Ok….where was I? May 5, 2009
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , 6comments- an amazing moment, never to be reproduced.
So here it is; 4 days ago I was completely lost and freaked out about my show in Contact 09. A facebook note to friends, and a link’din group later, I’m staring at a full house opening night and watching red dot after red dot get pasted to my work. Enter a twitter or two and I’m seriously feeling like I’ve been born again! Yes, I’ve always been aware that the social networking phenomenon brings a huge set of marketing potential. I’ve read all about it and hammered away at my various accounts updating things but really did not give it much credit.
How do I feel about my show now? About my photography? My little marketing enlightenment doesn’t change how my stuff looks, or does it? Any photographer, or painter, or musician will tell you that it can be tough looking at the same work over and over. More so these days for we that are chained to the computer….’specially during those long winter months. Torture I tell you! I won’t lie to you, seeing all those people enjoy my work, getting up really close to inspect it…very reaffirming. This is exactly what we all need once in awhile.
I’ll sum up as quickly as I can, the 180 that occurred:
After all the new love I feel for the social networks out there, I come back down to earth – to being the father of a 13 year old on facebook. (Yes, here it comes…those with kids know what’s coming round the bend here.) So I’m doing my responsible parent thing and checking out my teenager’s friends and pics when I come upon some shots that turn my world upside down (NO, I’m not going to post a link). For those who aren’t parents suffice it to say I thought I had been kicked in the gut. Pictures of my li’l guy with shirt off…with a girl…with her shirt…askew. I nearly vomited. This was one of about 25 shots like this. Each series from a different date -some images involved alchol, tounges, crotch shots and panties etc etc. This has been going on for some time… Seriously. Suddenly Facebook is the DEVIL. I find notes full of four-letter-words and suggestive ‘musings’ back and forth. Yes, welcome to the real world, DAD.
Obviously this stuff is NOT new at all (hell I was 13 not long ago lol), and we’ve been reading about all sorts of stories about ’sexting’ between teens. Mere days before this, I was casually listening to a friend’s issues re this phenomemon…without much interest. But suddenly the sleeping bear has been awoken and his li’l baby cub is in DANGER. LOOK OUT. The keys to the kingdom have been given freely to these kids. What they are experiencing hormonaly is nothing different than we did, our parents did (ugh)etc etc, however now there is this new and exciting way to get the attention they so dearly crave. The girl featured in these shots with my son, I learned, really wants a boyfriend and is not having much luck, she’s the third child of four in a family that is going through a divorce…she’s 15 (two years older than my son!). and now she has discovered a tool to ease what must be a very painful time….and my poor little guy is being violated by this pathetic little @#$&…My hatred was instantaneous and violent….so I went for a long long walk.
I won’t bore you with the details of what happened to my son and his facebook account. I’ll save that for another post. Yes! it is important how to deal with this but right now I just cannot go on about it…suffice it to say, I think my cards were well played. No, I didn’t lock my son up and ban him from the computer. We had -what I thought- was a really good man to man/ father to son talk. It was good. The BEST silver lining to this was that it FINALLY gave my ex and me that all important (ever elusive) UNITED FRONT. We agreed act in concert and compare notes. THIS was very good and a long time coming. Yes, there are some parentally imposed consequences placed on my son’s head (I KNOW he’s not blameless in all this…)
Talk to me, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Contact 09 SUCCESS! (and a wake up call) May 4, 2009
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , add a comment
"Cliffdene no. 1"
Gotta be quick here, just heard the inlaws are spending the night…tonnes to do! So here it goes, I had my opening this past weekend and to my absolute DELIGHT and surprise the show was a total success. For anyone out there who’s put up their work in a public place for the critics to rip apart it can be quite a stressful endeavour. My poor family had to deal with a very frightened, and stressed Photographic Genius for the past month of prep.
I called the show “Transitory” and showed it at “Delight“, a Fair-trade all organic Chocolate shop in the Junction ‘hood of Toronto. This was SUCH an amazing weekend to be a photographic art lover! 25 different venues in this three block strip were showing work from at least 50 artists. It was Fantastic. For all of you who made it -THANK YOU. For all of those who’d like to check out the show it’ll be up tll the end of May. Here’s a little teazer .
whoa, gotta go!@ I’ll finish this post later!!! in the meantime I’d love to hear what you think of the shots!!!!
s