(Three Silos, My First Grain Silo Image)

Artist Statement: Enduring Giants, Created by Man

"Enduring Giants, Created by Man" is a photographic study of grain silos, not as functional farm implements, but as objects of art.

America's plains are covered with grain silos. They are a central fixture of every small town and on every family farm; but they are so common that people are unaware of their true nature. The purpose of this portfolio is to reveal the beauty of these "Enduring Giants, Created by Man."

When I created my first grain silo image, it immediately reminded me of the statues of Easter Island. Both stand alone, emotionless and watching. I began to see the silos as I saw the Easter Island statues, as enduring giants who silently watched as man scurried about, perhaps even with a slight grin as they observed our self-importance.

As I moved in closer, I began to notice the unique way in which light reflected from their torsos onto the adjacent surfaces and how each hour transformed the same vision into a different view. I saw intricate variations in the seemingly homogenous materials from which they were built.

Grain silos are generally observed from a distance and seen solely as functional objects. Up close they bear no resemblance to their distantly studied selves but are transformed into strong sculptures with stark contrasts and abstract shapes. Up close they reveal a beautiful and enduring permanence.

See the Complete Portfolio

(207 people "frozen" at Grand Central Station)

Is this art?

I think it is!

Watch "Frozen at Grand Central Station."

(The Angel Gabriel, one of the 14 free sample prints available)

I recently ran an ad in B&W Magazine that offered a free sample print from fourteen of my favorite images. Unfortunately many who receive this newsletter did not have a chance to see that ad or receive a print.

What was my purpose in offering a free print? No matter how good an image might look on the computer screen, it pales when compared to the real thing. I wanted to give people who had only seen my work through the Internet, a chance to feel the spirit of an original print.

If you've wondered what my prints really look like or have been considering purchasing a print, please request a sample from one of my fourteen favorites.

Request a Free Sample Print.

(Coaster Two by Chris Raecker)

I had seen Chris Raecker's work on carnivals online, but that didn't adequately prepare me for seeing the real thing.

Chris recently brought his portfolio "A Midnight Carnival" to Boulder and I had a chance to see the work up close. It was stunning.

The Internet is such an amazing tool, it can expose us to photography from all over the world, work we probably would never have seen otherwise. But it cannot adequately convey the quality or feel of an image.

Chris's work has that dark and contrasty look that I so very much love. It also has a surreal quality that I find mesmerizing.

But there was something else about seeing the work in person that I hadn't consciously noticed: Chris displays his work without glass! It was wonderful to be inches away from the image with nothing in-between to distract. Yes, there could be some disadvantages when showing your work this way, but there is no arguing that the result is stunning!

I love Chris's work and encourage you to check out his portfolio "A Midnight Carnival."

Click here to view "A Midnight Carnival."

(Dahlia and Old Hands)

A couple of years ago when I was photographing flowers, I became fascinated with the Dahlia and was using it to create a three image series to portray youth, middle and old age. For the last image I wanted to contrast the vibrancy of the Dahlia against aged hands that told a story of history and character.

But where could I find such hands? When I visited a local rest home and asked the nurses to recommend someone, they immediately thought of Mildred.

While many of the residents in the home suffered from dementia, Mildred was sharp and alert. When I explained that I wanted to photograph her hands, she made girlish protests about their appearance, but as I began photographing, she seemed to enjoy the attention from the camera. For the next several hours I learned about Mildred and her life, she was alone except for a daughter that lived some distance away.

As I looked at her hands they were like an autobiography with every line representing a different chapter in her life. No single chapter stood out any longer, but now each was like a thread woven into a single fabric. As I photographed her I noticed that she would finger her wedding band and I felt sad for her.

I brought Mildred a copy of the photograph but she was sleeping, and so I left it next to her bed. I have always wondered what she saw when she looked at her own hands in the photograph.

(Dahlia Petals)

Here's where my work and I have been recently:

(Old Car Interior)

"Old Car Interior" is my most popular image and the poster and is now On Sale. This is an 18X24 lithographic print, signed personally by the artist (as opposed to impersonally signed?) and delivered in a tube.

• Now $9.95 plus $2.00 shipping
• Regularly $19.95