Respecting My Elders: Age and the Creative Spirit, 2009 - 2012

Aug 15

Aug 15 Respecting My Elders: Age and the Creative Spirit, 2009 - 2012

Respecting My Elders: Age and the Creative Spirit

Respecting My Elders: Age and the Creative Spirit is a collection of color portraits of creative persons over the age of eighty, photographed in their home and studios. They are the artists and intellectuals of my parents’ generation, whose wisdom and insight are important to our nation. Known as “The Greatest Generation”, and coming of age between the two World Wars, the effect of their contributions upon future generations is evident in their cultural legacies. These include books, poems, paintings, photographs, plays and performances, as well as important breakthroughs in education, philanthropy and the sciences. As these persons enter the last phase of long and productive lives, I believe they deserve to be celebrated. My photographs are meant to capture their spirit and beauty, and to inspire admiration by future generations. [ These photographs were published in 2013 ]

Featured

Edward Albee, Playwright [1928 - 2016]

"What could be worse than getting to the end of your life and realizing you hadn't lived it?....."Be useful, be useful. Do something that matters with your life."

Will Barnet, Painter [1911 - 2012]

"Painting is almost like a religious experience, which should go on and on. Age just gives you the freedom to do some things you've never done before. Great work can come at any stage of your life."

Joan Copeland, Actor [b. 1922]

“Accomplishment is different today. They don't know what it takes to be a star. You have to earn being a star. Wanting to be an actor takes hard work, dedication and suffering. You have to be willing to march down that road.”

Professor Irwin Corey, Comedian & Activist [1914 - 2017]

"With the beginning of a great & compassionate love, comes the growth of one's heart, and with that, a profound inner change. The way to opening the mind is often first through the heart. And once is the mind & heart are open, so many things become possible."

Arthur C. Danto, Philosopher & Art Critic [1924 - 2013]

“Reality is the photographers’s greatest collaborator.”
“Creativity should lead to work that others are interested in.”

Lois Dodd, Painter [b. 1927]

"Be stubborn and follow your own voice."

Milton Glaser, Designer [b. 1929]

“…. I think what I feel fortunate about is that I am still astonished, that things still amaze me, and I think that’s the great benefit of being in the Arts, where the possibility for learning never disappears”.

Francine duPlessix Gray, Writer [b. 1930]

"We write out of revenge against reality, to dream and enter the lives of others"

Ruth Gruber, Photographer, Journalist, WWII Hero [1911 - 2016]

Advice: "Never retire.....Let no obstacles stop you."

A.R. Gurney, Playwright [b. 1930]

"The older I get the more fascinated I become with my craft and with the crafts of the directors, designers ad actors with whom I collaborate."

Richard Howard, Poet, Teacher & Translator [b. 1929]

"...after 65, next year
is now. Hours? there are
none, only a few
reckless postponements
before it is time...."
(from "At 65")

James Earl Jones, Actor [b. 1931]

“ Never put the “next” down on paper. That is like predicting the future and that is how I miss out on “Now” And “Now” is too difficult to explain.”

“Heed the words of the poet Carl Sandburg: “Take no advice- including this!” Which I guess means - even that’s not perfect advice, but it’s a good place to start.”

Wolf Kahn, Painter [b. 1927]

What are you working on now? “Painting landscapes more feely than before.

How does one stay creative all one’s life? “A little bit of being frightened helps.”

Do you have a specific philosophy? "1. I just work here. 2. Just follow the brush. 3. Try not to constantly judge one’s work.”

Bel Kaufman, Writer [1911 - 2014]

"Words of wisdom? Words of common sense. Provided you are healthy (a huge proviso) you can have a long and interesting old age. The problems and insecurities of youth are in the past, children are grown and on their own, this is the time to do not what you always had to do but what you want to do. You can be creative, productive, helpful, even inspiring or simply content to be privileged to live in a world which is changing every day."

