Greenlights

October 26, 2020 Scott David Gordon

There are quite a few books I have listened to over the last five months that I want to talk about eventually, but this one is fresh in my mind. It was just released a week ago and it’s a memoir written by Matthew McConaughey about his life so far at age 50 and what he calls Greenlights. Events that move you forward, open things up, speak to your heart, inspire growth.

Listening to his words, spoken by the man himself, brought back memories of when my path crossed with Matthew in some pretty minor ways. Still, as he shared stories from his life it made me think about mine, past, present, and future.

Toward the end of high school I went with a bunch of buddies to an audition for Dazed and Confused, Matthew’s first big break in a movie. My hair was really short and I was pretty shy. It was really just something fun to do. None of us got picked.

Some years later I worked for a wedding photographer as an assistant and Matthew was at a wedding we were working. He got pretty drunk by the end and was just dancing up a storm like a wild animal let loose. The photographer tried not to be obvious but managed to get some good shots of him.

Greenlights

By McConaughey, Matthew

Hearing about his experiences, challenges, adventures, general attitude, and optimism about life, really gave me some food for thought. Quite a few times in the book he gets these signs about what to do next and he follows them until he finds and learns the lessons waiting to be discovered. He traveled to the amazon river seeking answers and another time to a very remote part of Africa to find one man. McConaughey didn’t hesitate to take risks and ended up with some pretty epic tales to tell. He seems to unflinchingly take on life with positivity and grounded wisdom and ease.

I finished the book wondering how I can pay more attention to and follow my own greenlights. How could I be more adventurous and follow the signs to my own breakthrough moments? How do you let go of fear and live your life like the gift it is, without the hindrance of a slew of self-imposed limits and out of date stories? Thanks Matthew for sharing a look behind the curtain.

“The older you get, the more rules they are going to try and get you to follow. You just gotta keep on livin’, man. L-I-V-I-N. ”

— David Wooderson

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West Texas Panoramas

October 25, 2020 Scott David Gordon

A few weeks ago I made my first road trip of the year, out to West Texas. Specifically the towns of Marfa, Fort Davis, and the surrounding spacious desert landscape. After being cooped up in Austin all year I was ready to change my environment and find some room to think and have some new experiences. This will be the first of a series of posts about that trip.

Panoramas are one of my favorite photography formats, and I love how easy they are to make with an iPhone. All four mornings that I was on my trip I went hiking on a different Davis Mountain trail. The weather was glorious and it felt invigorating to be moving freely and peacefully out in nature. I find it healing to spend time away from modern life in a place that is raw and wild. My biggest thrill is observing and experiencing the diverse birds, animals, plants, and trees that grow uniquely in these kinds of spaces. To just exist somewhere without distraction or anything manufactured is I think a gift.

Davis Mountains State Park looking from the Indian Lodge Trail towards the McDonald Observatory.

Point of Rocks Roadside Park east of Fort Davis on 166. Every trip out west I make a point to climb up and sit for a few hours, write, think, and enjoy the long view.

Davis Mountains State Park looking west from the Skyline Drive Trail.

A hazy view from the Tall Grass Loop Scenic Overlook at the Fort Davis National Historical Site. Something interesting I learned was that the row of buildings you see at the center of the image and the row of foundations to their right, were aligned… — A hazy view from the Tall Grass Loop Scenic Overlook at the Fort Davis National Historical Site. Something interesting I learned was that the row of buildings you see at the center of the image and the row of foundations to their right, were aligned separately to magnetic north and geographic north at different times.

Weekly Letter Of Gratitude

October 24, 2020 Scott David Gordon

Pictured below is my great aunt Marian and her neighbor Buttons along with an excerpt from my letter to her.

2019-06-22 19.45.30-1.jpg — *“As I am sure you know, you are one of my favorite people on this planet and have been my whole life. I wanted to send this extra letter to make sure you know how much you mean to me.*
You have been a wonderful example to me of someone with integrity and deep caring for others. Someone who does the right thing, who shares a lot of joy and laughter, and who also won’t hesitate to address and talk about real things and be their authentic self.”

One of my fondest memories is an experience in NYC sitting close to the front row of a Van Halen concert at Madison Square Garden. The tickets were a gift for a woman I was dating at the time, who was a super fan, and we danced the whole concert. Hearing about Eddie’s passing reminded me of that experience and then I came across this article on Inc.com.

Click the article link below and have a read. It’s a short but powerful lesson.

