I have written before about this year's Taos Fall Arts Festival, which began on Friday evening, 25 September and ran through 4 October.  For the second year, it was punctuated by The Paseo, a multi-media event staged throughout the downtown Taos area.  One of the requirements for artists entering work in the Taos Select portion was that the work must have been produced in the last year, and not published or displayed in a commercial venue.  Thus, many painters, sculptors, printmakers, woodworkers, photographers, and weavers hold back work for the event.  Since the event is over, I will show you the piece that was accepted.

A funny story accompanies the work.  When we went to opening night, it took a long time to find it.  That is because, despite the label stating photography as the category, it was hung on a wall with four paintings - yes, paintings.  I did not know whether to be flattered or disturbed because so many of you never saw it due to what was either an error or a thematic choice by the show's curator.  I leave it for you to decide.  The photograph is titled Ghost Ranch Geology, and it was not altered in any way other than cropping, enlarging, and adding contrast along with some black.

Ghost Ranch geology Since this variation on a theme of the mariposa or sego lily was a slightly different image than the one I used in this blog, I also entered it, but it was not accepted.  So I included it in the miniature category which was not juried.

sego lily At both the opening and for some time thereafter, numerous comments have been made about winners in any given category.  And opinions are as varied as the artists and attendees.  This quote from The Wild Braid by Stanley Kunitz, says it all.

"When you look back on a lifetime and think of what has been given to the world by your presence, your fugitive presence, inevitably you think of your art, whatever it may be, as the gift you have made to the world in acknowledgment of the gift you have been given, which is life itself.  And I think the world tends to forget that this is the ultimate significance of the body of work each artist produces.  That work is not an expression of the desire for praise or recognition, or prizes, but the deepest manifestation of your gratitude for the gift of life."

I keep threatening that one of these days, I will put together a book of quotations accompanied by my photographs.  I started categorizing a four inch thick folder of pithy text and quotes today.  One has to begin a project like this at some point, rather than endlessly ruminating over it.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@