Spectacular Views from the Hudson River Walkway

The Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad bridge has been closed since a devastating fire May 8, 1974. Such a large part of the city skyline, it has seemed almost a ghostly presence, a foresaken steel relic doomed to one day simply fall into the river below. Walkway over the Hudson has been trying to convert the bridge into a public walkway since 1992. Construction finally began on this dream project last year and the bridge was officially opened to the public as part of the 400th Centennial Celebration of the 'discovery' of the Hudson River.

The fall foliage made my first walk across the bridge truly spectacular. Though sometimes afraid of heights and despite a healthy wind (see the flag), the bridge didn't sway at all. As you leave the Poughkeepsie side, you walk above houses and roads and rail lines. It's truly breathtaking to stand mid-river and take in the view—Catskill mountains to the north, the Mid Hudson Bridge to the south. I was particularly impressed with the steel truss structure. The 80-spot parking lot is no nearly enough to accommodate the curious. So, best to visit during the week until the crowds thin out.

Originally constructed in 1889 with funds from prominent tycoons Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Carnegie, the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge was deemed to be an extraordinary engineering achievement. The bridge stands 212 feet above the river, stretches 6767 feet and is a classic cantilever and truss bridge.

ASV Tour Draws A Crowd in Clinton Corners

Rather than clean out the barn, my husband suggested setting up a portable gallery under a rented tent for the Art Studio Views Labor Day tour. We had a few tense moments on Friday trying to figure out how to hang my photographs from the rented pipe and drape setup. Five trips to the hardware store and a lot of worrying on my part resulted in a simple, elegant solution involving chains, s-hooks and shower curtain rod hangars! It really looked beautiful (thanks Bill!). The weather was spectacular and a slight breeze drifted through as people wandered through the last 20 years of my photographs. My sister Margaret was such a huge help. She helped talk to people about my work and made tons of sales for me (my mom was her best customer!). I couldn't have dreamed up a better advocate. Her husband, Smitty, made delightful summer treats—heirloom tomatoes with celery on cucumber slices. I met many new neighbors and enjoyed talking at length to everyone, especially the handful of young aspiring artists and old family friend Jimmy Borghoff and his family. I was deeply touched by everyone's genuine interest in me and my work. Thank you all!

p.s. If you're wondering, I rented the tent from Paul Crittenden at Aladdin Tent 889-8547 in Hyde Park. He's wonderful to work with.

Hudson Valley Art Studio Views Tour Labor Day Weekend

Are you staying home this Labor Day and looking for cool stuff to do? The annual Art Studio Views Tour will be Saturday and Sunday September 5 & 6 from 11am to 5pm. I’m stop #1 (sometimes it pays to have a last name that begins with ‘A’!). Come on by and see what photography I’ve been up to. There are 22 other talented artists on the tour, so make sure to leave time to visit other studios. You can download a map and artist details at artsnortherndutchess.org/asv to plan your route. My friend and fellow Hudson Valley 7 member, Joanne Klein lives just around the corner from me.

I’m going to have all kinds of photographs for sale—Dutchess County Fair, Cowgirls, Truths, Lies and Legends, New York City, Ominous Skies and more. I’ve got to clean out the barn so prices will be discounted at least 50%.

As an extra bonus, I designed the ASV brand this year—from logo to website to brochure and more. So when you go the ASV website, know that it was a Full Deck Design project. I can’t wait to see the logo plastered all over Northern Dutchess!

Fair Photos at Barnes & Noble

The Dutchess County Fair runs from August 25-30 this year. I’ll be giving a slide show with my latest fair photos as well as some historic ones at the Kingston Barnes & Noble on Sunday, August 23rd at 3:00pm. I’m always interested in meeting people with fair stories, so please pass the word to everyone who might have one to share with me. Of course, I’ll be signing copies of my book The Dutchess County Fair: Portrait of an American Tradition (Black Dome Press, 2007).

It’s also a great opportunity to see the images from my Truths, Lies and Legends collection that are hanging in the café. I’d LOVE to talk about that.

So, come out on the 23rd, we’ve got lots to talk about!

Insider's Look: Jumper

My Photo Stories
Swimming in the crystal-clear lake was strictly forbidden, but after a 5-mile run Anna didn’t care.
Or…
After losing his job and then his wife all in one day, Alexander wondered if a belly flop off the 60-foot drop would put him out of his misery.
Or…
Upon awakening from a sun nap on the warm October rocks, Sally saw the line of fire ants marching into her shirt.
Or…what are your story ideas?

Behind the Photo
The water in the lake at Minnewaska State Park is crystal clear. Some strange chemical combination prevents any life from enjoying its beauty. Once, I took a photograph half below the water here and half above for the cover of a publication printed by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

Be the first to buy a Jumper print and get a 50% discount on the size of your choice. This is my August 2009 home page photo, part of my Truths, Lies and Legends collection.

Barnes & Noble Artist of the Month

The Kingston, NY Barnes & Noble has invited me to be artist of the month for August. I'm very excited about showing 10 pieces from my Truths, Lies and Legends collection. [One of the pieces—Aluminum Foiled—is on loan from the collector.] The common thread throughout all of my work as photographer is that I consider myself a storyteller. Until now, I have used a journalistic approach where multiple images seen together tell one complete story. With The Truths, Lies and Legends images, each image tells a story of its own. I choose a spectacular natural setting and place something in the frame—a card with crayon-colored boxes, a bicycle, flowers—that transforms the scene from a landscape into a stageset. Then, I write stories to possibly explain the scene. Those stories frame each image as you can see in the above image. Come on out to see what it's all about!

