Artistic Cross Pollination

I’ve had the good fortune to have a neighbor, Pete Sieger, who is an architectural photographer. His photos are precise and clear. His vision is crystalline and thoughtful. Every time that I look at his work I experience a spark of insight.

It is through Pete that I’ve met Tom Dolan, an artist who works in a variety of media including photography. I have the same experience looking at Tom’s work as I do with Pete’s. In particular, I’ve learned how the medium does not shape the message but it does dictate the vocabulary.

Pete introduced me to a group of photographers. The older guys are accomplished: Christian Korab (photographer), Glenn Gordon (photographer and writer), and Michael Melman (photographer and painter). The younger photographers, who are just starting their journeys, contribute energy and youthful passion, as well as a modern perspective. The core of this group has formed a loose cooperative named IDE[A] which they use to pool resources and work projects.

We got together on a sunny Wednesday morning and, accompanied with coffee and cookies, had one of the most stimulating conversations that I’ve been involved in for years. We began by introducing ourselves and the projects that we are working on. Then, for three hours we discussed a variety of topics relating to our collective passion.

I think that a necessary ingredient for a healthy creative life is artistic cross pollination and that the successful artist, while often working alone, participates with other artists in an emotionally and intellectually rich environment. It is the sharing of new ideas, their adaptation, that generates the expansion of an artist’s creativity.

The photo, I-35W and 46th Street Bus Station, is the result of that meeting. I left feeling energized and refreshed. I look forward to the next time that we gather.

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