one

Today is the one year anniversary of collect.give!

I'm thrilled that such a talented group of photographers have contributed their photographs and time to the project: Jane Fulton Alt, Jonathan Blaustein, Mark Brautigam, Barbara Ciurej, Amy Eckert, Matt Eich, Jon Feinstein, Sarina Finkelstein, Elizabeth Fleming, Max Gerber, Ben Huff, Dave Jordano, Stella Kalaw, Melissa Kaseman, David Leventi, Lindsay Lochman, John Loomis, Kerry Mansfield, Mark Menjivar, Annie Marie Musselman, Susana Raab, Ellen Rennard, Dalton Rooney, Kelly Shimoda, Emily Shur, Allison V. Smith, Aline Smithson, Brea Souders, Lacey Terrell, Sonja Thomsen and David Wright.

We have slowly, but surely raised over $17,000 for 30 different causes, all dear to the hearts of the contributing artists. And we're not slowing down: Yesterday, we had our second busiest day ever, with 1200 visits to the site. All this week, we're giving away great gifts to those who purchase prints - see the details here. And we have a list of talented artists who'll be contributing to the site in 2011.

Thanks to the photographers, the collectors, and to anyone who's simply stopped by and learned about the great organizations spotlighted.

family photographed

Sketch of Autumn © Yoichi Nagata

Aline Smithson has posted a terrific exhibition of photographs on the theme of Family on her Lenscratch blog, the first of a new series of democratic online group shows. It's lovely set of pictures, and this one, by Japanese photographer Yoichi Nagata, stopped me in my tracks. See the exhibition here.

remember the

a very shiny fire hydrant in front of The Alamo © kjm

Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting my Camp Home work at the American Studies Association annual conference in San Antonio. It was the first time I'd talked about the project in an academic setting, and it was really a great experience for me - both in thinking more about the project in preparation, and in the discussions and possibilities that resulted. Art historian Kate Palmer Albers invited me to be part of a panel addressing the Japanese internment and photography after learning about my work as a reviewer for Critical Mass. On the panel, she discussed the work of Andrew Freeman, who's photographed buildings near the former Manzanar internment camp site. Also on the panel were Elena Tajima Creef, author of Imaging Japanese America, and Dalia Habib Linssen, who spoke about the work of Life Magazine photographers Hansel Mieth and Otto Hagel.

While in San Antonio, I had great fun hanging out with photographer Mark Menjivar, who in turn introduced me to some great area photographers and artists, including photographers Jason Reed, Elizabeth Chiles, Sarah Sudhoff and her husband, Gary Schott and Dawn Roe, who was visiting from Florida, also for the ASA conference. A friendly, fun and talented bunch.

My hotel was right across the street from The Alamo, but I never got there.

baby, it (was) cold outside

negative seven degrees © kjm

The third annual Fraction Magazine Holiday Print Sale is now live, and I've contributed this photograph from my series Within Reach. The picture is of my front window, as seen from my desk on a frigid morning last winter. For the sake of my heating bill (and all that is right in the world), I hope the same scene won't reveal itself again this year.

Don't miss seeing what's available on the Fraction site - some really lovely images by a terrific set of photographers.

Title: negative seven degrees
Date: 2009
Size: 8x10"
Media: Digital c-print on Fuji Crystal Archive matte paper
Edition size: 10
Price: $50
Shipping (U.S.): $3

To purchase via PayPal or your cc, click here.

3rd chance

Highway 61 Location, #1 © kjm

This one nearly got away. I've been past this closed Hardee's twice before, on an annual canoe trip in far Northern Minnesota. I intentionally leave my camera at home on this trip, making it a true vacation (students, shut your ears), with the exception of my phone. But I forget each year that this amazing restaurant exists. Luckily, my friend Steve was along on the trip, and he had his gear. Whew.

within reach: little hand

the big clock, down for dusting © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

within reach: jammy

old wine in a jam jar glass © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

voices of afghanistan

© Stephen Crowley

The latest issue of Visura Magazine has a wonderful series of portraits by New York Times photographer Stephen Crowley. His story and photographs are compelling on several levels: How journalists find themselves in specific places during specific times in history; the science of photography, which many of us have long forgotten; and fleeting but meaningful connections we make with our subjects. See Stephen's words and pictures here. (Be sure to hold your cursor over the captions for the expanded text)

as seen: ampersand

closed museum, highway 62 © kjm

as seen: 9:03am pst

guest bedroom © kjm

journeys

© John Mann, left; Fifteen Strange Seconds © Jon Horvath, right

I was struck recently by lovely work by photographers Jon Horvath and John Mann and the possible pathways between their work. Jon, who lives, teaches and makes pictures in Milwaukee, had new work in a recent faculty show at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. In Passages, he uses the literary work of Jack Kerouac to lead him on GPS-assisted rambles, using the highway naming system to spell out phrases as he goes. The resulting images (his literal paths) are graphic in their presentation and reminded me of political gerrymandering maps.

And I recently received John Mann's terrific book Thinner Air in the mail. The limited edition book poetically depicts the creation and flight of a small handmade airplane. The images are delicate and buoyant.

Where are you headed?

ciurej & lochman on collect.give

The photographic team of Barb Ciurej and Lindsay Lochman have offered a print today on collect.give, with all proceeds pledged to The Voices and Faces Project.

