Archivesthe creative process
Year nine: The wisdom that is truly your own - by Judith Thompson
Generally I’m tracking this day for at least a week before it arrives, but when I woke up this morning at 4:30 because the sun announced itself to my eyes, I thought: “Hmmm, it’s getting earlier and earlier. How I love these longer days.” Then I thought, “Solstice!” Then I sat up-right in bed and… Continue reading
Year eight: Still basking - by Judith Thompson
HAROLD FEINSTEIN (April 17, 1931 – June 20, 2015) This year I am marking the commemoration of Harold’s passing by preparing to head to France for the exciting retrospective of his work at the Mougins Centre for Photography. If you missed my post of that you can find it here. Thus, on this solstice day… Continue reading
“Where my soul is fully alive”: Wisdom from Harold on his 88th birthday - by Judith Thompson
Harold would be 88 today, April 17th, 2019. He left his body, but his soul lives on. At least, so I believe and so did he. And the desire to listen to the directives of his soul while he was alive was a profound intention that shaped his life, his work and his way of being. It also touched the lives of all who knew him.
A love affair with teaching: “It’s like seeing the summer again after a long winter” - by Judith Thompson
At long last, and with the help of my good friend and renaissance man, Jason Novak, I am making a small dent in reviewing, editing and packaging the huge volume of audio-visual materials that provide an inspiring record of Harold’s 56 years of teaching. I have over 20 hours of video and 100 hours of… Continue reading
The Broken Christ: On compassion and the nature of this earthly life - by Judith Thompson
And Jesus was a sailor When he walked upon the water And he spent a long time watching From his lonely wooden tower And when he knew for certain Only drowning men could see him He said “All men will be sailors then Until the sea shall free them” But he himself was broken Long… Continue reading
Ripple effects: Subject, student and teacher remember a moment in time - by Judith Thompson
“Back in the 70’s I used to model for Harold’s classes.He took a beautiful picture of me which he called Lady in the Lake. It is in his book Harold Feinstein: A Retrospective.Would love to meet you.” Thus read the email I received a month ago from Susan Auslander who was 20 at the time… Continue reading
Belated thanks to John Szarkowski: Reflections on the joy of teaching - by Harold Feinstein
A few weeks ago I published a post entitled Remembering Edward Steichen. My recollections were mainly about the important role of encouragement (his) on the one hand, and the folly of rigid ideas about art (mine) on the other! I received a lot of nice feedback and am grateful it was published in The Eye… Continue reading
Passover, Easter and the promise of new life! - by Harold Feinstein
Happy Passover and Happy Easter to those who celebrate. Or, I could say Happy Spring! Even though it’s been the longest winter I can remember and outside my window there’s still way too much snow on the ground, the promise of new life is there. And that seems to be the message of these two… Continue reading
Up close and personal: Consistency and innovation in your work - by Harold Feinstein
Hardening of the categories causes art disease… W. Eugene Smith Coney Island. Flowers. City streets. Shells. Rodin sculptures. Abstract architecture. Draftees. Butterflies. Over the years I have allowed my creative appetite to taste many different subjects in both black and white and color and have employed diverse tools and methods in shooting and printing. I… Continue reading
Old “new” photographs: A lifetime of editing - by Harold Feinstein
The entire process of photography is editing – in one form or another. You choose one moment over another; one subject over another. And, when you’re reviewing your work either on a contact sheet or a computer screen, you decide which image belongs in your portfolio. Those you don’t choose are largely determined by whatever… Continue reading