The Passing of Eddie Van Halen Reveals an Uncomfortable Truth About the Power of Praise - INc.com

“If someone you don’t know made a real difference in your life, don’t wait. Track them down and tell them. Especially if you think you someday might regret never having done so.”

— Jeff Haden, Contributing editor, Inc.

Reading what Jeff Haden wrote was the last straw for me to commit to another writing goal. One that I have been considering ever since I sent my great aunt a letter this year for her 95th birthday. Normally I would visit her in PA. but that was not possible this year. It felt like I needed to really tell her how important she is to me and why. She was very moved and it made me consider why I didn’t send more letters like that to all of the other people I appreciate. There’s a whole range of individuals to consider who impact my life. All the way from the person that stocks the shelves at the grocery who I don’t know, to my most cherished friends and family. Some of the letters might not get read or maybe the person is already gone, but I still think it’s a beneficial practice.

My commitment is to write and share one letter every week to a new person. Want to join me? If you try it let me know how it goes.

Favorites From The Farm - Week #43

October 23, 2020 Scott David Gordon

As I have shared in previous blog posts, I am the photographer for a large organic farm in Central Texas. Johnson’s Backyard Garden, mostly referred to as JBG, has been a source of income, taking pictures and delivering veggies, for over 10 years. It was started in the founder's backyard in East Austin and has grown to almost 200 acres outside of town. It’s been a great job and I am very grateful to everyone who works there for all of their hard work and passion to provide high-quality food.

Typically I visit the farm every two weeks to document all the goings-on and to get some fresh air. The images are used for their website, marketing materials, brochures and cards, and of course social media. It seems as though the farm has somewhat of a cult following online and I think some of that can be attributed to their popular hats, but also to the consistently good quality images that people seem to enjoy. It’s nice to be able to show everyone what it looks like and how it works, all year long. So stay tuned every few weeks and I will share some of my favorite images from my most recent visit. Thanks!

Praying For Signs

October 22, 2020 Scott David Gordon

Praying Mantis - Mantis religiosa - Carnivore — Praying Mantis - *Mantis religiosa* - Carnivore

Every two weeks early on Tuesday morning I go to JBG Organic to take photos of the farm. I’m sure I have logged millions of steps, positioning myself all over that almost 200-acre piece of land over the last 10 years. 100,000’s of photos, from every position and waypoint, down on the ground looking up from the vantage point of a pattypan squash to over 20ft in the air after carefully climbing onto the roof of a box truck. From the coldest ice-encrusted day to the hottest sweat drenching August heatwave.

This week, possibly for the first time as far as I can remember, I crossed paths with a Praying Mantis. Now at first, this might not seem like a special event, but earlier this year I had an experience that in my mind, connected me to this creature forever. And right before this encounter, I had just been texting a friend about this blog post-challenge, which is something I have been feeling urged to do for many months. Maybe signs, maybe not. I don’t mind a little magical thinking.

On March 25, 2017, my father passed, a year and a half after he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS). After he was gone I considered getting my first tattoo, to commemorate him in the same way my younger cousin commemorated our grandparents. By putting their signatures on the inside of his biceps. I resolved to do the same and my stepmother provided me with some samples of my Dad’s from a 1974 hunting license and a bank statement. I combined the best parts of both and I was ready.

It’s a pretty small tattoo so it was not that painful at all. I’m still glad I have it and I’m grateful I found the perfect person for my first time. The whole experience was almost enjoyable. What happened next is somewhat bizarre. I left the tattoo shop, got into my car, and there staring at me was a Praying Mantis sitting on the top of my passenger seat. My eyes got big and my mind raced through all of the inexplicable ways this insect could have gotten into my car. I felt at that moment it was a sign from my dad or somehow related to him and the tattoo. Maybe a thumbs up at the gesture? Maybe a sign that he is OK? No telling.

The history of symbolism related to Mantids is very old and elaborate. When I searched online for some meaning the first website I came to spoke of the mantis being a hunter and the qualities of patience, stillness, and a kind of stoicism. What I read resonated with me as I thought about my father and who he was. I’m still in disbelief and don’t quite know what to think about it.

I regret this decision, but I decided to gingerly remove my passenger and left them in the parking garage. Not the best environment. Did I ruin the magic of the moment? Who knows. But a few weeks later, after not having anything related to my Dad in any way cross my consciousness, something uncommon that I can't recall now came up, and that day a dead mantis fell from the trunk of my car upon opening at the grocery store. Again, how did that get there, and was it the same one?

Here is an extra fun story if you have time. So I come across this mantis at the farm and I’m just in awe. What other insect looks at you and stands its ground with such bold awareness and intelligence? I can’t think of any.

