It's so nice to do things so serendipitously/ precipitously that one barely has time to think or plan or prejudge as he or she is caught-up in the fluid motion of events. In this case it was by Leslie a really good friend of mine that came to buy some wines from me before going to an art showing at the artist's home just a half block away from us.
I know the artist, I know his home : I know first his daughter then him and also his wife. Our paths have crossed over the last two years or so. His name William passed the lips of my dear friend Cathie who used to live here in our D.C. Cleveland Park neighborhood. She would occasionally mention William's name in conversation. At that point I did not really know this humble gentleman's art at all. I still barely know it now though having it glimpsed some of it from the side while he spoke of it I feel that with knowing all that I do know ( his family ) and having heard his words that late afternoon recently that today I know him / his work / his passion / his quest so much better.
Funny, he came by just the other evening and I recognized him immediately and we spoke some. I wanted to convey to him my joy at having finally put many of the pieces together of this fascinating puzzle of man, family, art work, neighborhood, artist's home and studio, beautiful garden all into one. This has been quite the accomplishment and I have arrived at it by quite the accident. That accident being my friend Leslie who invited me to come along and view William's works at his home so very close by. Why had I not put it all together long ago? Why does it take me so much longer to connect the dots? I seem to work and do so many things at lightning speed and the other's at a tortoise's pace! Why?!? Oh well, I'm sure I really do know that answer and yet, until now I have never permitted it such a front-and-center audience with my active-penetrating, inquisitive, probing, eager mind. Why? Why? Why?
So anyway, there I was with my good friend Leslie knocking on William's front door and waiting to be inside where the action was. I had no idea exactly what to expect. This was all new to me even though I had passed by the hose many a time on my neighborhood walks. I'd always linger just a bit longer, walk just a bit slower to see what was happening in the lovely garden outside as well as to pee longer into the glass wall studio ( floor-to-ceiling ) to see what there might be to be seen?
There were always some neat images on the other wall across from the floor-to-ceiling wall to pull my gaze further inside. I liked the colors and the forms on the wall : they intrigued me, stimulated me always.
When the door opened Leslie and I were greeted by a young lady that seemed to recognize Leslie but had no clue who I might be. William's wife Sandy immediately recognized and welcomed me into their home. That made me feel welcome, that made me feel special. I liked it. She said that I was welcome anytime as I explained how I had arrived there just now. She was wearing a beautiful black, shiny top ( it shimmered as she moved )that immediately caught my gaze and I complemented her on it and told her how nice she looked. This seemed to please her as well.
After the young lady came up to me and asked if indeed I was in the wine business and I nodded " yes " we were ushered through the kitchen and through the narrow connecting passageway between the main house and into the studio where everyone was listening attentively to William speak about his art.
I was the only one dressed casually. I had not been expecting to go, come here. I knew nothing of it at all as it was a private viewing/showing of William's art with him there to walk and lead one through it. There's nothing more personal or intimate than that. It was for the patrons of the Phillip's art gallery and Leslie and Lee were involved with it in a major way from what she told me as we walked there.
It was interesting for me with my artist's eyes to take in the whole scene. I was there perhaps only twenty to thirty minutes and yet I feel that I registered many interesting impressions that I filtered then and ever after as some of the many bits and pieces filtered through my conscious again.
Part of the appeal was William himself and listening to him speak. Part of it was the studio , too with the wall filled with old painted metal and wooden signs that he had acquired over the years from Alabama. As he was showing us his colored photographs ( all taken with a camera and no digital ) I was beginning to piece together all these images I had before and was gaining now just standing there to his left side listening and observing.
Everyone was quite well-dressed. The ladies including Leslie and Sandy all looked beautiful. I enjoyed looking over the room and fleetingly at all the people gathered and listening to William speak. The men were all in suits and also very well dressed. I had my faded, comfortable blue jeans on as well as the lovely thick, long scarf my son had just given me from the Ruehl store in Tyson's Corner. I loved / love it ; and it made me feel quite special this late afternoon ( 5:30 PM was it? Something like that. ).
William had a series of photographs that he was showing everyone : they were all of his beloved Alabama and the older country buildings, farms, barns and structures that he would visit each and every year with his faithful camera. William explained that he has not lived there for thirty or so years but has returned faithfully for twenty-eight or so of those each year. I'm sure he really had no choice, that he was drawn there and simply had to go.
