What Beauty
Again, a cold, wintry day, no one out on the streets of Menerbes, the light was gray, the town was ancient history, stones and more stones, and then, perhaps 30 feet away, I see a stain of acid-green leaking out into the street, a kind of luminous, neon-ish color that had nothing to do with anything in the town. This color is a modern artifact, and as such it defies naturalness.
So, naturally, I let myself be drawn toward the light, already feeling my openness and anticipation beginning to play with the ‘what ifs’ that might await me. And there it was! I cannot tell you what it was, as it only showed itself as a window, no store, just a space someone wanted to show this in. What was really fun was to stare into the room for 2-3 minutes and then turn around and look at the world. Everything was a glowing, electric magenta, which of course faded in 30 seconds or so, but was a lovely optical trip for the time it lasted. (you might want to try it right here on this page where, just a moment ago, I got the same flash of magenta on the screen when my eyes flicked to the side)
Let’s face it, photography is an optical trip too!
On the way back to my car I saw the daylight changing and glowing in its own natural way, not to mention the lovely complexity of the layers, and I am sure that my response was in relation to that window I stood in front of a half hour before. The green! and the glitter of the light on the land, although less intense than the window, were nonetheless wondrous, as only nature can be. How many times daily do I stop and say, ‘what beauty’!
ONCE MORE AROUND THE SUN 
I look forward to this blog every day. It’s my email highlight almost the clammer of daily digital onslaught and I genuinely enjoy it. There is a natural wow from an insight from someone of such talent, described by those far more able that I, who worked with Winogrand, Arbus and Friedlander (can you guess the exhibition I wish I’d seen!) but who’s work I look at as often as possible. But I also love the way the blog comes. I make myself scroll slowly down reading your words first before viewing the image and it adds so much to the insight and enjoyment. Thank you Joe for your effort in producing this, it’s truly appreciated. Mark
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Dear Mark, I am grateful for your support and the way you are taking in what is emerging from this study of mine. As for those 3 greats I should tell you that John Szarkowski had originally planned for 4 photographers in that show and I was the 4th. But I was also the youngest and though my work was coming into focus I didn’t feel ready then to be putting my work out there with artists who had ten years on me. I was fortunate enough to have a one man show there a year later.
Many thanks for following the blog.
Joel
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Hi Joel
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I’ve been looking at ND a lot recently and didn’t know that. Yet another gift, thank you!
I look forward to the next post!
With kindest regards
Mark
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Hey, you found a landscape inside a room and the room was lit by kriptonite. I love this art cave. Everyday gifts come to those who are willing to receive them, don’t they?
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Thank you for these moments of beauty! I am happy to see your pictures each day, but also your writing.
You opened my eyes to takes these beauty moments around me, on my daily ways, into my heart.
That makes me happy!
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