That very mantis, pictured at the top of this post, was sitting on a leaf of a red cabbage plant. We were checking each other out and I noticed it was somewhat hiding below a spider web. And then I saw the spider. Why not wait a few minutes to see if anything happens. Moving away a few feet allowed the mantis to ignore me and focus on its next meal.

In the center of the web was this dime-sized spider waiting for his prey, unknowingly about to become prey themself. It was only maybe five minutes and the spider ran out to the edge of its web to grab some poor flying insect just entangled. As soon as the spider returned to its center resting spot to enjoy its catch, the mantis made its move. Even though I was staring right at it, the action was so fast as to be imperceptible to my eyes. 2 for 1, the mantis got a spider and its short-lived lunch.

With the manual focus assist of my camera, I was able to watch very close up as the mantis proceed to dismantle and devour the feast clutched in the tibial spines of its raptorial front legs. The movements of its mouthparts were a horrendous sight as they all seemed to be working out of sync but with ravenous purpose. Spider leg after leg was swallowed as you would holding a single long-cooked spaghetti noodle above your head and slowly lowering it down into your gullet. And in very short order it was over.

Could Libby Be Your New Best Friend?

October 21, 2020 Scott David Gordon

Well at least as close of a friend as an app on your phone can be.

I mentioned the other day in the first blog post of my year-long challenge, that I have “read” over 100 books in the last five months and about 95% of them have been audiobooks. For many years I exclusively listened to podcasts. But I decided to give audiobooks a try and I really love them.

One breakthrough for me was finding out about Libby and other Overdrive apps that are connected to your local library card membership. Once you download the app and connect, 1000’s of audio and e-books are available to listen to and read for free! Let me give you a small tour to share how I have learned to get the most out of the Libby experience. See the images below.

Search for a book and if it’s available you can borrow it immediately. If there is a wait then you can place a hold and when it’s available you will get a notice. They only have so many copies of each book at any one time, just like physical books.
Based on my experience with the Austin Public Library, you can borrow up to a max. of 10 books at one time and have 7 on hold. You can tag books to keep track of them if you use up all of your holds.
Books can be borrowed for 21 days. Some popular books might take many weeks to be available.
You can save Bookmarks & Highlights as you listen. I’ve made a habit of going back to type out and save quotes from books that resonate with me, which I can then refer back to and study once I’ve returned the book.
Sometimes there are multiple versions of a book with different narrators. That can make a big difference. You can sample 5 minutes of any book to check the sound. When you are listening for many hours, the right voice can make a huge difference.

Not all of the books you want to listen to are going to be available from the library so I also have an Audible account. I get one credit for one book each month for around $16. You can also buy extra credits at a discount. Audible actually just launched their Plus Catalog which has a lot of free books, some of which I’ve already enjoyed. So I bounce back and forth between the two apps depending on what I’m in the mood for and what’s available.

Most of my listening time is while driving but also at home when I’m cooking or doing something elsewhere I don’t need to concentrate. One thing that has really helped me is listening at a faster speed. The one that I find most comfortable is usually around 1.4X times. Here’s a link to a handy calculator to tell how long it will take you to listen to your book at a certain speed. A 10-hour book can be reduced to just over 7 hours. Makes those long books much less intimidating.

Here is my current book list on Goodreads that I update as I finish a book. Follow along if so inclined. If you have any questions about any of the books I’ve read or want to know more about them feel free to post a comment or send me an email.

In future blog posts, I will be sharing quotes, reviews, and thoughts about books that I’ve enjoyed this year. It’s interesting because I’ve been obsessed with books almost my entire life, but mostly just collecting them and also the lure and promise of some life-changing wisdom, inspiration, or the answer to success and happiness. But for some reason, I often didn’t read all of those books and they sat on the shelf, looking pretty.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve read a few books in my lifetime. But something definitely changed 5 months ago, and listening has allowed me to get through many more books than I ever would just sitting down and reading a physical book. At least at this point in my life with the time and job I have. And I honestly can’t say for sure audiobooks are any better or worse when it comes to comprehension and retention. Either way, I’m having a great time and feeding my mind something good.

I highly recommend giving audiobooks a try. Happy listening/reading!

What Is The Enneagram? Ever Heard Of It?

October 20, 2020 Scott David Gordon

If you are into personality type tests and learning more about why you and your family and friends do the silly things they do, this will I suspect be of interest to you. If you want to go deep, there is a lot to learn, and I think it is really interesting.

“The Enneagram of Personality, or simply the Enneagram is a model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types.”

