More wandering around the neighborhood

After my favorite sports team, the St. Louis cardinals lost a heartbreaker tonight to the Dodgers I was really, really frustrated. I mean REALLY frustrated.

So, in an effort to calm down a bit I decided to do what I often do in similar situations -- I wandered around the Cleveland downtown looking for images. Sure enough, after a couple of hours I felt much better.

Those of you that follow me on Twitter are probably used to this by now. I do it fairly frequently I guess-- thus wandering I mean. I create the images with my iPhone and post them as I go. So if you'd like to share some of these adventures with me click the "connect" link above and follow along via Twitter. If not, that's ok too. I'll start posting these explorations here as well.

So here's a few images from tonight. I hope you like them.

~wj

















































-- Posted from my iPhone

john everette & james ::: portrait

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contrast ::: images

My photograph above hardly does justice to the image created by Euphus "Butch" Ruth. But, I still had to share it.

Euphus is a photographer from Greenville, Mississippi that I have long admired. His is a very deliberate craft. The photographs he is exhibiting in this show were created using the wet plate -- or glass plate -- process. It is impossible to do his images justice with a digital replication. What you will see are one-of-a-kind creations. Not prints from a negative. Not prints from a digital file. You will see the plates that sat in his camera. Plates of glass that serve as his finished product.

There is an ethereal quality to these images that, for me anyway, will not let you quickly pass by. The depth of these images commands your attention, and combined with Euphus' choice of subject, they are like looking back at a Mississippi Delta from 100 years ago.

I admire the deliberateness with which Euphus works. And absolutely love the results.


Keep pushing and exploring.

~wj

contrast ::: images

Maggie Meiners -- Harvest


This may be one of my favorite images from the upcoming Contrast show. It is by Maggie Meiners from Chicago.

You can check out her blog HERE and her website HERE

This image is printed 12.5"x8.5" with a finished frame size of 22"x18".

So many wonderful imaegs coming in every day. We'd love for you to join us if you can.

http://www.wiljax.com/themeshow/contrast


Keep pushing and exploring.

~wj

seeing the world with no agenda . . . .

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I've been working on our upcoming Contrast show today. Our official deadline for submissions was this past Friday, but if any of you would still like to send a few things in, please do. We'd love to see them.

It's really shaping up to be a wonderfully diverse event, with over 30 photographers invited to participate so far. We have 15 states represented and 3 countries. It's been a blast looking at all the personal work everyone is submitting. Very inspiring for me.

After lunch today my wife came by the studio and gallery with two of our nieces and two of our nephews. Ages 9, 7, 7, and 7. (the nephews are twins). They were looking for something to do, so I decided to put a camera in their hands and put them to work. I wanted to see what they would come up with regarding our theme of "Contrast".

None of them really understood the term, so, one at a time, I had them in my office. I didn't want them all teaming up to solve this problem. I was curious as to how they would do on their own. Thus, I met with them each individually to talk about "Contrast", then let them run around our gallery and downtown area for 15 minutes each, exploring with my gear.

We then all sat down and went through the images. Uncle Will did the editing, of course, but I really didn't do much more than convert them to black and white. This is what they came up with, and I have to admit, I'm a proud uncle.

Are these technically sound? No. Barely close. But that's not always the point. These children, with only a 5 minute conversation about what contrast means, and with no understanding of the technique involved in creating a photograph, saw the world around them in some very interesting ways. Mainly, because they were unencumbered by what they thought they should be doing, and therefore, did only what they felt like doing.

Here are a few of the images. I know they aren't for everyone. But when you look at them, consider what might be inside these images that is more than technique. Ask yourself if just maybe there might be a bit more here than what you see at a glance.

There might not be. But just as possibly, there may be tons of knowledge we can gain as well.


~wj

owen & vaughn ::: portrait

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I visited Dallas recently, and while I was there I had the great pleasure of meeting Owen and Vaughn. We spent an hour or so together seeing what type of images we could create. So much life and energy in these two!

Here are a few from the session. I'd love the hear your thoughts.


~wj

iHolga

I've found a new camera.