Repercussions: Tides & Time

I'm proud to have work from Camp Home included in a group show at SOIL in Seattle, through the end of October. Repercussions: Tides & Time was curated by Alex Emmons and features work by Rebecca Cummins, Amze Emmons, Mark Klett, John Mann, Leslie Mutchler, M. Alexis Pike, Shawn Records, Margaret Stratton, Filippo Tagliati, Jason Urban, Ian van Coller, Angela Franks Wells, and Byron Wolfe. The show, in several variations, will travel to Central Washington University next and then closer to home at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan.

fast belfry

S. Broadway Avenue Location, #5 © kjm

I photographed this Kentucky Fried Chicken about 6 months ago, but found some interesting changes upon a recent visit.

within reach: juice

extension cord on the kitchen floor © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

as seen: impersonator

fake Tina © kjm

water way

bwca © kjm

Just back from a solid week of vacation, paddling the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a wilderness area of over 1 million acres between Minnesota and Canada. There are more lakes than you could count and 1,000 miles of canoe routes, but our group (which has been camping together in different configurations for years), only tackled 5 days worth. Which is a lot these days, considering the increasing time demands of work, family and life. It's been a busy summer, so the time away was important, and helped slow the spinning of my internal hard drive. I can't let myself forget how important these things are: paddles in the water, Fall colors, drinks around the campfire, stargazing, bad jokes with buddies, and an email-less week.

collect.give: mark brautigam

Alvin, WI © Mark Brautigam

Mark Brautigam, a fellow Milwaukeean, has released a print today on collect.give. The picture comes from his terrific project On Wisconsin and Mark is pledging all proceeds to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

within reach: shrivel

strawberry from a bowl in the fridge © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

the bell rings

© Laura Hughes, left, Zachary Seib, center, Alec Schuppel, right

We've started up the MIAD-FA382 blog once again, with a new group of photography majors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. The first blog assignment was to post their favorite picture from the summer, and a few examples are above. Please stop by and take a look at the students' work, and know that there's much more ahead in the next few months.

Also, we're also approaching 600 photographer interview and informational links on the site, so visit us for lots of additional photography content, too.

jane fulton alt on collect.give

The Wedding Portrait, 2005 © Jane Fulton Alt

Chicago photographer Jane Fulton Alt made a timely offering this week on collect.give. The photo was shot in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and all proceeds will benefit the group Lower 9th Ward Village.

within reach: stems

contents of the small glass vase © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

as seen: 68

fallen headstone, beaver island, mi © kjm

phone home

room 409 (which ironically was not that clean) ludington, mi © kjm

I've been on the road a lot lately.

matt eich on collect.give

Elvis the Zebra © Matt Eich

Matt Eich offered this lovely image this week on collect.give. Matt is one of the founders of LUCEO, a collective of incredibly talented young shooters (I've written before here about the work of Kevin German here before). Matt pledges 100% of proceeds to the organization Critical Exposure, with specific hopes to buy a quality digital camera for a group of inspired young students. In many ways, Matt (who's 24) represents the future of photojournalism (yes, there is one) in hard times. And through his collect.give pledge, he's looking a little further down the path.

new rich

© kjm

A group of us headed north last week to The Poor Farm, an exhibition and learning space created by Chicago artists and educators Michelle Grabner and Brad Killam. The huge, old building is a work in progress, both physically and creatively. From the 1870's to the 1930's, it housed destitute individuals who worked on the adjacent farm. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Mary Louise Schumacher has, and will be writing about the unique art space. While we were there, she was compiling components for a future multimedia piece, so stay tuned.

(Re: these images: I may be the last photographer with a phone to get the CameraBag app. And I love it, especially since I haven't shot with a square format camera in about 20 years.)

stella kalaw on collect.give

After the Birthday Party © Stella Kalaw

Stella Kalaw has offered a print on collect.give - with very personal connections to her niece, who suffered a stroke at birth. Her photograph, above, was taken after one of her niece's birthday parties, and Stella has pledged 100% of the proceeds to The Guidance Center, which was central to her treatment following the stroke.

anniversary

at that Starbucks in Seattle after crossing the very busy road by our hotel, sort of near the space needle © kjm

Nine things intended to make Marilu smile on the anniversary of our first date:

American Woman.
You have two hands.
Gravitas.
Kablooey.
Sweetest of peas.
Don't do that.
Blah, blah, blah.
The ol' noggin.
Yalla!

bear bidding

Polar Bears, 2008 © Colleen Plumb

The Milwaukee Art Museum Photography Council held it's inaugural benefit last night, with curator Lisa Hostetler at the helm and lots of great items in the silent auction. The hardworking members of the Photography Council (note: Milwaukee is a great photography city!) included photographers Sonja Thomsen, Lindsay Lochman and Mel Trittin. And the crowd was full of interesting creatives: Photographers Jason Reblando, Shimon and Lindemann, Bob Smith, Sarah McEneany, Aron Gent and Tara Bogart, designers Patrick and Libby Castro, gallerist Deb Brehmer and Andy Adams of Flak Photo. Marilu and I were lucky to be the high bidders on the wonderful Colleen Plumb picture, above.

[see past my so called collection entries here]

within reach: fragile landscape

dried kale leaf © kjm

... and this, from the depths of the refrigerator - Marilu identified the near-petrified leaves as kale.

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]