October 2013

Back Door Beauty Vernal, Utah 2013

I had intended to camp out in the mountains of northeast Utah the first night on my way to Arizona. Turns out there must be a bunch of light weight campers there as all the campgrounds were closed for the season. So I kept heading south looking for something that was open. With no success by the time I hit Vernal, Utah and being very tired I headed to that all American campground, the Walmart parking lot. One of the many things not to like about spending the night in a Walmart parking lot is the fact that they are so darn well lit it’s hard for me to sleep. I headed around back of the building hoping to find a less bright spot with no luck, but I did happen to catch the full moon coming up over the hill. I gave up on Walmart and just headed out of town, pulling a bit off the highway to sleep out in the desert. Turns out though that a full moon in a sand covered desert does a pretty good imitation of a Walmart parking lot in terms of lighting. So, between the full moon and the nice highway patrolman who came by at 2 a.m. to make sure I was o.k., I didn’t get much sleep. But at least the ambiance of the place was certainly an improvement over Walmart.    ]]>

Home Sweet Hogan Hubbell Trading Post, Arizona 2013

I just arrived at the Hubbell Trading Post where I will be artist in residence for the next two weeks. This stone hogan is where I will be living. Not bad digs, especially compared to some of the primitive hogans I drove by on my way here (although I saw some pretty tricked out ones as well). The only thing primitive here though is the internet access which is slow as molasses when I can get connected. So even though I intend on posting POTDs daily while here, don’t be surprised if some of them do not arrive until I return home to Montana in November!]]>

Swinging Bridge Spokane,Washington 2013

This footbridge runs across the Spokane River just north of town where I camped one night.

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Waiting on Second Avenue Spokane, Washington 2013

Waiting for the bus? Her ride? Or just something interesting to happen.

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Make Your Own Luck Spokane, Washington 2013

A less formal display of words of wisdom from the streets of Spokane than that I posted yesterday; a call to action of sorts. Some would say however that, like originality, luck is also non-existent.]]>

Originality is Non-Existent Spokane, Washington 2013

This is a very scary assertion for an artist, or at the very least one that should stimulate some serious contemplation. It’s actually a quote from Jim Jarmusch, the movie director who is most well known (at least to me) for the movie Dead Man. Dead Man is probably one of Johnny Depp’s least known films. It’s a great movie in my opinion, although not for the less adventurous cinema fan. Here is the context of Jarmusch’s quote, a perspective I can largely agree with:

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.”

–Jim Jarmusch, The Golden Rules of Filming

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Latent Potential #21 Bozeman, Montana 2013

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Agave in Greens and Grays Spokane, Washington 2013

This is what the agave looked like once the fog cleared. As with most of my subjects, I photograph agaves with the intention of converting them to black and white images, but with these colors I just couldn’t go monochrome on this one.

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Agave in FogSpokane, Washington 2013

Last week I took a quick trip to Spokane to deliver some work to a gallery. While there I visited the Gaiser Conservatory at Manito Park. The greenhouses at the conservatory were warm and humid while it was chilly, in fact near near freezing outside, so when I walked in my glasses as well as my camera lens fogged up. I waited until my glasses cleared up to start taking photos, but it turns out my camera lens wasn’t yet clear. So this is indeed a photo of an agave in fog, just not the kind of fog you’re used to thinking about.]]>

Spent Beauty #5 Bozeman, Montana 2013

Arrowleaf balsamroot leaf.

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