It's not a fancy-schmantzy camera either. But it's one I have with me almost all of the time.

I love my "pro-gear" but sometimes it just gets too big and cumbersome to carry around everywhere. I'd really wanting to get a holga to play around with, but I just haven't found the time to do that yet. Point-and-shoot? Maybe. I've got a few, but don't always have them either.

So what did I find?

My iPhone. My buddy Chris Williams jokingly calls it my iHolga. The image above was created on a recent trip down Highway 61. Sure, I tweaked it a bit. And I won't be able to make very large prints from it. But I've found my iPhone is perfect for creating spontaneous images -- in part because I almost always have it with me. But I also love the "un-perfection" of it. As I've said many times -- focus is overrated!

So I'm creating a new product line for my gallery. Table Mounts. These are images printed about 3"x4", matted to just over 5"x7", mounted to foamcore, and then we add a little easel back so the finished piece can stand on its own. I've posted a few images below to give you an idea.

So my iPhone works perfectly for this. And I'm having a great time exploring with it.

By the way -- these are available not just for my personal work, but also for portrait and wedding images. And not all of the images are iHolgas. Quite a few were created using my 'real" cameras. If you'd like to find out more, just give us a ring or shoot us an email. I'd love to here your thoughts -- so if you don't mind -- post 'em below!

Now, a few images.




Each matte is signed and titled.




A built in easel is adhered to the back.




All lined up.






Hope you like them! Let me know what you think!

~wj

icon ::: and a trip to NOLA

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i·con (kn) noun
1. also i·kon (kn)
a. An image; a representation.
b. A representation or picture of a sacred or sanctified Christian personage, traditionally used and venerated in the Eastern Church.
2. An important and enduring symbol
3. One who is the object of great attention and devotion; an idol: "He is ... a pop icon designed and manufactured for the video generation" Harry F. Waters.
4. Computer Science A picture on a screen that represents a specific file, directory, window, option, or program.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I was recently invited to participate in the Attic Gallery's annual theme show. I'm inspired every time I walk into Lesley Silver's space. This is not your typical gallery. The vision I think most of us have when thinking of a gallery -- uniform presentation, pieces lined up perfectly on the wall, wide open rooms with modern-style sofas in the middle -- is so far from what this gallery is. To me, the Attic Gallery is exactly what art should be.

The work is everywhere. On walls. On the floor. In drawers. Hanging from the ceiling. Up the stairwell. In the windows. Around the corner. Inside. Outside. Everywhere. It's almost as if you are invited to touch the work. To sort through it. Interact with it. Find the one painting or photograph or sculpture or woodwork or pottery or jewelry -- or whatever! -- that is just right for you. I get lost for hours when I go there. I always find a new artist to admire. And I'm always energized and inspired.

So when Lesley invited me to take part in the upcoming show (the opening will be Friday, February 2) I was excited to get started on whatever theme she presented. I find I work so much better when given a starting point -- and a deadline! And this show certainly does that for me. The theme for this year's show, as I'm sure you can tell by the heading, is "icons".

I've got lots of older images from years ago of musicians. Most are blues musicians, but not all. It occurred to me that I could use those. But that would mean I didn't come up with anything new. Didn't explore and push myself. So I decided to create a new series of images just for this show.

I didn't want to explore the term icon in the sense of fame. So musicians didn't work there anyway. I thought about religion. But I did a lot of that in my New Orleans project, and even when I don't intend to do it, it seems like there is always some type of religious undertone in my work anyway. So I decided my attempt at visually defining "icon" would be through things we see everyday, that in some way symbolize a life -- an America, a world -- that seems to be slipping away. And I don't intend that to be stated in a bad way. I think change is often good rather than bad. It is certainly inevitable. But it is what it is. And I hope when others see these images, they see part of what I saw and felt, but also have space to insert their own thoughts and passions.

I was in New Orleans for a few days last week, and managed to find some free time Friday to wander around a bit and see what was there. These are a few of the images I created. Some will make it in the final collection. Some might not. And I'll do some exploring up here in the Delta as well in a few days. I'll be sure to post some of those images when I do.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Not just on the images, but on whatever "icon" means to you -- or any other thoughts you might have and would like to share.

