In the 1970s, before changing careers, I freelanced for publications and hospitals to support my artistic work. I was one of three photographers exhibiting at the grand opening of Chicago’s Cultural Center. I also served as an artist-in-residence for that city. For years, my work was on exhibit at City Hall.
After changing careers, my energy went largely to peace, environmental and community empowerment movements. Most recently, I spent nearly two decades as director of a coalition of Chicago community organizations working for safer neighborhoods and a democratic version of community policing.
Since retiring, I have had more time for photography and photomontages. I began showing in New Haven five years ago. I have had one and two person shows at the Westville Gallery; participated in ArtSpace’s Citywide Open Studios; in “State of Mind,” the New Haven Art Council’s annual members exhibition; in “Spectra ‘04” sponsored by the New Haven Photo Arts Collective and in “Images 2005,” sponsored by the Shoreline Arts Alliance. Most recently (October-November 2007), my work was exhibited at the Agora Gallery in Chelsea, New York City.
In November 2007, at the request of The Schweitzer Institute at Quinnipiac University, I created a large montage commemorating Dr. Schweitzer’s stand against nuclear weapons (see “Remember”). In March 2010, a detail from the montage was used in the design of the cover on Nuclear Proliferation and the Dilemma of Peace in the Twenty-First Century.
I have recently resettled in the Chicago area after nearly eight years in New Haven.
Most of what I do is “street” photography, or, more broadly, photographs of strangers in public places. In my early years of taking pictures, I was influenced by photographers like Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Dorthea Lange and Eugene Smith. I was impressed by their timing, composition and willingness to engage with social realities.
After I retired and learned Photoshop, I began making photomontages that I believe overlap with and extend my street photography. Creating them allows me to play with contexts and juxtaposition, to explore the interplay of forces and traditions in people’s lives, to reach beyond the single image and express, in a new way, the narrative impulse that motivates much of my work.
For the past year, following this impulse, I completed my second artist’s book, Broken Symmetry (see Books on the menu bar above). The first book, Reflect on Pain, is a book of poetry and photographs. It is also available on this website.
