Where to start in telling about Art? I first knew him when we worked at Kmart together. In a way he was my introduction to 'adult life'. He was funny in a very wry way, a great storyteller, a great bartender (with all that that implies), a great ambassador or representative from South Minneapolis (where he grew up), a master pool player, dirty old man, golfer, heavy drinker and the most talented and passionate photographer I've ever personally known.
What ever knowledge of and appreciation for photography I have, I can trace back to him.
Some time after he left Kmart (this was in the very early 90s) he moved with Vonnie, the woman in his life, to her family farm in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin where he eased up on the drinking (and picture-making, sadly). But it was at this time, when I would go to visit him, that he tutored me in darkroom technique. He would lend me much of his darkroom equipment over winters when he and Vonnie would stay in Florida. This photo was taken at one of those 'hand offs' in the fall, when we'd meet in Baldwin, have lunch and load up my car with his enlarger, easel, etc. I developed the film, and made the print thanks to his inspiration.
One summer (around 1994? I can't remember) Art suffered a massive brain aneurysm on the golf course, as he was teeing off. He never regained consciousness and was dead a week later. More than one person noted it was a great way to go.
I have a lot of his cameras and darkroom stuff in the basement still, where it patiently waits to be used.
No comments:
Post a Comment