A Heart-Felt Testimonial Makes It All Worth While!
At every Photography As Art seminar I present, I’m consistently reinvigorated in my approach by the heart-felt words I receive from participants. The exchanges before, during, and after my presentation illustrate why I take this message of changing the way you see as a photographer and artist on the road.
I received a testimonial from Jack, an attendee of the Portland event this past Sunday, who’s kind words and the time he took to send them are a true pay-off for the energy I’ve put into creating and continually refining the message of Photography As Art.
I was so appreciative of this gesture that I asked Jack for his permission to share his words. He has summarized so well the perspective I hope everyone is able to take away from these seminars. Enjoy!
I attended the “Photography as Art” seminar in Portland this past Sunday. I continue to mine the experience and discover more and more gold.
It was amazing how different it was to be at the seminar versus watching Art on Creative Live. One could not help but feel a connection to Art, the person. He is one of the most open, vulnerable, accepting and receptive people I have been around. It is easy to see how he makes such a strong connection to people all over the planet. Who he is as a person is integral to his art and his photography. What I came away with is much deeper and broader than the content of what Art taught (valuable as that was).
Art is a work in progress. He is constantly changing and evolving. Rather than whining about the radical changes in photography over the past decade, he uses those changes as an opportunity to grow and move in new and different directions. This is a life lesson. I am 81 years old, but I find this lesson as valuable today as when I was 20 (maybe even more so with the dramatic demands of aging). I started my photographic journey in 1950 with a Brownie Hawkeye and an el cheapo darkroom in my tiny closet. What I know is that I am the best photographer and artist that I have ever been right now.
What Art made crystal clear was that being an artist and a fine photographer is no sense dependent upon traveling the globe the way that he has. Rather it is all about training the eye. His presentations demonstrated that he sees things that few of the rest of us see. But what he helped us to understand is that what is crucial is that “seeing” is a learnable skill. If we are intentional and focused and willing to work at it, all of us can develop our eyes and see things that we have not seen before. If we were bed-ridden, we could still continue to grow as artists and photographers; we would still have the potential to create some of our best work.
I think that most of us came away with a deeper hope for our creative journeys. Seeing how truly “alive” Art is made each of us aware of our potential to be more truly alive. And for my money that is much more important than art or photography per se.
-Jack
Portland, Oregon
Beautifully stated Jack.
I haven’t seen the presentation in person yet. I want to see it, or take a workshop with Art for just the reasons Jack has mentioned! Art’s curiosity, creativity, and zest for life are inspirational!
Art, I concur fully with Jack. I too was in the room in Portland. Drove down from Whidbey. I have described my reaction as “being taught how to see more”. And I firmly believe that when beauty and serenity and grace is shared with others, that we receive a blessing. Thank you for that, Art. Sincerely Gray Giordan
To Jack, Beautifully written, and moving! Though I’ve not had the fine opportunity to personally attend a workshop, I nevertheless identify with much of the sentiment you expressed. I do feel though that Art’s invigorating spirit comes through the screen to touch other souls wishing to glean his wisdom.
Art has not only made me a better photographer, but he has indeed made me a better artist, and a more appreciative, observant, creative human being. Many of the lessons he teaches have become ingrained into my subsconsious, and now I often find myself appreciating beauty in unexpected places, such as the long evening shadow of a screw lying atop an old and peeling painted surface. It has been delightfully enrighing to become witness to the omnipresent artful process that is life, even among the seemingly stagnant. Art’s wisdom shared extends far beyond photography, into lessons of living fully, and of constantly evolving our dance with our ever-changing universe.
To Art, thank you, sincerely, for all expressed above, for sharing your eyes not only through the lens, but also through teaching us HOW to develop perspective. Your work and your lessons are truly spiritually invigorating!
Thank you for sharing Jack’s wonderful comments. I’ve thought too as I lay in bed watching the beautiful morning light in my bedroom or as I photograph flowers in my house that there is beauty to be seen everywhere and physical limitations don’t need to be creative limitations. Thank you, Art, for sharing the gifts and talents you have developed and for inspiring and teaching others to develop theirs.
Beautiful expressed. Having attend the inaugural Photography as Art seminar, I completely agree with the sentiments.
Like Jack; i can understand that; discovring things that none has not seen is an art. It even helps us to develop hour researches y any domain. Be blessed.