Take care.


~wj

giving thanks and reaching out

The holidays are here.

For many, this is a wonderful time of love and family. It's a time that is anticipated all year long. A time of laughter, happiness, peace, and gratitude.

And this is what this time of year should be about.

But for others, this time of year can be a bit lonely. It stirs up memories of loved ones we miss, and long to be with us for just one more season.

And while I don't intend to bring all of you down from your holiday celebration, I do think it's important to reflect on all aspects of our lives. To think about those that are less fortunate, or are in a personal struggle -- whatever that may be -- and send warm, positive energy to them all.

Then, go and hug the closest person to you, and tell them how thankful you are that they are near you.

The slideshow above is from a project I did a couple of years ago. It is a study of New Orleans, and many of you have probably already seen the images in some form or another. But I wanted to share it again today, as my heart is a bit heavy, but also in the hopes that it might help us all to slow down just a bit, and remember what is truly important.

Bless you all. I hope your holidays are filled with so much laughter that your sides hurt.

~wj

auction, school ties, and giving back

I was recently asked to donate a few items for an auction benefitting a scholarship fund at my alma mater, Millsaps College.

I donated three wood transfers from New Orleans. This is actually a new product I've been working on, and I'm getting really close to introducing these into my regular product line. These are 6"x6", printed on a japanese art paper and transferred to wood blocks, then coated with a gesso and varnish to add texture. I really like the unpredictable results these produce, and I'm excited to get things finalized and begin offering them next year. I'll post some photos soon, but for a quick glimpse you can take a look at the photos the auction folks at Millsaps produced. (They're a little dark, but you get the general idea, I think) You can also see these prints at the Attic Gallery in Vicksburg (along with several others)

Up for auction are three of these prints. They are studies from New Orleans -- fleur de lis from different spots around the city. I believe the bid is for all three prints, but if you have any questions you can email me and I'll be happy to check on it for you. All proceeds for this auction go towards an annual scholarship in the name of Don Fortenberry -- longtime Millsaps faculty and incredible mentor to many.

I'd be honored if you took a look around, and considered bidding.

You can see the items HERE.

~wj

the day after gustav

On the tuesday after Hurricane Gustav made landfall I met my buddy, and fellow photographer, Chris Williams in Vicksburg. Chris lives in New Orleans and he and his wife had evacuated to Jackson. I figured he might want a break from the walls of his hotel room, so I gave him a call.

On my way back home I fully intended to get back as quickly as I could. But I kept seeing things I wanted to photograph, so what should have been a ninety minute drive turned into about a four hour exploration. And it was one I've been wanting to do for quite a while. I'm glad I finally took the time, and I think I'll be releasing these images as a new collection soon.

More will come later. For now, I wanted to share a few of these with you. Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your thoughts.


~wj

faith? . . . . another test?

Today is August 29.

I am scared.

I spent much of this morning fixing things around my house. My wife asked me to do this. Her family is on their way to Cleveland and she wants our home to be as comfortable as possible. This trip has actually been planned for a few months, but it has now gone from what was to be a weekend of relaxation and fun with her mom and brother to a weekend eerily similar to one we had in 2005 with about 15 or 20 family and friends from New Orleans.

Three years ago today Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Mississippi Gulf Coast and pushed it's way into my wife's hometown -- and thus my adopted home - of New Orleans. We watched as Mother Nature punched the city in the gut, kicked it in the knees, and then pushed it to the ground. And the reception that was given to Mississippi wasn't even that cordial. Our coast was just knocked down in one fatal blow. Within 24 hours it was gone. It took weeks and months for New Orleans to be knocked down. But the pain felt by people in both areas was -- and still is -- just the same.

And now Gustav sits in the gulf. Striking fear in all of us. And forcing us to go back to places we hoped would slowly fade from our minds.

So I'm worried.

