I spent yesterday in Salem at the unveiling of the Oregon State Capitol Collection. My 1997 portrait of author Barry Lopez now hangs in a hallway on the Capitol’s second floor. It’s humbling to have my work included alongside so many art world luminaries and to know this portrait will live on for future generations in my adopted home state.

I’m honored and humbled to be included in this collection of works acquired on behalf of the State of Oregon to be displayed at Oregon’s State Capitol.

A new group exhibit opened at Newspace Center for Photography in Portland this past Friday. Was pleased to see my friend Jan Sonnenmair’s lovely closeup of her son gently cradling a salamander used as the opening invitation. This very strong show, curated by Newspace Program Director Laura Valenti features work by 25 artists.

Walking in the front door you first encounter two stunning stark landscapes of incredible sharpness and detail by Dave Jordano.

On the back wall facing, the front are two more evocative, softer warm toned toy camera images printed on tracing paper, Robert Holmgren. I stood and wondered how the hell you can run tracing paper through a printer without destroying it.
One more thing of note, I only recall one image that was printed the old fashioned way, using chemicals in a darkroom. All the other prints were archival pigment prints, ie, inkjet. I guess this new digital thing is not simply a passing fad.
Also included were my friend Jim Leisy. Get by and take in this excellent show.

I’m pleased to join the ranks with 52 Selects, a new online gallery showcasing the work of photojournalists and offering prints for sale. My current offerings include the image above, an interior of the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale Mississippi made on assignment shooting an editorial travel story on the Blues Highway for the New York Times Magazine a while back.

The Riverside is a legendary location having hosted many blues legends, such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Nighthawk and Ike Turner. The hotel was originally a hospital serving Clarksdale’s African American population where after being severely injured in car crash and refused treatment at an all white hospital, Bessie Smith died in the room shown in the picture above. While there I also made this portrait of current owner and operator Frank “Rat” Ratliff, below.