Pictures I Took

Recently, my first ever attempt at arranging an exhibition of my photography was rejected by the gallery because my art is “not socially relevant.” Perhaps the title of my show is too mundane. I called it “Pictures I Took.” Apparently, I have no actual message that I want to explore, no awareness to raise. I should have photographed struggling immigrants on the border or sea life entangled in garbage. My equipment was too low tech too since most of my pictures were taken with my phone. I was going to shoot cellophane with a Hasselblad, but the one hour photo developing booth in my town is a sushi stand now. With little recourse, I elected to dump my boring artwork on all of you.

So here is my art show that never was.

"Red Pail" is my wife, Christine, and son, Aidan, on the beach in 2006. I made a watercolor out of the picture, much to the dismay of the artist's community. Watercolor is my favorite medium, one in which I will never master. You have to paint flawlessly. It's not like you can just paint over your mistakes like with oils. Now with Photoshop, we all can be Georgia O'Keefe.



Aidan in front of "Spring Flowers" in 2005. A friend of mine told me what kind of flowers these were, but I forgot.



"Snowground" captures Aidan in the snow in 2006. He and I often frequented playgrounds in the winter.

"Train Show" is a picture of Uncle John and Aidan in 2008 watching a video of cows moving onto a Lionel cattle car from a platform.



"William the Lumberjack," our youngest stares confidently into the vast wilderness.

"Used Books" has Aidan paying homage to a lamp in 2007. I like the one point perspective.

"Lucy's Kite" is my friend's mother at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Connecticut in 2007. The prevailing winds by the shore shaped the tree in the background.



"A Quiet Moment" for Aidan in 2003. I hadn't yet installed the baseboard molding in the rooms of our first house. I appear in a cameo out the window to the left of the barn.



"Light Board" has William playing at a children's museum in 2012. I liked the contrast between the lines of his shirt and the pegs of light.

"Binky Stare" is the picture we used to announce William's baptism in 2011. His eyes were so expressive even though they were only three months old.



"Bricks" was taken in the evening in Westerly, Rhode Island in 2007 by the Pawcatuck River. I told Aidan to "do something cool." Note the cross in the walkway.



"Stained Glass" was taken somewhere in Maryland in 2007 while visiting friends. I liked the matching windows with staircase leading to someplace special.



"Christine at Work" has my wife in the dining room of our first house in 2003. I was installing an electrical box for the chandelier we would hang later. She seems so peaceful.



"Wooden Bridge" finds Aidan at a wildlife park in California in 2006. Note the contrasting lines of the walls and planking.

"Breechway" has Aidan in Dover, England in 2007 looking to the sea.

Editor's Note: Originally posted on September 4, 2018.