The Inner Path of Photography

We yearn for the taste of the sacred…and through our cameras discover it, the world, and ourselves.

“You are the Artist of Your Life” program inspired teens at Kennedy Place, Houston

"Bicycle Rider" by Jasmine, Kennedy Place Houston

This June and July, I had the pleasure of teaching my 6-week class “You are the Artist of Your Life: Exploring Life Direction Through Photography” to a group of teens age 10-17 from Kennedy Place, Houston, Texas.

The class is designed to expose teens to the art of photography, as well as introduce tools to look at their lives and futures. Each week this summer teens learned about the roots of photography and looked at a diversity of  other photographers’ work, shot how they felt and saw their world, and reflected, wrote, and began creating visions and dreams for their own lives.

The photograph above is one of the fine images that came from these creative young photographers, and is the first of images in a short slideshow which reflects the highlights of their work.

A framed collage of images also hangs in the Kennedy Place Community Center.

“You are the Artist of Your Life: Exploring Life Direction Through Photography – Teens” was sponsored by Houston Housing Resources, Inc. through a grant from the Simmons Foundation, and by contributions from Taos Mountain Radiology (Paul Johnson, MD) and Christina M. Gucwa, Attorney at Law.

Many thanks  for the opportunity to inspire and support these creative, passionate teens!

A special thanks to Amy Goldstein (HHR) who conceived of the “Black Frame Project” of which this program was a part.  The “Black Frame Project” invites and supports artists to teach in the communities, recognizing the potential of arts to inspire, uplift, and create positive change.

See a full description of “You are the Artist of Your Life:  Exploring Life Direction Through Photography” here.

See the slide show on Vimeo here.

NY Times.com: “A Bare Market Lasts One Morning”

I love seeing people being creative with their thoughts and their vision.The message of this art piece and the way this artist chose to educate people caught my attention.

NY Times article about “Ocularpation” performance art by Zefrey Thorwell on Wall Street, Monday, August 1.

Playful and with a simple, accessible meaning. Wish I could have been in New York to see it!

“Kids in Calcutta and kids in Tulsa right now are talking about Wall Street, but they have never been there, and don’t know that there’s a Tiffany’s,” he (Zefrey Thorwell) said, or “that there’s more sandwich shops than banks, that there’s more gyms happening there than stock trading.” Demystifiying the street, he said he felt, was one step in educating people about the interconnected financial realities and critiquing the system. (NY Times article, 8.1.2011)

“It’s about the story you have to tell. The camera is just a tool.” – Jerome Liebling

“Jerome Liebling’s photo classes often seemed to be about everything but photography, James Estrin recalls. And that, it turns out, was exactly the point.”

New York Times Article, Jerome Liebling, photographer who died Wednesday…

Peter Cooper & Eric Brace – Inspiring Musicians

I believe it’s important for artists to get their inspiration and support from all kinds of sources…not just other photographers, for example.

This weekend I went to McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston and heard these amazing  musicians…both singer/songwriters of great talent. It was a magical evening, reaffirming my faith that there are still many fine artists out there who are dedicated to and perfecting their craft…and that it is an act of love to do so and share and inspire others.

Peter Cooper writes beautiful songs that are very visual as well as emotional – I would call them “song pictures” – you can see the picture and feel the story as he sings. One of my favorites was the song about Hank Aaron “715 (For Hank Aaron)” – what a great (and discouraging) story told through music.

Eric Brace has a wonderfully kind and strong energy as he sings. Two songs that that were hauntingly beautiful, in the style of classic loving bluegrass stories. really affected me.  (I turned to the woman at the bar sitting next to me: “Do you know who wrote that?” She answered (loving smile): “My husband.” More, more, Eric!

An added gift was the presence of the well-known Denice Franke, who came up from Galveston for the performance and sang with Eric and Peter on an old Eric Taylor song. More magic. And a great conversation with her afterward about the need to honor all of our interests and allow balance in our lives, so we can create from a joyous center.

Peter and Eric have a great sense of humor – their stage presence enhances and enlivens their songs – and to see and feel the friendship between these two men is another experience to be shared and enjoyed.

Here’s the article that inspired me to go…

Some additional links to music…
Eric & Peter, 14 songs on Reverbnation
Denice Franke from latest album “Gulf Coast Blue”

And my thanks to all for an inspiring evening, inside and out.