One of the most memorable conversations I had with James, was when he said to me, “You now have an image in the Library of Congress.”
Never in my wildest dreams did I think back in 1982, that taking a few pictures at an on campus concert would end up any where else then the school newspaper, and that my hoarding those B&W negatives would ever go anywhere.
My LARGE Image in a Museum! - Thank you Pilar Wyman!
The big day has arrived!
In my last post on the subject, I my SAS Classmate (’82) and Life Long Friend, Pilar Wyman contacted me via Facebook IM, and she said that she was interested in attending the Opening of the Wyeth/Ruskin Exhibit.
Needless to say, I was more then happy to give her tickets!
But, would there be enough time to send her the tickets?
The smart women that she is, suggested that I just leave the at the Ticket Booth with her name on it!
Earlier tonight, I IMed Pilar, and asked if she was still interested in going, and she informed me, Yes, and she was already in Wilmington hanging-out, getting some coffee, after traveling North from the DC area.
Damn! – We had NOT even left the house!
At around 16:45, we (Amy, Madison & Logan) left our house in Downingtown, and head South, mainly on Rt 202, and ran into the usual Friday night traffic.
I had IMed Pilar just before we left home that we expected to be at the Museum around 17:45, but at 17:46, I handed Amy (my wife) my phone and asked her to IM Pilar that we where going to be late…
We arrive at the Museum, as as we are getting out of the car at valet parking, I look across the other lane, and there was Pilar, just being contacted about parking her car!
Absolutely PERFECT timing! (F-ing amazing!)
We walking to the Museum, chatting away, with neither of us knowing what to expect.
After we handed in our tickets, and told which direction the “Eye on Nature” was, we headed down the hall, and down some steps, and then turning the corner…
Bam…
There it was!
My Image! My Photograph! As big as Life! – In a F-ing Museum!
I became such a little kid!
Thankfully, Pilar had the where with all, and organized a Family photo!
My LARGE Image in a Museum! – Thank you Pilar Wyman!
If you look, you can see me pointing to my credit on the wall, and saying to the guard standing there “That is ME!”
After the initial excitement, I went back with my camera, and started to take so more pictures, and hearing the same guard saying “Your flash is on!”
My response, “It’s OK, I have the Original!”…
Eventually, I began to calm down, and I finally found Margaretta and introduced myself and the rest of the family.
I also got a chance to walk the gallery with Pilar, stopping at my main image, and explaining several other images that I have over time, and then we walked and talked about the other Wyeth and Ruskin images.
When I was a child, my parents always had a 16″x20” print book of Andrew Wyeth’s work (circa 1968), which is now in my possession, but after being exposed to John Ruskin during this adventure, having never heard of him before, I have taken a deeper interest in his work.
While Madison was at school on the morning of the Opening, she was explaining where she was going later in the evening to a friend, and as she showed the friend Ruskin’s work, she had to pause for a moment, because I have almost exactly the same image, but 200 years apart and on different land masses!
Times ticks, and Pilar and family went different direction, but I hooked up with Pilar over the hors d’oeuvre table, and as we looked over the crown, Pilar notice Mr & Mrs Colburn walking down the hallway, and we both rushed over to greet them!
After chatting with the Colburn’s for some time, the rest of my family found me, and with energy running out of both Madison and Logan, we started out the door for home.
Needless to say, it was a GREAT night for me, and hopefully a good step in the right direction of my photography love!
