From: david distefano (zfd@lightspeed.net)
Date: 09/07/02-11:00:48 AM Z
I want to echo your sentiments on nature. Many people in this country have no
idea HOW GRAND nature is. I live and work (teacher) in a town (city) of 40,000.
We have 26% unemployment 40%+ underemployed, the school district is 100% free
breakfast and lunch. A very poor community. The town is 80 miles from
Sequioa/Kings Canyon NP and 120 miles from Yosemite NP. The vast majority 90%+
will come into this world, live and die in the town and a big trip for them is a
trip to the mall in the big city of Bakersfield 35 miles away. When I show my
landscape images to the people or nature videos, the peoples mouths drop open.
They have never seen nor believed that there were places like this in their
backyard. I arrange field trips to theses places so the students have a chance
to see the wonders of nature. Landscape photography will always touch the inner
soul of the majority of people the way no other type of image will! That is why
AA, David Muench, Michael Fatali (Even after his major mistake) Alan Ross etc.,
etc., etc. will have a greater, longer lasting impression then all of the
so-called hip images that the so-called art critic try to push.
Keith Gerling wrote:
> "Preachy wide-open space types?" ME? So, is everything west of the Hudson a
> "wide-open space", and the inhabitants "wide-open space *types*?"
> Puhleeeeze. And PREACHY? Look whose talking. Really, Judy, you ought to
> drop this silly us (NY-ers) agin' them (the rest of 'em) attitude.
> Particularly regarding environmental responsibility. Your New York
> chauvinism is kind of touching - even though you use it like a club to beat
> the rest of us, or in this case ME - for having the temerity to suggest that
> Ansel Adams might have made successful revelations. Yes, your statistics
> are true. Well, *mostly* true: NYers use less fossil fuel per capita (much
> less? I don't see it) mostly as a result of the transportation sector, as
> you suggest, and for being low-ranking amongst the states for industry. For
> residential energy use, NY is pretty much the same as other states, and
> scores lowers than California. But I wouldn't wear the stats as a merit
> badge, because its not like these stats were earned by means of any
> conscious effort. I know NY. I've had to open the windows in an apartment
> in Hells Kitchen in the dead of winter many many times because there was no
> way to cut off that steam heat. This, while the family shivered responsibly
> in Illinois. I've spent considerable time and money in order to maximize
> my energy conservation, and I resent your notions. I drive no SUV. I use
> solar power and I sweat considerably cutting and splitting wood for the
> fireplace, so it really ticks me off to have you place me in a category of
> some energy glutton.
>
> Look, my "tree-hugging" comment was made as a lighthearted side-note to my
> comments regarding Ansel Adams. I suppose I should expect your ridicule,
> having questioned your assertion that we ALL somehow KNOW that "nature is
> grand". But we don't. We have no innate understanding of the glories of
> nature, and why should we? Perhaps you are personally familiar with the
> places where AA photographed, but most people aren't. His works have opened
> many eyes in more ways than one, and it is reasonable to suggest that his
> works might have value, even *artistic* value for centuries to come.
>
> Keith
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Judy Seigel [mailto:jseigel@panix.com]
> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 7:10 PM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: RE: "CALENDAR ARTIST"
>
> On Thu, 5 Sep 2002, Keith Gerling wrote:
>
> > Judy sez:
> >
> > "There may be mastery, beauty, et al, in Adams, but no revelation. We
> KNOW
> > nature is grand."
> >
> > Oh we do? Is that a universal truth? Hardly. Many (perhaps most) would
> > gladly forfeit the "grandness" in return for monetary rewards. Adams
> > revelations were elementary: he revealed that these places even EXISTED.
> > The Hetch Hetchy valley was destroyed and will never be seen again. Why?
> > Because it happened before people like Adams could "reveal" it to us.
> >
> > Keith (in a particularly tree-hugging mood)
>
> What has tree hugging got to do with it? Let us not confuse USEFUL, even
> vitally important, with CREATIVE, or "art."
>
> In fact, I could make the argument that the highest art has no practical
> value at all except its own sweet self. It is its own justification,
> broadening our minds, adding to our graphic consciousness, expanding our
> vision, or just existing in the world. What earthly **use** is [name your
> masterpiece]...???? In fact art with a USE is (by definition, I bet)
> propaganda.
>
> Nyah nyah,
>
> Judy, who is also in a tree-hugging mood, having just finished Barbara
> Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer" on tape in the studio, but reminding you
> preachy wide-open space types that denizens of NYC use less (much less)
> fossil fuel per capita than you folks who have to drive 5 miles (even NOT
> in an SUV) to get a newspaper or a quart of milk, as we not only have mass
> transit, but the corner deli, and that our architecture -- row houses and
> other forms of massed dwellings -- use far less fuel to heat than your
> freestanding buildings of one or two stories, unless you have solar
> everything, which would of course be lovely.
>
> So save the environment by moving to a city.
>
> J..
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