I'm worried that two of the areas I love most are still too weak for battle. I'm worried that I will spend this weekend huddled around a TV in our den, the lights turned low, the room silent save for the conversation provided by CNN and the Weather Channel. I'm worried about finding the words -- again -- to provide what ever comfort I can to my family, my friends, and my wife should they be forced to watch in amazement as the city they love drowns. I'm worried that I will relive August 29, 2005 all over again.

I'm worried that the strength won't be there this time.

So after I completed the checklist that Jamie gave me this morning, I went into the room in our house where all of the prints from my "New Orleans" show are stored. I flipped through them, remembering what thoughts were in my head when I created each image. Remembering the purpose behind their composition. Remembering how the strength and perseverance of all of the people who had to start over after Katrina left me in awe.

Remembering the faith they all shared.

And I reread the words I wrote in my artist's statement for the show. You can read the entire statement HERE. But for now, I'll just pull the last part and leave these words with you.

Or perhaps I need to leave them with me.

"from New Orleans

. . . I only ask that as you view these images, you keep in mind your family, your friends, and your home. And think about what you would do, and how you would hope people would respond, if this were to happen to you.

And when you ponder this, know that you can’t help but be inserted into this story. Because life is not easy. It’s not fair. It takes great strength and discipline to march on. It takes faith—a tremendous amount of faith. But it can be oh, so wonderful even when it seems to be its most treacherous.

Whether you were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina or not, you have a link to the city of New Orleans. What we see in south Louisiana is an extreme example of what every one of us will go through at some point. Without the bad there is no good. Without fear there is no faith. Without hate there is no love. Yes, these images are from New Orleans, but they could have been created anywhere."


God I hope I am still able to believe in these words in a few weeks.



Bless you all. May you find strength and courage and beauty every time they are needed..

~wj

sharing and community . . . . and a nice dose of dreaming

I'm very honored to be asked to take part in this year's Art Alfresco event sponsored by Viking Range and the Alluvian Hotel. From 5 PM until 8 Pm on Thursday, September 18 the streets of downtown Greenwood, Mississippi will be filled with music, laughter, and art. The event is all about celebrating the art of our region, and many of the businesses in Greenwood will be sponsoring local and regional artists. I'll be showing some new stuff at the Alluvian Hotel and would love for any and all of you to come by and visit. We've got a pretty hefty dinner reservation at Giardina's around 8:30 or 9:00, so if you're around for dinner, come join us! We should have plenty of room, and it's always fun to share a great night with lots of great people!


Hope to see you there!


~wj

"Locals" show at Southside Gallery

Just a reminder that the Southside Gallery in Oxford is holding a group show for the month of June. I've got a few prints from my New Orleans series in it. If you get a chance to stop by while you're in Oxford, please do. Tell 'em I sent you!

Here's a little write up from their website.

If you make it by, shoot me an email or give me a call. I haven't seen the show yet and I'm really curious to know how everything looks.

~wj

Shelby, Sydney, & Hunter ~portrait

Shelby, Sydney, and Hunter came to Cleveland to visit their grandparents and I was asked to come over and create a few images while they were in town. Such great kids. Hunter is such a loving big brother. He's gonna have his hands full with two younger sisters to look out for!

Laurel - Jones County ~commission

Back in January I was asked to travel to south Mississippi to create a few images of the Laurel - Jones County area. The images are going to be used to help decorate the newly renovated offices of a law firm, so I tried to keep that in mind when creating them. The area also has a long history involving the railroad system. I did my best to tie that in as well.

I've selected a handful of images to show above, but if you'd like to see the entire set click HERE. I'll keep you updated as to which of my galleries carry these images as those details are sorted out. You can contact me directly as well for more purchase information.

I hope you enjoy them. Let me know what you think.

Take care,

~wj

baby Joe ~round 3

I've been so busy with weddings this spring that I really haven't had time to schedule many portrait sessions. Katie is one of my favorite clients (and a wonderful artist), so I always do my best to find a time to work with her. Her youngest son Joe turned nine months old around the first of May, so we headed out to create photos to remember this time in his life.