— Wikipedia

In addition to being a photographer and creating my own podcasts, I also offer my knowledge and expertise to help others realize their own podcast goals. One of those is the Austin Enneagram podcast, hosted by Elizabeth Chapin and Leigh Jackson, both of whom have apprenticed under author Suzanne Stabile. As they state on their website, “we find the Enneagram to be both a practical and transformational tool and hope to share it with others in a way that is narrative, inclusive, and accessible.”

When it comes to who I produce podcasts for, I recently realized I only want to work with clients whose goal is to help others and attempt to make the world a better place. Maybe that is idealistic, but that is where I am at. It’s also fun when the subject is interesting to me and could help enhance my own journey. The more I learn about Enneagram, the more compassion I find I have for others, and the better I understand myself. It’s been great being a curious fly on the wall with recording equipment.

So last week I showed up at Elizabeth’s fabulous house to record episode 15, got all of the equipment set up, and it turned out one of the guests was not showing up. I just happened to be the same number as them. I fit the requirement and became the guest. It was actually a nice experience that if had I known about it ahead of time, probably would have made me a bit anxious.

If you know nothing about Enneagram I would recommend listening to their series on all 9 types, the first 10 episodes. See if any of it resonates with you and maybe start figuring out your own number if you don’t already know. Once you get your bearings, have a listen to #15, a great conversation about the dependent stance, with a lot of honest sharing.

If you are interested in starting your own podcast let me know and maybe I can help. One of my goals is to assist those who want their own show but don’t have the time, interest, or money to acquire the knowledge, skills, and equipment needed to create a great sounding professional podcast. Email me at scott@scottdavidgordon.com or call/text 512-470-1574.

Into The Unknown With Optimism

October 19, 2020 Scott David Gordon

Keesey Canyon Overlook along the Skyline Drive Trail at Davis Mountains State Park, Oct. 2020. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Are you feeling a new urge to create or have you recently made a big transition in your life? Maybe you are considering one?

It has been a year of upheavals. Subjectively it seems that all this tumult has shifted much of the world and our lives to extremes, inspiring for good or for worse, challenges to change and prioritize.

Within the last 6 months, I have personally had a growing desire to work on becoming a better writer and to start sharing more consistently about my thoughts, life, curiosity, and work. Jeremy Enns, a podcaster and writer I recently started following shared in an interview that he had the same desire, and in January and decided to 365 Day Blog Post Challenge. I’ve chosen, as of today, to do the same. He also travels year-round, is a curator of content in the same way I desire, and seems to prioritize gratitude in his life. All things that I also want to do and that are important to me. So here we go!

Here is a list of some of the types of posts I will be creating every day.

Quotes, thoughts, reactions, and reviews of books I’m reading or have read this year. I’m already up to over 100 books in the last 5 months. Mostly audiobooks. It’s been wonderful to have the time and drive to do so.
Anything else that I come across in my life that I think could add value to my readers. I’m a very curious person so there is no telling what I might find and be inspired to share.
I’m a photographer so I’ll be sharing any new work as well as revisiting images and series from the past and telling relevant or interesting stories about that work. I especially like promoting what others are doing and what I have learned.
New podcast episodes from my shows and podcasts from other creators that I find enriching.
One of my goals is to have discussions and get feedback. I’ll be sharing questions and thoughts I’m having that might be good to get opinions about and to collectively discuss and seek out solutions and ideas. I want to learn from you!
Experiences I am having in my life including plans, ideas, people, thoughts, discussions, and of course inspiration.
In the near future, I hope to be doing a lot more traveling, once it’s possible and appropriate. Many adventures to be had!

To keep up with all of this, I will occasionally send out a summary. Share your email and sign up for it below.

New Austin Art Talk podcast - Adrian Whipp - Lumiere Tintype

March 3, 2020 Scott David Gordon

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Tintype portraits and stereo images by Adrian Whipp/Lumiere Tintype. Photo of Adrian by Jonathan Canlas

"I think art for me has always been about giving someone an image that they can get absorbed into, and that takes them to a place that is sort of hyper-real. You know it’s not reality but you also can’t quite pin down what it is or where it came from. I see that in the tintype process as well. It’s quite arresting as a modern person to be photographed in a tintype because it puts you in this other world where you know it’s you and you know it’s modern photograph. But you’ve never seen anything like it and it breaks you out of that pattern of being so well versed at looking at imagery."

