After being detained by customs agents at the UPS sort facility in Louisville, KY for over 3 months, my copy of FUTURE IMAGES (©2009 24 ORE Motta Cultura srl, Milan) finally arrived. Edited by Mario Cresci the book is intended to explore at an international level the works of some of the emerging artists who use the photographic medium without adopting the generic schemata of traditional photography.  Its release nearly coincided with the opening of my exhibition at 1000 eventi gallery in Milan last month (more on this later). Artists are presented alphabetically, making it one of those times in life when having a last name that begins with the letter ‘A’ a good thing!

I’m finally making good on a promise I made back in October. That was when I received my first, genuine piece of fan mail—outside in the mailbox standing at the end of my driveway.! It came from pop-up artist and author Kyle Olman (New York) and is a mini, pop-up version of FLOORED, 2010. I told Kyle that I would showcase his gift here, but that’s as far as I got—until today. Now that this outstanding piece of paper engineering has been documented, it’s found a new home atop my Drobo—where I can see it every day. Be sure to visit his site to see his latest release, BABY SIGNS (illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers).

I completed the last of 3 new commissions this week. All are for magazines. I won’t say which ones (yet), but I will tell you that the approved, final versions are not these.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

Music credit:
Hymn #1 — Eluvium
©2007 from the album COPIA

I first appeared between the pages of Harper’s in March of 2004—4 images printed 2-0ver-2 in the Reader’s section. This one-time honor (or so I thought) has grown into one of the best working relationships of my career. There isn’t a pedestal tall (or worthy) enough to hold the magazine’s Art Director and the Assistant Art Director.

(Did I mention that Stacey and Alyssa came to hear me speak at School of Visual Arts in NY last September?)

Harper’s is an artist’s dream-come-true. Plenty of lead time is given to read the copy, ponder the problem and come up with a solution (with one legitimate exception). I feel valued, am rewarded handsomely and, best of all, I’m entrusted with full creative control (to date, everything has been accepted ‘as-is’ with no revisions).

How did I get to be so lucky?

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(The January 2010 issue marks my 5th time in the magazine and features a portfolio of my work. Full scans of the actual layout will appear here in February.)

Boy. I’m glad THAT’S over!