I love the fact that Katie always wants to try something a little different -- at the end of the summer we'll be doing 1 year portraits in a cotton field and outside of a juke joint -- so we headed down to Merigold, Mississippi to work around some of the old brick buildings there. If you're ever heading through the Delta on Highway 61 be sure to stop by Merigold and visit McCarty's Pottery, their restaurant The Gallery, and if you're coming by after dark be sure to stop and eat at Crawdad's.

just a quick note to everyone

I started my Monday by checking in with a few photographer forums. One of the photographers over at OSP created a thread about a friend that had recently passed away. In his post he included this quote from a message the friend had written him some time ago. I thought it was quite poignant and wanted to share it with all of you.

"I think there would be little point to life if it did not end in death. I do not give up on life simply because it ends in death. Rather, life is much more meaningful and important because of its perishable nature. I only have one life to live, and I want to make the most of it."

I think these are wonderful words for all of us to remember as we proceed through our daily checklists. It's too easy to wait just one more day, feel that a message you'd like to send someone is sappy and ridiculous, or slip into our own safe cocoon and watch as the world passes.

I urge you not to do so. Reach out. Embrace life and those that walk through it with you.

And take the time each morning to consider, "Am I making my life what I want it to be?"

Then do it.


blessings,

~wj

baby Avery

Jamie and I did wind up staying in today and I decided to catch up on some editing. So here is a bit of it. More to come the next few days.

About two weeks ago I went down to Laurel, Mississippi to create some black and white images of the area for an interior designer client. While down there I met April and her daughter Avery for a portrait session. I didn't realiuze it beforehand, but after meeting April I learned that her father-in-law is one of my Cousin/Uncle (long story) Roy's best friends. I've met Grandpa Tony many times and played several rounds of golf with him as well, and he is one of my favorite people. Always smiling, always laughing, I don't think I've ever seen Tony in a bad mood. So it was a pleasure to create the first "professional" photos of his granddaughter. I can't wait to see him again so we can talk about it.

We created these images at my friend George Bassi's home. George is the executive director of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel. If you ever get the chance to visit, definitely do so. It really is a little gem of a museum, and the town of Laurel is so lucky to have it there.

Oh, and we did go see Juno tonight. Wow. It is a very smart, funny movie. Ellen Page absolutely deserves her Oscar nomination. If you enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine, you'll love this movie as well. Which, now that I think about it, is not surprising considering they are both Fox Searchlight movies.

And now, a few of Avery's images.

baby Anderson

I spent most of last week working on a commission in Laurel, Mississippi, but the morning before I left I met my friend Heather to photograph her son Anderson. Anderson is Heather's third child, and I've really enjoyed photographing his sister Emma Grace and brother matthew over the years. Another neat thing about going to their house is that it is the house I grew up in! Granted, it's been nearly 25 years since I lived there, but it still kinda feels like home to me. Is that weird?

Anyway, here is Anderson at about 3 months.

Hannah, Natalia, & Kristina

With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, I'm wrapping up a few portrait sessions from last week before moving on to some new sessions this week. These images are from my appointment with Hannah, Natalia, & Kristina. We started inside as I wanted to do some cool black and white images, and then made our way outside to roam the neighborhood and create some color images. The trees down here are finally starting to turn, so I was really excited by the colors we were able to capture. Towards the end of the session the girls said they wanted to play in the leaves, so that's what we did!

















And the slideshow. . .

Henry & Charles

I met up with Henry and Charles at their home in McComb. It was the first "real" photo session they'd had in a while, so I really wanted to get their mom and dad a nice collection of different types of images--black and white, color, and a decent variety between somewhat posed and totally candid moments. We spent about half of the time inside, and a lot of that was just spent letting them play in their bedrooms. A little later, as the sun was going down, we went outside so they could run around a bit and I could take advantage of the great light that was spilling through the pine trees in the yard.

And this is what we came up with.

A few on the sun porch. . .




And upstairs hanging out. . .





The light in the backyard was incredible. . .










And the slideshow. . .

OSP NOLA

Part of my trip last week was spent in New Orleans. I met several other photographers in the French Quarter and we spent three days listening to great speakers and roaming the streets. We had several great models assisting us, and boy were they ever patient with us! I can't imagine how tough it must be to model in the first place, much less in the middle of Bourbon Street with 10 photographers yelling different directions at you. Thanks to all of our models for all of their hard work.