William was dressed nicely, too in a nice pair of khaki pants and a nice Oxford shirt, sleeves rolled-up I believe? I did not have my camera this time. I had thought about bringing it but I did not want to do anything that would rock the boat so-to-speak on this first visit of mine. So everything I saw I had to preserve in my mind's eye and take just a bit longer for impressions to actually register someplace within my head. I wanted to be able to recollect them later. It would have been nice to have had my camera : this way I simply had to concentrate harder.
William's daughter Kate was not there and that made me a bit sad as it would have been nice to say " hello " to her as we have gotten to know each other some now with her visits to the store. I believe that William said he was unable to go to Alabama a couple of those years because of family illnesses that had to come first.
William would raise each photograph and speak about it and what it meant to him. They all meant something to him, they were personal and things that he wanted to record and share with the world. You could clearly begin to understand his deep love for Alabama. He was like a devoted child wanting to sing the praises of Alabama and get others to see and appreciate the wonders and the magic, the essence of Alabama. He is an ambassador to this state and you can both see it in these images and hear it in his voice as he speaks quite levelly and convincingly of all that is Alabama here.
It was hard for me to really see the photos from this angle being off to the side, to the far left edge as Leslie and I were. That did not deter me or Leslie. We concentrated and he would briefly turn each of the photos for a split couple of seconds our way. You had to be looking or you would miss this brief window of opportunity.
He was totally involved in speaking about and recollecting the various instances of the making of each of these photos. I could picture him there and walking around and getting familiar with each setting before he photographed it. I liked this hands-on approach and it made him all the more real and human for me. I felt his commitment as I visualized William walking carefully about these settings, looking for the whole picture, the entirety of each image that he wanted to capture, save and share with us here all gathered round him.
I kept looking at everyone in the room that he was speaking to and telling about his strong commitment to what he was photographing and I wondered whether they were grasping the enormity and total sincerity of William? He was baring his soul to us with these words: spilling his guts for all to fathom and absorb. I loved this utter honesty of his. I felt in my way that he was welcoming us into the bosom of his home and of himself and of his work. Thank you.
William was giving us a very intimate glimpse into all of this experience of his. He wanted to share it, to convey it's importance to him and to the world, too. Time was a-waistin', things were rapidly changing. He made it quite clear that these were settings he felt committed to , body, mind, spirit and soul. He smiled a bit and said he did not feel the same commitment to the trailers and newer structures he was beginning to see there in Alabama. He said it would be up to others to save and record those images and they did not speak to him. I sure could understand those words and knew exactly where he was coming from saying what he did.
I was drawn to the structures that he photographed because of their shapes and also because of their beautiful colors of paint on stone , brick and wood as well as the flowers, vines, bushes, etcetera that grew all around them and showed Nature alive and well there right next to man and his structures out there in the Alabama countryside. The colors were so vivid, so bold, so forward and they pulled at me, intrigued me to look closer, to sit on top of them-sink into them, pass around them. I could not believe their intensity and asked William about this later in the store. He said that they were as they were taken, not doctored or enhanced in any way. They were amazing. They spoke to me of man's love of the colors found all around, right there in the colors of the flowers and leaves.
They were imitations of them and in praise of them I believe. It makes me want to go with William sometime to see for myself ( first-hand ) their charms and the spells that they evoke and have cast over William and now the whole legion of those that have seen his photographs and purchased them to hang in their homes.
Sandy, William's wife came into the room and asked him if he was going to speak all night about his photographs? She said that there was food ready and that their guest surely must be hungry by now? He gave him another five minutes or so to speak before they could all take a break and enjoy some of it.
From my point-of-view I did not see anybody unhappy there and wanting to break away for the food. They all had glasses of white Chardonnay in their hands ( BOGLE, I believe ) and seemed to want to hear more, much more from the lips of William before any food was served.
I was going to take this cue to leave and return to sell more wine at the store where I work as the wine manager. I did not want to leave but I did have my responsibility also to the store. So with a bit of sadness in my heart I bid " adieu ". I never did say " hello " or speak to William. He was much too busy. This was after all his moment and his scene and I was simply glad to be able to observe and to finally see some of his work and where he lived. It meant a whole lot to me, really.
I got back to the store all excited and with a big grin on my face and lots of animation. I did not have any wine there. I did not need it. The scene, the man, his art and his home were plenty to keep me well-entertained. I spoke about it for the next few hours, even when I got home that Thursday evening. I'm glad that I could share this excitement with my wife and my son.
The name of who I am describing and speaking of is William Christenberry who grew up as a boy in Hale County, Alabama. As I said each summer he has returned and chronicled the changing vistas and landscape of his youth.
