives?” Show and tell? Challenge one another? Let me know when and where you may like to do so. Let’s make 2013 a creative year of sharing.
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica R8/DMR, Various lenses