On Monday night we had a night shoot in the French Quarter, and Tuesday we went across the river to a cemetery in Algiers. Here are a few images from those shoots.

I've now stayed in a haunted house. . . .seriously

I've mentioned in recent posts about our family trip to Vicksburg last weekend. I am part of a group show currently showing at the Attic Gallery and my entire immediate family came for Friday night's opening. My parents, my wife, 2 sisters, 1 brother, and 7 neices and nephews. As well as my mother-in-law, step-father-in-law, 3 brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, and several good friends. We spent a great weekend at Cedar Grove Mansion--all 25 or so of us.

What we didn't realize until we were checking out on Sunday, is that Cedar Grove is a very well known haunted mansion. Well to to everyone but us, apparently. I got a kick out of it. My wife was a little freaked out, the nieces and nephews really loved it.

My mother is a syndicated columnist for several small-town papers throughout the southeast. So rather than fumble through my own words trying to describe the experience to you, I figured I'd post her column which tells things in a much more entertaining way than I ever could. The link to her website is in the column on the right-- USA Deepsouth. It's an eclectic collection of musings from writers all over the world. Check it out.

Here is her most recent column, just in time for Halloween:

Living and Dying in Dixie . . .


"With Halloween close by, I’m thinking this is the ideal time to write about my latest adventure. I don’t have many adventures, really, so I grab them when I can.

Last weekend our entire immediate family – 17 of us – traveled to Vicksburg for a reception at the Attic Gallery, a well-known gallery with a fabulous eclectic collection of art. Our son, Will Jacks, is one of 7 artists whose work is being featured this month. (His New Orleans photography images are “powerful and stunning,” according to Lesley Silver, owner of the gallery. Of course, his mom agrees.)

Our accommodations for the weekend were at Cedar Grove B&B, a lovely antebellum home with grounds and gardens aplenty, providing lots of running and ball-playing space for the 7 grandchildren. The October weather was perfect; the staff was friendly and accommodating; the Cedar Grove restaurant was excellent.

G-Man and I were assigned the “General Lee Suite” (all the rooms are called suites) which was located with one other room down a flight of narrow stairs. The only windows in the room were two sets of small French doors that opened onto a tiny, dusty patio. The room looked as if it might have been two rooms at one time – very, very large, but very, very dark, with a red satin bedspread and half-dozen red satin throw pillows. Heavily accoutered, my elegant Uncle Bill would have described the decor.

There was one small problem with our room – the sound of footsteps on the stairs as we tried to get to sleep each night. The only other room on our hall was not occupied, so we were curious about the comings and goings, but we eventually tuned out the noise and snoozed.

The weekend was one to remember. The reception at the Attic Gallery, packed with appreciative viewers, went smashingly. Side trips with the children were made to the Mississippi River, the Vicksburg Battlefield, and to other spots of interest. We were sorry to see our family time draw to an end.

But on Sunday morning, as the adults packed, the children engaged one of the Cedar Grove attendants in a serious discussion about ghosts on the premises.

The genial attendant told them about the “Bonnie Blue Suite” upstairs, a beautiful room with a history. Seems there is a handprint on the wall in that room that refuses to be hidden with paint. The workers paint the room . . . and the handprint reappears. Yes. The children went to see and the print is there. The story is that a Union soldier died in that room, and as he expired he grabbed the wall. His ghost, the attendant said, still roams the mansion.

And why was a Union soldier dying in this Old South mansion?

Alas, or maybe not, the owner of the house, John Klein, was married to a Northerner who was kin to General William T. Sherman. After the siege of Vicksburg, General Sherman sent word that Cedar Grove was not to be destroyed. Instead, he instructed that the huge home should be used as a hospital for Union soldiers. Quite a few soldiers actually died there, and a number of their ghosts walk through the house, the attendant said . . . and they go up and down the staircase.

“Wow!” said the children. “And what other rooms are haunted by ghosts?”

“Well, definitely Suite 23,” he said, “because that was the morgue.”

