Peter J. Crowley

Fine Art Photographer

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Christmas and the New Normal Version 2, thoughts from 12/15/25

12.15.2021 by Peter J. Crowley // 2 Comments

Another wet gray day it is hard to see Christmas today or this week. More like March and with that
“when will the rain stop feeling.” No one says New Normal very much lately. A recent search for a 1998 transparency yielded these images. Smiles sent to you to see through the gray malaise this season. peace joy color love.

From my Norwich days a couple of a very red Amaryllis 

Perhaps not technically my best work but I love red and perhaps a bit of influence O’Keefe figures into my mind.

Old Orchard Beach Maine as a child summer meant a trip to Portland and the beach.

Summer 2000 or there about The Florence Griswold Museum great place to breath in creative air inside and on the grounds.

The International Fly In Moosehead Lake Maine mid eighties with Bob. 

Autumn in New England most likely Ct. Bright young Maples

Back to Old Orchard a nineties trip with my daughter. It was a fun vacation for us two.

Chris Torkelson who was a great advocate for train travel, his daughter looking out the window of the owners private sleeper car.  We were headed to Brattleboro Vt. and the excursion was sold out so we rode in style.

TEDs a staple of growing up UCONN or not growing up at all. I prefer option two. Today a visit from Nathen Hale Ale Brewery.  March 1989 the previous days snow continues to melt. If I remember correctly there was more snow to come.

Ice Cream by the Carousel Watch Hill R.I. 2001

 

May we all come together to share love, kindness and peace Always

 

 

 

 

Categories // A Life in Photographic Art, Brattleboro Vermont, Childhood, Christmas, Coventry Ct., Documentary, Faces, Fine Art Photographs, Galleries., Journeys between here and there, Last Days, Norwich Ct, Old Roads, Olympia Wa., Providence Rhode Island, Railroad, Reflecting on past, Riding the rails, Street Photography, the eighties, Vermont, Washington, Willimantic Tags // Ambiance, B+W Fine Art Photography, Blending the past and the present, Color Fine Art, Flowers, Street Photography

Black & White and Me Changing Philosophy of Seeing 50 Years On.

09.29.2021 by Peter J. Crowley // 2 Comments

Spare change? Chip in on my paypal link.  Posting these stories is very time consuming. Or by mail, my address is on the contact page.

All the moneys gone no where to go.. I will keep delivering that magic feeling

Thank you peace

When I was 1 -2 years into creating Photographic Art, 1973. I had developed a style that included rigid composition, technique and presentation. No cropping, Walker Evans print quality, Focus a must.  This image from the late 90’s never made it to the darkroom. Perhaps a cursory glance as I looked at the film. Nope to flawed.

Now as I look again at old images todays sensibilities see a moment on this afternoon in #Willimantic. Recently I I saw a portfolio of

Romualdas Rakauskas Lithuanian master Black and White photographer.

An online photographic artist friend told me about his passing. A master has helped me to see deeper.

Out takes from sessions where the subject and me could not reach an understanding of what I wanted. This image from a test for my Woodnymph series. Not what I wanted but alright as a stand alone

My live long friend, Ken Morgan both of us artists from back to the 1970’s in Coventry Ct

Poised this thought. “how or why things get so clear so late in the game or is is it just me? …..another possibility “

I told Ken that it was pretty clear. Simplicity, seeing as a child so much peace and life to view and explore.

Willimantic 1999 the eyes all the metaphors apply. I like open conversational eyes windows to the soul.

Moments brief lasting forever. I have so many to relive, some to share conversational images that rarely receive a verbal response maybe the eyes speak, but no words to me.

To keep the focus is on seeking the highlights of my life is what keeps me alive. I also see the shadows as an effort to celebrate the highlights keeping negative space in composition not dark thought.Saturday, 9/25 a self portrait One more recent image before I head back out the door. 

Peace my friends 

 

Categories // Autumn, B+W Portrait, Between Here and There, Digital and Film, New England. Black and White, Observing with America, Olympia Wa., Uncategorized, Washington, Willimantic Tags // B+W Fine Art Photography, Blending the past and the present, Flowers, Humanity, Olympia, Portraits, Silver Gelatin, Simplicity, Street Photography

The Willimantic Years 1999 Part One

09.23.2021 by Peter J. Crowley // Leave a Comment

Willi arriving in 1994 but I was active in the art scene from a few years prior.

Spare change? Chip in on my paypal link.  Posting these stories is very time consuming. Or by mail address is on the contact page.

All the moneys gone no where to go… I will still deliver that magic feeling.

Thank you peace

A letter from home years ago a defining stage of my live/work/art.

Mills turned into Art Apartments and a Textile Museum.

A small city of immigrants arriving when it was time for the last group to get a raise.

Children always seeking everything need a closer look. 

On the porch at my place on Bellevue a dancer relaxes. I don’t relax, “hold that pose.”

Where everyone knew my name. Late afternoon light in November shines on the ambiance of the Willimantic Brewing Company.

My refrigerator or Maybe Paradise Cafés  the image is on a roll surrounded by a folk performance at the Café. This was also a place for me to plan, eat and sit in the sun and see.

I met The Muse there at lunch and the next morning she came to my studio to begin two years of sessions. The wealth of images made and learning to see was a highlight in my work. So many unseen images remain. I also interviewed and hired Roxanne as my asst. in Paradise. Two important strong women changed me.

The previously mentioned folk concert at Paradise Café with Jim Mercik  and Hugh Blumenfeld. 

The porch on Bellevue a series of puddle reflections this from early March rain and snow melt. A loose series never show as a group. The dancer above is also a porch series as well. The are themes, portfolios that intersect from different times.

There were eyes always eyes. Many of the images here have not been printed or scanned. Looking at sessions from twenty two years ago, I see photos that I missed after first look and printing for my subjects. There are also many that in my strict seeing of the past didn’t fit the way I saw. I am not so ridged in todays approach.

From a test for my Woodnymph series. A good model but never a woodnymph. Image made on Wormwood Hill at the Thorkelson’s home. 

You could rent a movie to watch while your clothes dry. I think I waited for the cars to clear the spaces in front of the door. I saw what I wanted to compose and cars were not included.

There were doors in Willi old Victorian works of art. I had always seen doors I like imagined history. In Willimantic doors became a series of love. All these doors became a book in 2017 “Another Door Entered” my second book.  My first was a love letter to Willimantic “All the Usual Subjects” portraits of people from my home. There are a few left.

A tree out side a window was part of a D-11 developer test High contrast with grain. I didn’t like the results with people so it was a short test 72 images. But I like this tree.

Clam Fritters, fries was my go to order. Cute girls were always on my menu. Starring into the sun the girls in deep shadow. I gave them a business card and I said call me and I will give you a print. They never called. Flash forward 22 years, email me and I will send a scan few ever email. This is a horrible neg. and I gained very little in post process. It is however a moment in my world.

I will close the door on this story with a door. 

peace

Categories // B+W Silver Gelatin, Between Here and There, Eyes, Faces, Film, Film 35mm, Fine Art Photographs, Muse, Old Roads, Peter Tork, Street Photography, Uncategorized, Willimantic Tags // Ambiance, Black +White Fine Art Photography, Great Food, Portraits, Silver Gelatin, Simplicity, Street Photography

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