January 2013
We seem to have finally moved into Winter here in the South, with snow in the northern parts and threats of flurries deeper down. From the solstice through the holidays, the farm has been shrouded in fog and much-needed rain. The cold and stillness make it seem as if the Earth’s rotations are somehow more leisurely, if not downright sluggish. And that, in turn, makes us want to decelerate our own lives, if only for a moment.
Winter can be a time of reflection, a time to re-nourish ourselves in preparation for a new Spring. Our featured artists this issue bring us images that may provoke contemplation – some meditative, some stimulating. Jack Ridley’s panoramas of western Texas and Benjamin Dimmit’s palm-hammocks of Florida, are wild images that somehow engender serenity. Peter Essick’s photo-commentary, Commuting with Nature, is a twist on “can you see the forest for the trees?”. William Gray’s dogs, a contemplative animal if there ever was one, remind us that the thoughtful moments are balanced with the need for fun. Mark Brockway’s portraits of graveyard sculptures are at once a bit creepy yet peaceful. And Don Dudenbostel’s x-ray images of shells, flora, and fauna explore the beauty in structure and discipline, while Julia Cart’s photos of native flowers show us beauty in an unrestrained environment.
We have four books in this issue – all diverse, yet top-of-their-game. Anderson Scott’s Whistling Dixie…“Scott has photographed in the years leading up to 2011’s sesquicentennial of the Civil War, with a keen eye for the earnestness and dedication of the reenactors, and a strikingly acute awareness of the irony and absurdity of the events.” O. Winston Link photographed the Norfolk and Western, the last major steam railroad in the United States, when it was converting its operations from steam to diesel in the 1950s. The O. Winston Link Museum in Roanoke, Virginia, is our featured MUSEUM this issue, and brings us his book, O. Winston Link: Life Along the Line. From the University of Georgia Press we have The Pillared City; Greek Revival Mobile, with text by John Sledge and lovely architectural photography by Sheila Hagler. And The Guitar, published the Tennessee State Museum, with photography by Jerry Atnip.
Lumiere Gallery in Atlanta is reinventing their website, and tells us about that ¬– along with a bit of history and information, and some great photos in GALLERY.
Josephine Sacabo’s Photogravure with Josephine Sacabo is our featured VIDEO this month. Josephine shows us her techniques and discusses the overall process.
In LAST LOOK, Anna Walker Skillman of Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta, shares a winter scene of Central Park from her current exhibition by Bruce Davidson.
And, last but not least, kudos to my hard-working, whip-smart, and remarkably dedicated staff whose work has garnered us a spot in the “Best of 2012” from Le Journal de la Photographie. Thanks, guys.
From all of us here at SXSE we wish you a healthy and prosperous new year. And hope to see you again soon!
Nancy