What? Number 23 is “General Lee’s Suite” – the room where G-Man and I laid our heads each night and listened to the shuffling on the stairs!

The attendant’s eyes were wide as he told the kids. “Your grandparents probably didn’t notice anything since they’re older people, but you children would have been able to detect something different down there.”

I was not overjoyed at this news, but the kids thought that having Bebe and Pop sleep in the morgue was quite a joke.

And in spite of those blasted ghosts tromping up and down the stairs, I slept well.

Happy Halloween!"

~Beth Boswell Jacks

Finally! Caroline is in a better mood. She let me take a picture of
her with Wonder Twin #1 (Wilkins)

More fun stuff below.

From the third floor deck. That's the Mississippi River in the
background.

I'm posting these from my iPhone as we watch the kid's play in the
front yard at Cedar Grove. More info is below (I think)

The Wonder Twins

The back yard at Cedar Grove.

Saturday morning with the family

It's Saturday morning and we're all sitting around watching the kids
play in the yard here at Cedar Grove.

We had a great time at the gallery opening last night, but this
morning is what I was really looking forward to. My sisters live
about three or four hours away, and even though my brother and parents
live just across town it seems like we never get to see each other.
So just sitting around with all the family on a relaxing Saturday
morning is very rare.
I've taken a few pics with my iPhone, but I can only post one at a
time apparently, so I hope this works!

Below left to right. Wilkins (Wonder Twin #1), Beth, Meredith, Wayne,
Jacks (Wonder Twin #2), and Lila. Caroline was cranky and refused to
be in the photo. I'll try sneak a photo later and get it up here.

Thank You Clarion Ledger and Attic Gallery

The Clarion Ledger in Jackson ran a nice little piece about tonight's opening at the Attic Gallery. I was flattered the they chose to use one of my images.

Jamie and I are headed out in about an hour or so to meet lots of family and friends in Vicksburg. It should be a blast. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, especially my nieces and nephews!

(Hi to all--Meredith, Caroline, Lila, Wayne, Beth, and the Wonder Twins--Wilkins and Jacks. old y'all I'd talk about you here!)

Click here for the Clarion Ledger writeup.

Intersecting Visions

I am honored to be asked to participate in a group show at The Attic Gallery in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The show consists of several very talented artists from across the southeast and features two photographers, three painters and two potters. The opening reception is this Friday, October 12 from 7-9 PM. We would love to see you if you can make it!

9-1-1

Today is September 11. I shouldn't have to explain the significance. I just returned from the intersection of Highways 61 and 8 where we held our now annual tribute to the rescue workers from New York and D.C. All of the local emergency personnel line the intersection and we turn the sirens on at precisely 7:45 AM (8:45 Eastern)--the exact time that American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

It is always a very humbling and moving experience for me.

And it seems a bit odd -- a bit skewed I guess -- that just two weeks ago we remembered the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Contemplative times indeed for our country, to say the least.

I've decided to post here my artist statement from my "New Orleans" exhibit. No, it does not address 9-11 directly, but I feel the principles are the same. We are not alone. We are all in this together. The world is much bigger than just "you" or "me". Consider that as you read this you could quite easily replace "New Orleans" with "New York" or "Washington, D.C."

I am not a big political person. I believe what I believe and respect the rights of others to disagree with me. I'm like most other people, I think. I first want to maintain the well-being of my family and friends, and often find myself "too busy" to help out in areas I know I should. We are all busy, and that's OK. But at least a few times each year--just 2 or 3 or 4 times PER YEAR, that's all--we should all stop and consider those people that might not be in our immediate circle of care. You never know what might happen if you just take a few minutes to do this. We'll all be better for it.


From "New Orleans":

August 29, 2005 was a day none of us will forget.

Me? I was sitting in Fratesi’s Grocery in Leland, Mississippi when I first caught a glimpse of the images from New Orleans. CNN was showing live footage of the city and all I could think about was my wife’s family. I knew they were sitting in my den back home, huddled together in front of the television, desperately trying to get any information they could about their homes, friends, family—information about their LIVES.

