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

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

September First through the Seventh

09.08.2021 by Peter J. Crowley // 7 Comments

New images from a tough few days.

Sept 1st a weed, a very pretty weed cut by accident put in my Heineken vase. This “weed” has provided me with a new bloom most days over the last two weeks. It doesn’t know that we humans think it is an invasive weed.  Myself I think it is pretty and wonder about what or who may be an invasive species?

A photo bombing moth on my bark image. I did not see it then while I adjusted the camera contrast to make another sans moth. I didn’t even see it on first review. Cunning little moth. 

On the seventh of September this roofs triangle came together. Perhaps a year or more I have watched and pondered this image. Diagonal wires often in the way or the light was wrong, but on the 7th the wires pulled tighter I guess from the most recent wind storm. Light, time of day and time of year and I have my triangles. If you have been fortunate or trapped in a discussion of photography, art and composition you know how I feel about triangles in seeing, creating.

Back to Sept first one from a two minute session a very fine two minutes. Perhaps I should add another? 

Molly’s Gate in a creative way. Molly was my intern, driving force in the publishing of my second book, Another Door Entered. We would walk, I would talk about composition and shooting film. She saw this and knew there was something there.  During her hours with me the gate always had the wrong light. We shot post processed still no magic or story. I was pretty sure it was morning light needed to tell a tale. Well apparently early afternoon light in the beginning of Sept. was jut what She/We wanted.

Color and a breeze on Sept 6th. The variegation with the approach of Autumn applied the color variations. But where are the triangles, motion and what role does the negative space play? Triangles are apparent throughout  the leaf’s with a left to right focus drop off providing a gentle movement. Aperture, distance and angle of view paint the negative space.

Another from my September 6th stroll a couple hours after my most recent hospital release. Image made and seen always seeing as an artist creating verbal images to communicate my emotions.

Color just vibrant color, simple, warm, waning afternoon summer light on Sept. sixth. Light is my pen to write stories to you with my emotions. This pen has many thoughts expressed through tonality.

This man stopped to ask about my building landlord as he seeks a home. Of course I would have to photograph him before divulging this data. I’m happy, he’s happy and I bet he’s still blessing me and talking. Humanity adds the color to life even when composted in Sepia toned B+W.       

 

 

peace.

Black and White  Gallery

 

Categories // B+W Fine Art, Close to home, Emotion, Fall, Olympia Wa., The Present, Thurston County, Uncategorized, Washington Tags // Ambiance, B+W Fine Art Photography, Color Fine Art photography, Flowers, Olympia, Seasons, Simplicity, Street Photography

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