I have spoken now with him three or four times at the store that I manage in Cleveland Park and the last time, just after having heard him speak in his home was quite a treat for me. I'm intrigued by him and our last conversation. It's a whole lot of food-for-thought for an already active, lively, in-high-gear imagination like mine.
I told William that I would be writing this and I hope that he likes it. I sure have enjoyed writing this and I look forward to more conversations with William in Cleveland Park. Time will tell. In the meantime I will be looking more closely at some of these photographs that he has taken and perhaps write more later. We will see: the white canvas that I usually work on/from is still largely untouched as of yet. Cheers William, Sandy, Kate and my good friend Leslie that brought me all that much closer to you all by inviting me to tag along to this memorable showing by you William of you work a couple of weeks ago. TONY
So anyway, there I was with my good friend Leslie knocking on William's front door and waiting to be inside where the action was. I had no idea exactly what to expect. This was all new to me even though I had passed by the hose many a time on my neighborhood walks. I'd always linger just a bit longer, walk just a bit slower to see what was happening in the lovely garden outside as well as to pee longer into the glass wall studio ( floor-to-ceiling ) to see what there might be to be seen?
There were always some neat images on the other wall across from the floor-to-ceiling wall to pull my gaze further inside. I liked the colors and the forms on the wall : they intrigued me, stimulated me always.
When the door opened Leslie and I were greeted by a young lady that seemed to recognize Leslie but had no clue who I might be. William's wife Sandy immediately recognized and welcomed me into their home. That made me feel welcome, that made me feel special. I liked it. She said that I was welcome anytime as I explained how I had arrived there just now. She was wearing a beautiful black, shiny top ( it shimmered as she moved )that immediately caught my gaze and I complemented her on it and told her how nice she looked. This seemed to please her as well.
After the young lady came up to me and asked if indeed I was in the wine business and I nodded " yes " we were ushered through the kitchen and through the narrow connecting passageway between the main house and into the studio where everyone was listening attentively to William speak about his art.
I was the only one dressed casually. I had not been expecting to go, come here. I knew nothing of it at all as it was a private viewing/showing of William's art with him there to walk and lead one through it. There's nothing more personal or intimate than that. It was for the patrons of the Phillip's art gallery and Leslie and Lee were involved with it in a major way from what she told me as we walked there.
It was interesting for me with my artist's eyes to take in the whole scene. I was there perhaps only twenty to thirty minutes and yet I feel that I registered many interesting impressions that I filtered then and ever after as some of the many bits and pieces filtered through my conscious again.
Part of the appeal was William himself and listening to him speak. Part of it was the studio , too with the wall filled with old painted metal and wooden signs that he had acquired over the years from Alabama. As he was showing us his colored photographs ( all taken with a camera and no digital ) I was beginning to piece together all these images I had before and was gaining now just standing there to his left side listening and observing.
Everyone was quite well-dressed. The ladies including Leslie and Sandy all looked beautiful. I enjoyed looking over the room and fleetingly at all the people gathered and listening to William speak. The men were all in suits and also very well dressed. I had my faded, comfortable blue jeans on as well as the lovely thick, long scarf my son had just given me from the Ruehl store in Tyson's Corner. I loved / love it ; and it made me feel quite special this late afternoon ( 5:30 PM was it? Something like that. ).
William had a series of photographs that he was showing everyone : they were all of his beloved Alabama and the older country buildings, farms, barns and structures that he would visit each and every year with his faithful camera. William explained that he has not lived there for thirty or so years but has returned faithfully for twenty-eight or so of those each year. I'm sure he really had no choice, that he was drawn there and simply had to go.
William was dressed nicely, too in a nice pair of khaki pants and a nice Oxford shirt, sleeves rolled-up I believe? I did not have my camera this time. I had thought about bringing it but I did not want to do anything that would rock the boat so-to-speak on this first visit of mine. So everything I saw I had to preserve in my mind's eye and take just a bit longer for impressions to actually register someplace within my head. I wanted to be able to recollect them later. It would have been nice to have had my camera : this way I simply had to concentrate harder.
William's daughter Kate was not there and that made me a bit sad as it would have been nice to say " hello " to her as we have gotten to know each other some now with her visits to the store. I believe that William said he was unable to go to Alabama a couple of those years because of family illnesses that had to come first.