Adrian Whipp is a passionate and driven photographer who has chosen to pursue more rare, challenging, and unconventional ways of making images. He is probably best known for his family heirloom level of portrait making in the form of tintypes that he captures in his custom mobile photo studio at the back of the French restaurant Justine's Brasserie here in Austin. When not doing that he is full on pursuing the creation of his own version of stereo photography, manifest soon in something called The Daydream Society. What I see is an inherent fascination and generosity in what he creates and shares that is really intriguing and inspiring. I encourage you to tune in and keep and eye on what he is up to. If you make it over to have your tintype made, which I highly recommend, make sure to let Adrain know you heard the podcast. And definitely check out the beautiful work on his website, adrianwhipp.com, and be sure to specifically check out the daydream society and sign up to get email updates. Please enjoy this wonderful conversation with Mr. Adrian Whipp.

Check out the webpage for Adrian’s episode and to learn more about the Austin Art Talk podcast.

https://www.austinarttalk.com/84

You can listen to this interview with the embedded player below or with any listening or podcast app that you are using including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRADIO, and Stitcher.

New Austin Art Talk podcast - Roi James - The Next Level

February 23, 2020 Scott David Gordon

Roi James in his new home and studio right before his interview with Scott. Photography by Scott David Gordon

Two years on from our first interview, Episode 18, which I highly recommend listening to before you proceed with this one, I recently had the privilege of a tour of the new home and art studio of Roi James. It was great to have the chance to further the dialogue and talk more about Roi’s successful career, where he finds himself now, and where he might be headed. And just like in our first conversation there is no lack of vulnerably on Roi’s part, as he shares his thoughts about being in an in-between place, recuperating and settling into the rhythms of his new space, finding inspiration, and contemplating the necessity to take his whole life and artwork to the next level. We also notably discuss the likely reasons for his success, pricing artwork, portraiture, art market challenges, and we go a little more in depth about loving more deeply and how that manifests in his life.

Check out the webpage for Roi’s episode and to learn more about the Austin Art Talk podcast.

https://www.austinarttalk.com/83

You can listen to both of Roi’s interviews with the embedded players below or with any listening or podcast app that you are using including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRADIO, and Stitcher.

A Studiomates Tale and Costume

November 1, 2017 Scott David Gordon

Every once in a while my studio mate Emily Galusha will ask me do to an impromptu photo shoot, and that is exactly what happened on Halloween. I've never seen the series or read the book but she was inspired by The Handmaid's Tale, which seems to be quite popular at the moment. They turned out pretty great considering it was spur of the moment.

A Quiet Day

February 16, 2017 Scott David Gordon

Every week I photograph at the farm where I work, and usually it is a hive of activity. When I arrived this morning there was no one there and at first I questioned what day it was. Once I inquired at the office I was reminded of the Day without Immigrants. What a coincidence that I chose this day to visit. As I walked around trying to capture the feeling of the emptiness I could not ignore the realization of my own privilege.

A Photo of an Idiot, Her Best Friend, and a Cat

February 13, 2017 Scott David Gordon

After many years of not trying to get a photo into The Austin Chronicle I finally had my first one published this week. All thanks to T. Lynn Mikeska who enlisted me to help create an image worth accompanying her very first article. In it she lays out an entertaining and funny timeline of events related to being a part of the short fringe FronteraFest 2017 with her best friend 'Sassafras'. The icing on the cake is that her piece made it to Best of the Fest, whittled down from 100 entries, which were all preformed live at Hyde Park Theater over the last month. It was a mess but somehow they came out on top. Check out the article for a funny glimpse into the world of theater. http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2017-02-10/an-idiot-at-fronterafest/

Jan Heaton:The Market

March 18, 2016 Scott David Gordon

It's hard for me to believe it has been over three years since I met visual artist Jan Heaton and photographed her for the first time at her house. I was in the middle of my Panorama 365 Project and was focused on capturing artists working in their studios. That visit to her home studio, to create the photo at the bottom of this post, was so much fun. She is such a smart and talented artist. We ended up talking for hours about art and business. Homemade minestrone soup was served for lunch! What a great memory.

Watermelon Radish courtesy of Jan Heaton

When Jan wanted a panorama of her visiting a farm stand to coincide with her market series promotion, I was more than happy to do it. Boggy Creek Farm ended up being the ideal location. The owner Carol Anne was more than happy to let us use her farm stand and Buddy the dog kept and eye on things. At times It was challenging with all of the customers coming and going but in the end I was very pleased with the result.

To commemorate Jan's current exhibit "The Market" at Davis Gallery in Austin, and to show off our images, I decided to send her some questions and catch up with a blog post. Being a farm photographer also makes me a little biased. Her paintings of vegetables and fruits are so gorgeous.

