18 Miles to Graggy Gardens

A recent project I’ve been working on etitled 18 Miles to Graggy Gardens has been published on my website. Check it out here. Its a nice little body of landscape photos. I’ve got a little statement about it that I will add later.

Nov. Our State

The November issue of Our State Magazine features my photos in an article about the Womansong group here in WNC. They had a performance a short while back at UNCA.

Copyright Our State Magazine

Palin II

As I’ve culled some more photos, there seems to be another entries worth here. Again, I’ve looked at a lot of the crowd during the rallies.  The responses to the politicians are the interesting phenomenon, moerso often than the politician. Although there is some intrigue into just why they are so popular, especially in Sarah Palin’s case.  Both sides express their vitriol and their passion, is there a middle ground?

Then there’s the personal message from Sarah to her mother. Rather a nice gesture. I like her use of the heart for the letter “O” in mom and also the dot of the “i”. You know what would be really cool is if she were to become VP and then even Prez, if she would send letters to heads of state and dot the “i”s with hearts.

Copyright Scott Lessing Hubener

Sarah Palin Rally

With the election about a week away, the campaigns are in the final stages of visits to the swing states. Here in NC, we’ve had visits from the candidates since the spring when the Democratic nominee was still undecided. Yesterday, Sarah Palin made an appearance. While documenting the event I was struck with just how popular she is among her supporters.  I’m sure she gets larger crowds than McCain.  On these campaigns, there is almost the auro of rock star status, and Palin is McCain’s answer to Obama’s celebrity. It will be interesting to see if McCain loses the election what becomes of Palin. With her popularity, she will probably run in 2012. Populism can really only take you so far, as John Edward’s campaign illustrated.

I unfortunately missed Obama’s rally a couple weeks back when I was ill, but really would have loved to attend. I did make it to Hillary’s event a few months back. Hillary’s rally was also held in the civic center, like Sarah’s but in a different hall.  The dichotomy between these women became even more so apparent to me yesterday. During Hillary’s rally she was dressed in her typical pants suit and looked the part. But Sarah, however was in a casual outfit, the first time I’ve seen her in such. She was wearing jeans and looked very different than her usual dresses. Maybe in light of the $150,000 shopping spree she’s going casual. That or she thinks NC is where the “folks” live and to play that angle.

Its interesting to see the different crowds that attend each party’s appearences and the strong belief each hold that their candidate and party is the “right” and sensible one. At yesterday’s event, it also became apparent to me how many children were there and really into the whole thing. Many of them had buttons and hats and even signs saying who they support, as if they could vote. Well they’ll be voting in a few years anyway.

It was also Sarah Palin’s mothers birthday. So she called her on the phone and had the crowd sing her happy birthday. Sarah seemed to be taking it all in too. From just a couple months ago when she was an unknown to now where she’s receiving crowds of thousands chanting her name and traveling the whole country must feel surreal at times.

Copyright Scott Lessing Hubener

Renate Aller ‘Seascapes – One Location 1999 to present’

No recent posts as I’ve been unmotivated and looking for something that speaks to me.  After much searching and contemplating, I found some work by Renate Aller that I really respect. She has an upcoming show at Klompching Gallery beginning Nov. 6th.  This body of work is entitled ‘Seascapes – One Location 1999 to present’ which I like so much for the fact that it is one location. I like the idea of transformation and change which is so well executed in this series.

I bet the prints look absolutely fantastic. Renate’s getting some good mileage out of this work. It has appeared in a number of American as well as European galleries.  They are very small editions, 3 for the large 40×60 and 10 for the 28×40.

Copyright Renate Aller

Election

This seemed like and appropriate post given the upcoming election. The more things change, right?

Give Me Some Truth

I’m sick and tired of hearing things
From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocritics
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
Ive had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth

I’m sick to death of seeing things
From tight-lipped, condescending, mamas little chauvinists
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth now

I’ve had enough of watching scenes
Of schizophrenic, ego-centric, paranoiac, prima-donnas
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth

Ah, I’m sick and tired of hearing things
From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now

I’ve had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now

-John Lennon

Stephen Shore American Beauty

Very interesting interview with Stephen Shore. He offers some great insight into his working method and purpose of photographing. I didn’t realize he had photos purchased by MOMA when he was as young as 14! I like his description of working “wordlessly”, a very accurate and acute statement.

More Craggy Project

More images from my Craggy Series. The rain that we had the other day made for some great moody photos. I’ll keep going up for the next month or two, access will get difficult once winter comes and they shut down the parkway.  But the idea isn’t to document the place for a year or anything. I’m not looking for each season, in fact season isn’t even relevant to this body of work.  Its about the place and mood.

Copyright Scott Lessing Hubener

Cars of Blue

I’ve been busy working on a couple of projects and being sick. Last weekend I came down with strep and it kicked my ass, so things have been slow on the posts this week.  One of my projects is landscape and the cloudy weather has been good for working. These photos are from a couple weeks back, I found them while driving around scouting for a location.

Copyright Scott Lessing Hubener

Monkey Waiters

I need one of these guys for around the house. Relax, they can only work 2 hours a day and are paid with Soybeans.  Not a bad gig.

To Craggy Gardens

A few recent photos from a new body of work.

Copyright Scott Lessing Hubener

Kicks

ASMP Asheville Meeting

On Thursday, Oct. 9th Jeff Zimmerman and Max Cooper will both be speaking at our ASMP monthly meeting. Jeff will be showing some of his recent work from British Columbia and Max will be showing his recent documentary of the River Arts District. Don’t miss this event. The meeting begins at 7PM at Curve Studios on the corner of Lyman and Riverside Dr. which is right across from 12 Bones Restaurant. The event is free and open to the public.