Rebecca Lepkoff, Photographer [1916 - 2014]

"Keep your passion alive., alert and imaginative. Work at it. Also involve your body. Keep your body moving….. Avoid trends. Think for yourself. ….Think of a project that you would like to concentrate on, and spend time developing it. Time passes. Will it be of interest 49 years from now?"

Romulus Linney, Playwright & Novelist [1930 - 2011]

"... We know what we meant to come about, and we measure it against the way it did come out finally, over the years, and yes, we want the truth about that difference, ignorant though we might be.” (from “Heathen Valley”)

Murray Louis, Choreographer [1926 - 2016]

"The practice of art is so intensely subjective, so personal, so seemingly private, it is inevitable that eventually eveyrone gets caught in their own sticky web of definitions. Still one must persist.”

Judith Malina, Actor & Activist [1926 - 2015]

“Tremble. Your life is a rehearsal for the moment you are in now.”

Albert Maysles, Filmmaker [1926 - 2015]

"As a documentarian I happily place my fate and faith in reality. It is my caretaker, the provider of subjects, themes, experiences – all endowed with the power of truth and the romance of discovery. And the closer I adhere to reality the more honest and authentic my tales. After all, the knowledge of the real world is exactly what we need to better understand and therefore possibly to love one another. It’s my way of making the world a better place."

Philip Pearlstein, Painter [b. 1924]

"Look slowly and hard at something subtle and small."

Ned Rorem, Composer [b. 1923]

“…Art does not change us- does not make us better persons. Art intensifies, makes us more of what we already are, shows us what we did not know we knew. Art is not real life but a concentration of life.”

Advice: "Keep working everyday."

Editta Sherman, Photographer [1912 - 2013]

"I tried to improve my work each day, read books and photography magazines to become more proficient in my work. I have always been curious and interested in what's going on in the world. I enjoy conversing with other people who are creative also".

Sylvia Sleigh, Painter [1916 - 2010]

“…if you set women against each other then you’re going to be able to dominate them much more than if they’re together. You see our strength now is to love one another and appreciate one another and defend one another.”

Rosalind Solomon, Photographer [b. 1930]

"…As long as I have eyes, ears, hands feet and sanity, I will improvise and keep moving. I advise young artists to do the same. This is a matter of essence, not age.”

Dr. Billy Taylor, Musician, Composer, Educator [1921 - 2010]

“Jazz is a democratic process.”

George Tscherny, Designer [b. 1924]

"The challenge is to filter out the trivia, banality and kitsch that engulfs us, while remaining connected and stimulated…Find what others overlooked."

“Have the courage to take risks.”

David Vestal, Photographer & Educator [1924 - 2013]

"I photograph, I work, I teach, edit, live, waste time and so on, exactly as I please, and suggest you do the same. "

Jeanyee Wong, Calligrapher [1920 - 2017]

"If you love what you do you get better at it."

“It’s good to hope but don’t waste your time worrying about something that you can’t do anything about.”

“I don’t know what the next phase of my life will be like. I’m not worried. I accept what comes next”.

Eva Zeisel, Industrial Designer [1906 - 2011]

“I don’t create angular things. I’m a more circular person- it’s more my character…even the air between my hands is round.”

Respecting My Elders: Age and the Creative Spirit is a collection of color portraits of creative persons over the age of eighty, photographed in their home and studios. They are the artists and intellectuals of my parents’ generation, whose wisdom and insight are important to our nation. Known as “The Greatest Generation”, and coming of age between the two World Wars, the effect of their contributions upon future generations is evident in their cultural legacies. These include books, poems, paintings, photographs, plays and performances, as well as important breakthroughs in education, philanthropy and the sciences. As these persons enter the last phase of long and productive lives, I believe they deserve to be celebrated. My photographs are meant to capture their spirit and beauty, and to inspire admiration by future generations.
[ These photographs were taken between 2009 and 2011 ]