SDG: When did you start your market series and what inspired you to do so?

JH: The current series started three years ago with three watermelon radishes I purchased at Johnson’s Backyard Garden. It was an unexpected surprise to reveal the color, lines and forms when I sliced it. I painted three small 4 x 4 paintings with a plan to do them on a larger scale. I was hooked. The next week I bought maroon carrots and painted them, followed by eggplant, squash, etc. I go to various farmers markets as often as I can. The displays alone are inspirational. I also painted limes and figs from neighborhood trees and cherries as a tribute to my cousin who lives on a cherry farm in Michigan. I love to cook and focus on organic and fresh produce whenever possible.

SDG: Did you have to push the limits of your skills as a watercolor artist or go beyond them to achieve the look and pattern of these fruits and veggies? Any in particular?

JH: As I approach a new subject I often paint small studies in my sketchbook. For the market series I painted small 4 x 4 paintings that resemble a very colorful deck of cards. My vocabulary of technical skills changes and grows with each new painting. I experiment with different ways to handle the watercolor medium. Each painting is unique and an exploration.

SDG: Are you still working on this series?

JH: Just about when I think it’s time to do something totally different I run into a papaya or something I have not painted yet. There are over 100 paintings in my current solo exhibit at the Davis Gallery, and I feel like I have just skimmed the surface on subject matter!

SDG: How is it different painting from still life as opposed to creating something from your imagination?

JH: My paintings are based on memory. I don’t paint with the object in front of me. A market bag’s contents would be sliced, cut, chopped, diced, and sketched before the painting began. I then leave those inspirations and start painting. I zoom in on details and expand them. Sometimes it is simply the form, or the pattern of seeds, or a detail in the rind. My objective is to capture not only what I observe, but to isolate, simplify and abstract the subject matter and record the essence of a fruit or vegetable with minimal marks.

SDG: Has this work led to or inspired new work or a new direction for you?

JH: I am always interested in remembering and recording details. It may be a piece of produce, a colony of fish swimming by a rock, the pattern trees form against the clouds. Right now I am inspired by a wren nest in my agave plant! Subject matter is never a challenge, it’s editing and finding the time to paint it all!

SDG: How does teaching watercolor to students have an effect on your work?

JH: I teach four weekend workshops a year at The Contemporary Austin Art School at Laguna Gloria. I always learn from my students. Being a studio artist is a solitary pursuit. Teaching has also allowed me to meet other artists and examine my creative process. It has also helped me improve my presentation, and public speaking skills. I strive to create a relaxed and casual environment in my classes. Most of my students are working or retired professionals. This is an opportunity for them to do something they love. They are always a gracious, appreciative, and talented group of people. Many of them become longtime friends. I value the dimension they give my work.

SDG: What are you working on now and what’s next for you?

JH: I am collaging a full size fiberglass cow in my living room! The cow will be an interactive art activity at Dell Children’s Medical Center’s Art of Giving 2016. At the April 2nd event the children will be able to collaborate on the cow’s design. The event benefits Art & Healing and Music Therapy Endowments, and the Dell Children's Trust granting pool. Twelve professional Austin artists are participating in this fundraiser. I am also working on a branding project for a spa. Creating small images of watercolor patterns and textures that will be used in their identity package. I worked in advertising for over twenty years so this is a little like returning to my roots. This weekend I am teaching a watercolor workshop at Laguna Gloria. I like to be busy.

SDG: Sounds like you are very busy. Thanks Jan! I'm so grateful to have had an opportunity to know you and your wonderful work. Everyone should make a point of seeing this fantastic show.

The Market at Davis Gallery-Austin
An Exhibition of New Watercolors by Jan Heaton
On View: March 5 - April 16, 2016
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 5, 7-9pm
Artist Demonstration: every Wednesday, 12-2pm
Artist Inquiries: janheaton.com | jan@janheaton.com

Jan working at home. This was the first time we met. She fed me homemade minestrone soup and we talked for hours!

José Skinner and The Tombstone Race

February 16, 2016 Scott David Gordon

Author José Skinner on East Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX.

It's very flattering to receive a referral for work, especially out of the blue, and to have an opportunity to meet someone new. A good friend of mine, who has done many portraits and is very capable, gratefully sent the local writer José Skinner my way to get some new portraits done ahead of the launch of his newest book, The Tombstone Race.

