Lake Santeetlah

Joyce Kilmer opines:

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

In Graham County, NC is a memorial forest for the soldier and poet Joyce Kilmer. Yesterday I took my daughter there which was both of our first visits. The virgin forest is home to many of the east coast’s largest trees, which include Poplars with circumference of 30 feet and some over 400 years old. Even having been to Mariposa Grove in Yosemite with the Giant Sequoia’s, I still found these Poplars to be impressive.

After our visit to the forest, we headed over to lake Santeetlah. I made some photos on the bank and was pleased to see this motor boat come into my shot. The boat added to my shot and I felt it was a fortuitous appearance of this lone boat on the empty lake. Santeetlah had good water levels, however Fontana Lake was dry as a bone. The drought here has had a big impact. The lake bed was dry and the houseboats simply sat there in an almost surreal scene on the lake bottom, still tied to the docks.

Balloons and Little Girls

I’ve found out that balloons make little girls very happy. A simple, colorful inflated sphere is the cure-all for sadness, grumpiness, tiredness and many other ills. Balloon animals are also very popular. They too seem to have the magic of making everything ok. Is there such a thing for the beyond 6 crowd? Maybe it’s the pleasure of watching my daughter so happy with her balloon and the joy it brings her?

Its Friday

So here are some links to a couple cool sites. First, our local little camera group, an affiliate of the ASMP is about to hang our second show at the Mayor’s Office on the River Arts District.  Our first show was entitled E-Asheville as I mentioned in a previous blog. So here’s the gallery of the River Arts Show. 

One of the photographers in the show, Monty Tran, has a blog as well, so check it our here. He’s got a lot of great travel and outdoors photos so check it.

Fall is just around the corner and what a great time of year it is.  One of these days I’m going to make it up to Vermont for autumn’s peak.   Because the weather has been a bit cooler and crisper, I’ve hit the Blue Ridge Parkway some.  The leaf colors aren’t there quite yet, but I’ve still been inspired. Here’s to it.

Shepherd Center Photography Contest

I just found out about this at the last minute, but thought I’d pass it along. The ACP is featuring a photo contest for the Shepherd Center. I’m not usually one for photo contests because they usually have high entrance fees for some magazine to keep all the profits and simply award some camera I don’t want. But this one is different. Here’s a little about them:

Shepherd Center is an Atlanta-based private, not-for-profit hospital devoted to the care and rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury and disease, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular conditions.

Our mission is to help people who have experienced a catastrophic injury or disease, which has resulted in a temporary or permanent disability, rebuild their lives with dignity, hope and independence, advocating for their full inclusion in all aspects of community life.

For more than three decades, Shepherd Center has been rebuilding hope in people going through very difficult and life-changing experiences. Rehabilitation at Shepherd is not about lamenting things lost. It is about pushing the limits, creating new ways of achieving personal goals and seeing life in a whole new way. In essence, we help our patients leave Shepherd with a new outlook on the world.

So this contest has a couple of benefits by providing positive and inspirational art to view as well as proceeds to assist a great cause.  Again, sorry to announce this so late, but I just found out about it. Visit their site HERE for more info on entering

ACP

Atlanta Celebrates Photography(ACP) hosts an annual, citywide festival in October. Now in its ninth year, the ACP 9 Festival programming includes photography exhibitions in diverse venues, lectures by both internationally acclaimed and local artists, a portfolio review and walk, a pushpin show called “My Atlanta” open to all Atlantans, a film series, and a public art program.

I haven’t previously attended, but the lecturers this year look good. Alec Soth is speaking at the High Museum of Art on Oct. 11th, which is enough to get me down there. ACP lasts over several weeks and its just too bad I don’t live in Atlanta to attend more of the festival. Of course, its not really too bad I don’t live in Atlanta because (no offense to Atlantans) but its one of the last places I’d want to live. Mainly because of the crazy traffic and epitome of urban sprawl that Atlanta has become. However, being a large city with festivals like this is what you get on the plus side of big city life.

Lake Julian Picnic

Today I went to a picnic at Lake Julian sponsored by Blue Ridge Tax advisors, who do my accounting. It was in celebration of pets, so my dog Sadie made the trip with me.

It was a great day to be at the lake, a nice breeze came off the water. I made portraits of the pets and their owners as well for them to have as memory. While photographing, I snapped a few of the sail boats that were racing back and forth along the lake.

Black Balsam in Fog

The fog took on the color of the setting sun at Black Balsam. This is such a great spot that no matter what the conditions there is always an opportunity for a great photo. I plan on heading back as much as possible over the next few weeks.