William would raise each photograph and speak about it and what it meant to him. They all meant something to him, they were personal and things that he wanted to record and share with the world. You could clearly begin to understand his deep love for Alabama. He was like a devoted child wanting to sing the praises of Alabama and get others to see and appreciate the wonders and the magic, the essence of Alabama. He is an ambassador to this state and you can both see it in these images and hear it in his voice as he speaks quite levelly and convincingly of all that is Alabama here.
It was hard for me to really see the photos from this angle being off to the side, to the far left edge as Leslie and I were. That did not deter me or Leslie. We concentrated and he would briefly turn each of the photos for a split couple of seconds our way. You had to be looking or you would miss this brief window of opportunity.
He was totally involved in speaking about and recollecting the various instances of the making of each of these photos. I could picture him there and walking around and getting familiar with each setting before he photographed it. I liked this hands-on approach and it made him all the more real and human for me. I felt his commitment as I visualized William walking carefully about these settings, looking for the whole picture, the entirety of each image that he wanted to capture, save and share with us here all gathered round him.
I kept looking at everyone in the room that he was speaking to and telling about his strong commitment to what he was photographing and I wondered whether they were grasping the enormity and total sincerity of William? He was baring his soul to us with these words: spilling his guts for all to fathom and absorb. I loved this utter honesty of his. I felt in my way that he was welcoming us into the bosom of his home and of himself and of his work. Thank you.
William was giving us a very intimate glimpse into all of this experience of his. He wanted to share it, to convey it's importance to him and to the world, too. Time was a-waistin', things were rapidly changing. He made it quite clear that these were settings he felt committed to , body, mind, spirit and soul. He smiled a bit and said he did not feel the same commitment to the trailers and newer structures he was beginning to see there in Alabama. He said it would be up to others to save and record those images and they did not speak to him. I sure could understand those words and knew exactly where he was coming from saying what he did.
I was drawn to the structures that he photographed because of their shapes and also because of their beautiful colors of paint on stone , brick and wood as well as the flowers, vines, bushes, etcetera that grew all around them and showed Nature alive and well there right next to man and his structures out there in the Alabama countryside. The colors were so vivid, so bold, so forward and they pulled at me, intrigued me to look closer, to sit on top of them-sink into them, pass around them. I could not believe their intensity and asked William about this later in the store. He said that they were as they were taken, not doctored or enhanced in any way. They were amazing. They spoke to me of man's love of the colors found all around, right there in the colors of the flowers and leaves.
They were imitations of them and in praise of them I believe. It makes me want to go with William sometime to see for myself ( first-hand ) their charms and the spells that they evoke and have cast over William and now the whole legion of those that have seen his photographs and purchased them to hang in their homes.
Sandy, William's wife came into the room and asked him if he was going to speak all night about his photographs? She said that there was food ready and that their guest surely must be hungry by now? He gave him another five minutes or so to speak before they could all take a break and enjoy some of it.
From my point-of-view I did not see anybody unhappy there and wanting to break away for the food. They all had glasses of white Chardonnay in their hands ( BOGLE, I believe ) and seemed to want to hear more, much more from the lips of William before any food was served.
I was going to take this cue to leave and return to sell more wine at the store where I work as the wine manager. I did not want to leave but I did have my responsibility also to the store. So with a bit of sadness in my heart I bid " adieu ". I never did say " hello " or speak to William. He was much too busy. This was after all his moment and his scene and I was simply glad to be able to observe and to finally see some of his work and where he lived. It meant a whole lot to me, really.
I got back to the store all excited and with a big grin on my face and lots of animation. I did not have any wine there. I did not need it. The scene, the man, his art and his home were plenty to keep me well-entertained. I spoke about it for the next few hours, even when I got home that Thursday evening. I'm glad that I could share this excitement with my wife and my son.
The name of who I am describing and speaking of is William Christenberry who grew up as a boy in Hale County, Alabama. As I said each summer he has returned and chronicled the changing vistas and landscape of his youth.
I have spoken now with him three or four times at the store that I manage in Cleveland Park and the last time, just after having heard him speak in his home was quite a treat for me. I'm intrigued by him and our last conversation. It's a whole lot of food-for-thought for an already active, lively, in-high-gear imagination like mine.
I told William that I would be writing this and I hope that he likes it. I sure have enjoyed writing this and I look forward to more conversations with William in Cleveland Park. Time will tell. In the meantime I will be looking more closely at some of these photographs that he has taken and perhaps write more later. We will see: the white canvas that I usually work on/from is still largely untouched as of yet. Cheers William, Sandy, Kate and my good friend Leslie that brought me all that much closer to you all by inviting me to tag along to this memorable showing by you William of you work a couple of weeks ago. TONY