Working with different types of creative people is always fun and exciting, and I especially have a lot of respect for writers. I met José at his office on Cesar Chavez, and after taking a few warm up shots, we walked down the street to find the potential backdrops for these images. Personally, that is the way I prefer to do all my headshot/portrait type work, which I did a lot of in NYC while studying acting. José and I walked around his neighborhood exploring the colors and textures of the east side, using only natural light, and found some pretty great spots. All the while I'm getting to know José, we talked about his work and his life. Post photo shoot, I sent José over a few questions since I still wanted to know more about him.

I'm looking forward to reading his new book and seeing how the photos will be used because I really like how they turned out. It's even better because now I know José and have been exposed to more of the diversity and talent that exists under the radar here in Austin. Be sure to visit his website and read about his very interesting past.

SDG: Tell me about your new book?

JS: Fourteen realist stories set in contemporary New Mexico. Reviewers have described them as "gritty" and as depicting "hardscrabble" lives, and I guess that's true enough for many of them. You can read a review here:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jose-skinner/the-tombstone-race/

SDG: When does the book come out and where can it be acquired?

JS: It will be released March 1, 2016. Launch is March 3rd, 7pm at Book People.

SDG: Where do you get the ideas for your writing?

JS: Could come from anywhere: a snippet of overheard conversation, a remembered incident from childhood, a street scene. For example, last time I was in NYC I saw a grand piano being hoisted to a third-floor window. I can do something with that... I think...

SDG: What motivates you to write?

JS: It's the same motivation that ultimately motivates any artist or craftsperson, I think: the desire to create a solid piece of work in which everything fits together in a way that makes sense. Writing a story or novel is like building a house: it can be extravagant and baroque, but in the end it has to be unified as a structure. The reader has to inhabit it without feeling it's going to collapse around her. I suppose the same desire also motivates mathematicians and scientists. Physicists won't be satisfied until they can unify the fundamental forces and particles into a single field. Your panoramas are exquisite examples of distinct images brought to unity.

SDG: Thanks! The were a lot of fun to create. Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

JS: First I brainstorm, and then I make an outline from the patterns that emerge from the free association. The brainstorming would likely involve characters. In the piano story above, I would immediately begin imagining the pianist, the movers, perhaps the building's super. Eventually a theme evolves, but that comes later--the owl of Minerva takes off at dusk and all that. I don't begin writing and see where it takes me: to keep with the house building metaphor, I think this would be like starting hammering boards together and hoping a structure comes of it.

SDG: You mentioned how you deal with writers block. Can you elaborate on that?

JS: First I think it's good to try to get your ego out of the way. You can't be thinking, "How is it that I am writing this, what are others going to think of me when they read this,etc. Instead, you have to think, "Here is a story worth telling and this person they call me seems to be the one that has to tell it, so let me take a crack at it." If the story seems to big and daunting just in terms of execution, keep in mind Anne Lamott's "bird-by-bird" advice: you have the whole diorama in mind, but you build it bird by bird, that is, scene by scene, word by word.

SDG: Who do you like to read and what books have made the most lasting impression on you?

JS: I read widely. A guilty pleasure are these "Very Short Introductions" by Oxford University Press, which cover everything from electromagnetism to Wittgenstein. (I say "guilty" with irony, aware that the cash nexus, the money economy that rules our society, would prefer that people not "waste" their time pursuing knowledge in a dilettantish way and instead concentrate on the specialty for which they've been trained.) In terms of the short story, which I suppose is my specialty and is indeed what MFA fiction workshops mostly train one in, I admire Mary Gaitskill, Lorrie Moore, Eudora Welty, Tessa Hadley, Juan Rulfo, Julio Cortazar, Richard Ford… I could go on. On the long side of things, and what actually got me writing, strangely enough, was Proust's multi-volume Remembrance of Things Past. In general, I prefer realist writing to postmodernist because I'm interested in discerning the patterns I think can be found in reality and history and don't think reality is so chaotic that one might as well slap any old pattern or design onto this hopeless chaos. For this reason, I enjoy reading science books. I am eager to read Nick Lane's The Vital Question, about the origins of complex life.

SDG: Thank you for your time and best of luck with the book launch. I really enjoyed working with and getting to know you.

Enter the Steelhouse

January 18, 2016 Scott David Gordon

Shane creates a metal mailbox with custom house number at Steelhouse MFG in Austin, TX.

For the last four months I have been shooting for the local Austin company Steelhouse MFG. They are a steel fabricator doing high quality residential and commercial work all over town. Welding and metal and construction are not the types of things I had ever had exposure to. It's a lot different than doing farm photography but just as fulfilling, and has been a real education. No doubt it has been fun and is mostly the type of work I like best, documentary style where I am just a fly on the wall. I'm staying out of the way while being right in the middle of everything. It reminds me a lot of shooting on a film set.