Jokers Are Welcome at Full Deck Design

I don't usually talk about my day job on this blog, but today I simply couldn't resist. I've just opened a boutique graphic design firm specializing in web and print media—Full Deck Design. My first job was to create a brand for an open studio tour for a group of artists. The artists love what I designed and are hoping it will attract lots of visitors this labor day. If you'd like to see it, check out a mini view on my newly launched website or check out the Art Studio Views website directly.

Please consider asking me for an estimate the next time you need web or print work. You'll get the full deck if you hire me!

July 4th Parade: A Slice of American Pie

Insider's Look: Frosted Pumpkin

My Photo Stories
His father made fun of him for being afraid of the family jack-o-lantern, but Teddie had a plan to get rid of it.
Or…Sick and tired of green goose poop littering his cornfields, his tractor tires and his boots, Farmer O’Leary took to scaring them off with lit jack-o-lanterns.
Or…Ned just missed seeing little Jack Frost powder the corn stalks with the season’s first frost, the breath from his tiny horse forming large clouds of white smoke.
Or…what are your story ideas?

Buy a Frosted Pumpkin Photo
Be the first to buy a Frosted Pumpkin print online and get a 50% discount on the size of your choice. This is my July 2009 home page photo, part of my Truths, Lies and Legends collection.

Bounty Show Big Success

The weather was dismal, but the G.A.S. gallery was packed. The first group show of the Hudson Valley 7 was a major success. For the first time, I showed work from my Truths, Lies and Legends collection—a combination of my written storytelling and my photography. I was a little nervous about what people might think, but was delighted to hear giggles and words of praise as people read the stories. I even sold one! Thanks to everyone for coming. Thanks to Jen for snapping my picture!

Loved Lisbon

Lisbon is a charming city. The old trolley cars from San Francisco run up and down its steep hills. A broad, tree-lined central avenue reminiscent of La Rambla in Barcelona runs to the heart of the city. Much of the old town was completely wiped out by a devastating earthquake/tsunami. Since it was all rebuilt at the same time and under the control of a king, the buildings flow seamlessly into one another. Instead of marble, the Portuguese use an easy-to-carve type of lime that comes in shades of black, white, blue and rose. Tiles of it decorate event the sidewalks. The Monastery of Saint Jerome shows off spectacular carvings in the white lime. We didn’t have nearly enough time in Lisbon. I will definitely return one day.

Gray is the Color Porto

Porto, like the liquor of the same name, is an acquired taste. The gray skies melt into its gray buildings—broken only occasionally, and as a result, somewhat shockingly—by brilliantly -colored ceramic tile facades. The tiles apparently stand up to the stormy Atlantic weather. A brutal dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, ruled Portugal from 1932 to 1968. The scars of his torture and pillage remain in the minds of its people. In a small town not far from the border, a statue of a broken chain celebrates their freedom upon his death.

BOUNTY: A Show by the Hudson Valley 7

About once a month, I get together with 6 other artists to talk about art, motivate each other and enjoy each other's home cooking. We call ourselves the Hudson Valley 7 and we're about to have a group show at the G.A.S. gallery at 196 Main Street in Poughkeepsie. I'm going to be showing work from my new collection, Truth, Lies and Legends. The opening reception is sure to be as lively as the art. Join us June 20 from 6-9 pm.

Jennifer Axinn-Weiss is a mixed media artist who has exhibited for over 25 years. Jennifer creates textured, often figurative works, at times blurring the boundary between painting and collage. She currently employs vintage imagery of Geisha and Victorian women evoking both romance and contemplation.

Susan Hoffman, a pioneering contemporary quilt maker for over 35 years, thinks like a painter. Fabric is her palette and stitches are her pencil. Using traditional piecework and quilting techniques, she is inspired by the environment we share and the warmth quilts generate— both literally and metaphorically.

Joanne Klein creates minimalist color field paintings in which color relationships and linear planes are fundamental to the articulation of emotive content. Her work is both controlled and exuberant.

E. Elizabeth Peters is a multidisciplinary artist whose recent work explores the history of 17th century Dutch still life painting and the continuing impact of global trade and post colonialism in contemporary art and culture.

Helen Suter incorporates diverse, reused materials in her large-scale steel constructions, small objects and works on paper. Her current body of work reflects her opposition to all wars, an idea to use fabric and her confidence in communicating perceptions, feelings and concepts through purely visual means.

Elizabeth Watt is a photographer whose lush 20x24 polaroid Botanical studies are reminiscent of Dutch still life paintings. Elizabeth draws her inspiration from painting, collage, sculpture and nature. Her photographs are characterized by a painterly sensibility, classical composition and exquisite light.

Seaside in San Sebastian and Cathedral-side in Santiago de Compostela

One cool thing about traveling with a tour group is the local guide who introduces you to their city and its history. Cristina, our guide to San Sebastian was a chatty, lively woman who shared (perhaps too much) its history. Napoleon conquered the city in 1858. When the Spanish forces came to liberate them from his reign in 1863, they trashed the place and burned it to the ground. As a result, there are very few old buildings.

San Sebastian became a popular seaside resort when Queen Elizabeth visited as part of a cure for a herpes (!) condition. Her treatment included medication and a daily dip in salt water. An oxen-drawn carriage was pulled through the sea enabling the water to rise up through her skirts. At the end of her stay, the herpes was gone, she spoke of its beauty and its cure, and the place has been a hot spot for the rich and famous ever since.

Life in the Mountains of Northern Spain