Bob;
You have some very good ideas and visions of the future. But think about
the alternative process genre and where we are now. Interest in the
historical processes does seem to be growing, but it seems to me that this
growing population is, no insult intended, older and wiser. I hope that
this knowledge base does not disappear before the youth realize the joy and
the mystery of the historical processes. This is something that flashed
into my mind when I was at the APIS meeting in Santa Fe this summer. A
tradition can only continue if there are those to continue it, progeny to
bring forth the wisdom and to keep the processes alive. Where are all the
young recruits. I know that where I am going to school, the Academy of Art
College, the Alternative process courses have gone from a two part course
offering one part in the Fall semester and the second part in the Spring, to
just one class offered only one semester per year, as it seems interest is
waning. The handcrafted image will always remain valued just as a handmade
sweater is more cherished and more expensive than one made by a machine.
Both will keep you warm, but most people perceive an extra value or romance
connected with the handmade object. I cherish a sweater that my grandmother
made for me before she died. The world and photography can change all that
it wants, but an artist can choose to work any way that he/she wants to.
The most determined will find a way to create. With those thoughts, Happy
New year to all around the world.
Gary Miller
(Still in 1999 here in California)
----- Original Message -----
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Jan 11 2000 - 12:10:50