They approached me last year wanting a similar arrangement to the one I have with JBG Organic after admiring the images I create for the farm on a weekly basis. It's something I am now calling Frequent Photography. It really makes a lot of sense but not many companies think of it. If you want to maintain a blog, social media, and create a following online you need constant fresh content. Hiring a professional photographer for a few hours a week can give you that content. Really nice content that looks better than what you can get with a phone.

Steelhouse needs primarily four things that I have identified. Images of the goings on in the shop, installations in the field, documentation of previous projects for their portfolio, and images of new products for their side business Bold MFG. Bold is famous for their custom mailboxes, fire pits, and planters. Have a look at some of my favorite images from the shop and then check the portfolio projects that I have documented on their website SteelhouseMFG.com. I'm looking for more frequent clients so if you know of anyone that would appreciate and enjoy constant content let me know.

Magic and the Milky Way

September 14, 2015 Scott David Gordon

The Milky Way's Galactic Center in the night sky above McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis, TX.

Two years in a row I have taken a solo road trip out west to Marfa, Texas and the surrounding area for my birthday. This years trip was really magical. So much synchronicity and generosity. So many wonderful people and experiences. It made me wonder if I couldn't have a life like that all of the time. Was it just that I was open and able to perceive more than in my life at home? Was I actually just missing seeing the gifts of life around me everyday because of some perception bias or limiting beliefs?

“Searched for days for you out West
And I was greeted like a guest
Into the desert’s open arms
Finding not your childlike charms”

— John Fullbright "Jericho"

Well I'm still trying to figure that out and probably will be for the rest of my life. One of the ways I do that is by looking and sometimes capturing what I see. Here are some images that I made on this trip.

These panoramas were made with my iPhone. The west Texas landscape allows for far off views and beautiful storms.

While in town there was a dance performance, Secondary Surface Rendered, at Ballroom Marfa by Lower Left.

Playing around with Polaroid Film which is now made by the Impossible Project was fun. My main frustration is that you have to cover the image as it comes out of the cameras so that it is not exposed to light at all. That can be quite a feat on location, composing the perfect shot, with only two hands. I still like the results and it's a lot less predictable and controllable than digital.

Black Spanish Grape Harvest for Blissful Folly Farm

August 31, 2015 Scott David Gordon

When I tell people I am a farm photographer, often times I get a curious look. Maybe I should say agricultural marketing photographer, I'm not sure. My view is if you've never hear of such a profession that's great because there will most likely be less competition. It's a niche that I really enjoy and am determined to develop and expand.

The fact is that farms and vineyards are businesses that need images to promote themselves and share what they are up to just like any other. Farmers deserve and have earned my respect over the years. Fortunately, I have been in a position to witness to their hard work and also enjoy the fruits of their labors. Helping them to be more successful with the help of photography is satisfying and I feel that I am making a positive contribution to the overall good.

As fate would have it, I had an opportunity to photograph a grape harvest at a vineyard near La Grange, TX at the beginning of August. My first! In case you’re not aware, central Texas is booming with new vineyards and is continuously competing for wine tourism traffic with Napa Valley and Sonoma in Northern California.

Black Spanish Grapes do well in the Texas Hill Country, and this years harvest was a nice one. Thanks again to everyone that came out to volunteer picking grapes and to Blue Mule Farm and Roahn Meadery for making it all happen. Please share this post and, if you own a winery or a farm, I would be happy to pay you a visit and help you create some beautiful photos.

Cutting Sunflowers

July 31, 2015 Scott David Gordon

“Light-enchanted sunflower, thou
Who gazest ever true and tender
On the sun’s revolving splendour”

— Pedro Calderón de la Barca

Hill Country Lavender, Blanco, TX

July 22, 2015 Scott David Gordon

This past February I taught a farm photography class at the US Lavender Conference which is where I met Tasha Brieger, the owner of Hill Country Lavender. Tasha invited and hired me to document all of the activity at the farm, during the Blanco Lavender Festival, which included people cutting lavender, shopping, and generally just enjoying themselves. It was without a doubt one of the busiest days of the year.

Having never been to a lavender farm, I was unsure what to expect, but it turned out to be a great experience, and the many people who attended had a wonderful time. In the end, it was a lot of fun to document the day’s activities and, of course, the scent of the lavender was wonderful and relaxing the whole time. Below are some of my favorite photos from the day.

The farm is not open year round but if you are in Blanco you can find their great products at Brieger Pottery downtown or online.