Peter J. Crowley

Life’s Big Truths, Words Words

04.18.2016 by Peter J. Crowley // 3 Comments

A Life in Photographic Art my second book.

Grandpa there’s Macaroni under the stove.

Yes Inara there is, in fact most homes in the U.S have Macaroni under the stove. That look???? a moment to ponder and a nod of agreement. We were having lunch at Oldschool Pizzeria the other day. Garlic Knots or Knot Bread as they are called. An episode of Abbot and Costello happened. What are you eating Tancern? “Knot Bread” ok if you are not eating bread what are you eating? Grandpa it’s Knot Bread. Alright not bread but what are you eating? This little banter of “Who’s on First” style went on for five minutes Eyes rolling laughing we finished the Knot Bread. The word games punctuate our strolls. Last summer after clamming her and Daddy found a little crab in the bucket. Mom told her they would put it back near/in the sound in the morning. Why wait she thought so she brought the crab to the stereo and put it by a speaker.

Thursday sunny downtown Mom shopping we head for Ice Cream walking down from Blue we visit a few murals hand in hand we call it fingers for crossing streets today she just likes holding my hand.

A bit of climbing after Ice Cream at Grandpa’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlor Climbing like running is essential. We head back to the car stopping at Blue a women comes in and says hi that she had seen us dancing up the street. Out to the street mom tells me when she picked you up at school she could hear the whole class howling? Did you get that started? AAahhooo she reply’s a man coming down the street says hey I know you sounding good. He knows her from Batdorf’s.

Saturday morning out to Batdorf’s early for a scone and a furious game of Lady Bugs. There is a scone in the case two in fact but no one is a reflection. The laughter continues “That’s Silly” Back at the table we laugh about the two scones. I say you know we actually got both scones. That Look? When we took the real one the reflection disappeared. A window table, Lady Bug board on window seat a burst of crumbs laughter, Aphids, Praying Mantis’s a busy Sat. morning at the coffee shop but. It’s me and you grandpa Ally’s and Art animals and reflections on to the Farmers Market to eat lunch with mom we howl to find her. Some dancing and carrots eat 3 more and a treat. Cotton Candy? Dancing and a cotton candy search. Ice cream is a good substitute. To the South Sound Estuary. This adventure to be continued.

Photographic Art Arts Walk April 2015

Too Much, of Too Little, of Too Many, of Not Enough, Projects

03.29.2016 by Peter J. Crowley // 1 Comment

Too much, keeping pace with life creating commenting moving in a direction the journey continues. Back to film the 70’s, 80’s 90’s. Swirling from age four to sixty six in a 1/250th of a second. A brief ramble through 45 years a beginning, a tease, a new book, a retrospect. Now Available Another Door Entered a sample chapter from A Life in Photographic Art

January 1974 a cold morning stroll on State Street New Haven. It was very cold but the light was perfect a thin gray overcast sun softened by the clouds. I knew I had it one image made Kodachrome 64 and walk on to the next shot. This image had a feeling that knowing you had spoken that there was more to say. The journey will go on the moment brief lasting forever created. Forty two years later the moment this moment still feels right.

April 1973 a walk in the woods of Columbia Ct. Mike Sirak’s parents home. Frozen puddles speak of the past season shivering Mike and I wander seeing abstract color patterns seeking spring in frozen Oak leafs.

The sound track was as sweet as I will ever know as the eighties dawned in Providence in love with a women then the city. The moments, multiple moments erupting in the theater, dancing across my shutter plane. I was the moment, the muse. The fall was a devastating crash, a betrayal, a pistol… seeking a place to hide.

Coventry back to youth, trust, safety unable to find the map the journey stalled at a rest area. Where is the muse?

The Dance of color, light, seeing returns slowly. The North Carolina Dance Theater invites me to dance the blues away. The muse visits, structure, determination, hope, life. The journey re starts. Trains, ferries, summer my daughter propel the journey forward.

January 2016 the station is now Olympia. The Wolf dances with the Bears the circle nears completion.

So that’s the story of my journey, seeking the highlight finding the muse. Forty Five years of visual and verbal comments on the human condition. Forty thousand images whittled down to six images and a few words here a preview, taste of my new book. Seeking a publisher investors want to be part of the journey? Email me mail@peterjcrowley.com or just contribute here start a trend, pave the Road Between Here and There

Photographic Art 1998 North Dakota the eyes of a poet sing a song of peace

Conniving Her Way to a Scone.

03.21.2016 by Peter J. Crowley // Leave a Comment

A Life in Photographic Art my second book

Yesterday my phone rings round four Kirsten says they are going to the market but Tancern insists I come with them. So a while later we are off to the library, followed by Freddy’s. The wolf is unusually quiet till the library not the usual library so there is much to explore. Bats, Bugs, NF the usual choices. A step stool to stand and look at the diorama of a castle with animals, Disney characters, Muppets. Arriving at the market she slows down as we go through the second doors she turns with that look speaking softly serious a great idea “Mom why don’t you go and shop and grandpa and I will go and have a scone.” So that’s the deal two hours ago she thought a scone sounded good. She is sharp thinking ahead.

Another scone thoroughly enjoyed by her and the chair at Batdorfs. We arrive there are four kinds of scones. A selection made she heads to find today’s comfy chair. She uses her best indoor voice to Howl AHHwooo I howl back. Sitting she eats her scone it explodes all over most finds her mouth. There is a fireplace she curls up on the rug and digs into her backpack. An orange my turn “Actually it is a tangerine.” She agrees I start to peel but only a start I can do this. A napkin laid out to keep the peels on, the peels and fruit become a butterfly arranged on the floor “are the feet tasting the napkin?” The peels become a humming bird “Grandpa their wings move very fast yet the bird doesn’t move Yep” Cleaning up we take the peels to the bus bin “I can reach ….” not quite the peels cascade to the floor and our laughter fills the room. We clean up.

The food court after lunch at four your feet rarely touch the ground. Two pieces of pizza and lets go to Menchies? Frozen yogurt and toppings. Arriving she shows me all the varieties, grandpa you take these little cups to taste. She seems to be heading behind the counter the clerk says Inara knows how it is done. The theme from Cheers in my head. It continues playing as she realizes someone is sitting at her table.

The new swing set if you can’t be running it is the next best thing.

Like the speed in the mall life races along. An interview at Kindergarten is she ready confident? Asked her name she says Inara followed by But my Wolf Name is Tancern. She is there starting in fall. A book of puzzles at the market 10 minutes before leaving at check out we are done the first five. Each day a buffet of new adventures.

Photographic Art