The weeks following Katrina were complete chaos, but slowly the city is pulling itself up by the bootstraps. I’ve watched my family and friends work tirelessly to get life back to the way they once knew it—which of course they never will. But that doesn’t necessarily mean things won’t be—or aren’t already—better than they were pre-Katrina. It just means they will be different. Some things the same. Some things worse. Some things better. And that is the life we all live. Nothing stays the same. Change is inevitable.

It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to approach all of this—or even if I wanted to try. Early on my mother-in-law began asking me when I was going to photograph New Orleans. We would be visiting, looking at magazines and books documenting the hurricane, and she would always look at me and say ‘When are you going to do this?’ And honestly, it was intimidating for me. Intimidating because of the magnitude of the hurricane itself, intimidating because of the wealth of wonderful pictures already out there, intimidating because I’m not a native—what right did I have to insert myself into this story?

But over the last two years I realized there seems to be a side to all of this that we just don’t hear enough about. Sure, we all know about the horrible conditions, the Superdome, the death, political in-fighting, blame, blame, blame and more blame. It saddens me when I hear people say the citizens of New Orleans got what they deserved. What many people fail to realize is that there is so much good going on in New Orleans right now—so much faith. Faith that the city will one day return to her former beautiful self, faith that neighbors will come home, faith that the levees will not fail them again. Faith that everyone's hard work will resurrect some semblance of life as they once knew it. I know this because I see my family living it everyday.

So these images are created to illustrate—in a somewhat abstract manner—what I’ve observed from my friends and family the last 24 months. It is not meant to be a literal depiction, and it definitely is not meant to be objective. My attempt is to show the range of emotions I’ve seen them go through - are still going through – because of the upheaval in their lives and the strong contrast of living in the Crescent City right now. I only ask that as you view these images, you keep in mind your family, your friends, and your home. And think about what you would do, and how you would hope people would respond, if this were to happen to you.

And when you ponder this, know that you can’t help but be inserted into this story. Because life is not easy. It’s not fair. It takes great strength and discipline to march on. It takes faith—a tremendous amount of faith. But it can be oh, so wonderful even when it seems to be its most treacherous.

Whether you were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina or not, you have a link to the city of New Orleans. What we see in south Louisiana is an extreme example of what every one of us will go through at some point. Without the bad there is no good. Without fear there is no faith. Without hate there is no love. Yes, these images are from New Orleans, but they could have been created anywhere.

"New Orleans" to debut tonight

Today is the 2 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I've spent a lot of time the last several months working on a personal project focusing on the city of New Orleans. Wednesday night will be the opening of my show, and will feature nearly 60 panels--52 of which are my photographic images--telling a story of the last 2 years in New Orleans. The other 8 panels are text panels helping to move the story along.

I am very excited and very nervous, as this has been my baby for nearly 18 months and it's finally ready to share with the world--I hope. I've shared a few of the images the last couple of months here as I developed the look and feel. Everything is highly textured, pretty blurry, and at times a bit confusing--all done very much purposefully. I want the image to feel like the city feels--a bit beat up, but with tremendous beauty underneath all that muck. I hope I've pulled it off.

Anyway, if any of you are anywhere near North Mississippi Wednesday night I would love for you to stop by. Wine, cajun food and lots of good music will also be a part of the evening.

And whether you can make it or not, please keep those affected by Katrina in your prayers.

For more information you can download the press release here.

Meet Mollie Townsend

Valerie and Paul Townsend brought their adorable daughter Mollie by for some 1 year pics. She is too cute! We had a great time and Jamie and I can't wait to hang out with them more often.

Here are a few images. Check the slideshow out here.

"Spirit" series almost finished!

I'm on my way down to New Orleans to finish my "Spirit" series of black & white images. The idea is to show the "feeling" of New York and New Orleans following the 911 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. I will be following "Stations of the Cross", a Catholic tradition in the city which involves a winding path to several churches and cemetaries.

Here are a few images from the series.


To find out more, visit my website, go the the ". . .myDelta. . ." side, and click on the ". . .what I'm working on" section.

Laurel - Jones County