Our State Magazine

In the October issue of Our State Magazine my photos are featured in an article on Mrs. Virginia Boone, a rug maker for more than 60 years. I met and photographed Mrs. Boone for the story a couple months back and she’s still at it. She works in her new house now, having moved to a new home to be closer to her son, so the former back yard studio she worked in for over 50 years is no more.

Mrs. Boone’s artistry, craftsmanship and skill is amazing as ever. Her rugs are colorful works of art which are functional as well as decorative and as she insists will outlast any owner,”they’re indestructible” she says.

Black Balsam

Yesterday I went to Black Balsam along the Blue Ridge Parkway to photograph around sunset. As I headed up the mountain, the car and surrounding became encased in a thick fog. Undeterred, I traveled on, more interested in a relaxing hike than a brilliant sunset. As I walked along the path to the summit of the Black Balsam bald, I felt a deep sense of solitude. There were other there, I know as their cars were parked near mine, but the fog hid everything except the immediate surroundings and I never saw another soul.

Upon reaching the summit, there was a small break in the fog. I made a few photos, some of which had the most brilliant orange hue. As fast as it appeared, it was gone, not to appear for the rest of the day. I waited a few moment, just in awe of the beauty around me. On my way back down the path, I made this photo. Gone are the warm hues, however the coolness of the scene makes it very calm and peaceful, just like I felt.

WNC Magazine

WNC Magazine, the new magazine about mountain living in Western North Carolina features my photography in two articles.  The September/October issue is on the newsstands now so check it out. One of the articles is on the local bookstore, Carolina on My Mind, which features many NC authors.

I found a great book while there entitled, A Palpable Elysium by writer, poet and photographer Jonathan Williams with many great photos of his friends and acquaintances.  Jonathan is an Asheville native who attended Black Mountain College in its heyday.  He is a renowned poet who formed the Jargon Society, a publisher of many notable poetry books. The book features background on the subjects and includes such notables as Henry Miller, Ezra Pound and Clarence Laughlin among many others. This is such a great book, I can’t praise it enough. Jonathan’s environmental portraits are so striking and the square format of the photos adds to the aesthetic. Get it here

Rapid River Magazine

Rapid River Magazine, the arts and culture magazine of Asheville did a feature on my landscape photography at Gallery Minerva. The writer, Elizabeth Reeves was very complimentary on my work and Gallery Minerva as well. She was kind enough to compare my work to Clyde Butcher, the respected Florida-based landscape photographer.

Rapid River is the oldest and most read arts magazine in the mountains and I was honored to be featured in their article.

Asheville Art Walk

Come by Gallery Minerva on the fourth and final Art Walk of Asheville for 2007. Friday, October 5th 5-8pm. I will have new prints up, including a panel of 3 40×60 inch landscape prints.

Asheville Downtown Gallery Association Invites you to visit the downtown galleries to enjoy the fine art that they have to offer. The Asheville Downtown Gallery Association has Thirty-one downtown galleries for you to visit that are listed on the Downtown Gallery Guide with a map to help you along the way at any participating downtown gallery, the Chamber of Commerce, or Pack Place.

Goodnight, now it’s time to go home.

LAAFF, Lexington Ave. Arts and Fun Festival (now thats a mouthful) was yesterday. They’re right, it was fun. I spent my time going between the festival and the Rockin’ For Tick Tock benefit for my friend Victoria “Ticker” Landers, which went well raising money and awareness for cancerLocal bicyclist and innovator, Michael Mooney, went for the Guiness World Record for riding the tallest bike.

Unfortunately he took a spill and injured his knee, which kept him from being able to complete the ride and win the record.

On the way to my car, I walked past a local bar that was closed. Looking into the window,
I saw the tables set and a house lights illuminating the room.

 

Rockin’ For Tick Tock

 

My friend, Victoria Landers, or Ticker to all of her friends, is fighting colon cancer. This Sunday at Hannah Falnnigans Irish Pub in downtown Asheville, a benefit will be held called Rockin’ For Tick Tock.  Ticker is one of the sweetest people I know and so full of life. The event has been put on by Ticker’s friends to help raise awareness to cancer.  There will be music all day as well as an auction of art donated by local artists. The proceeds will go to help Ticker with her medical bills as well as to the American Cancer Society. Be sure and visit the website for further details at Rockin’ For Tick Tock.

I have donated two photographs, including the one above taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Be sure and stop by to show your support.