the woodmans movie

                                (photograph by francesca woodman, ca. 1980)

a troubled artist daughter finding her way in her own way and with her own medium, francesca is the ghost that brought them real fame. 

art as healing: betty stopped making useful ceramic objects. 

george starting making photographs, of nude models creepily reminiscent of his daughter. 

the posturing of both of them, arms crossed and in control. 

thirty years of bearing whatever pain you can bear and guilt you can muster and continuing to make art everyday. 

and allowing yourself to be filmed .

i used to wish my parents were artists. 

after seeing this movie i am glad they were not.

Romulus Linney

Romulus Linney

Playwright, Director, Teacher

I made this portrait on October 29, 2010, in New York City. He turned 80 last spring. He talked about how age just slowed one down, but didn't stop one's creativity.

He chose a Noh mask, one of his prized possessions, which was used in many productions throughout his career, to be photographed with. It was bought from a mask shop in Japan while on leave from the army in the 1950s; a perfect thing. He showed me how the face could change from a hurt to a puzzled look as he varied his gestures.  

Mr. Linney was warm, welcoming, and gracious.

There was a kindness to him, a patience. 

He gave me a book of his plays, enchanting stories told with a singularly intelligent southern-tinged voice. I sent him some photos in November, but never heard back from him. I wondered if he liked them. 

I realize now how sad he looks, compared to the robust obituary photographs in the New York Times. He must have known. 

Mr. Linney passed away January 15, 2011.

Condolences to his family, his friends, his circles.

radio interview

I realize I have not posted anything to this blog since last summer- 6 months is a long time.
Not that I have been sleeping; I've just been busy with life. I expect to post more photographs from my Elders series soon here, with some stories: in the meantime check out the portfolio "80+" on my website.

I was interviewed about that project (and other things) in an hour long interview with Virginia Reed, on her program "A Woman's Perspective"  on PRN, (progressive radio network) that was taped on December 17, 2010. Here is the link to that interview (just click on it- the typo is theirs). It will be archived for three months. Best to listen while doing something else (watering plants, drawing, etc....) - an hour is a long time.
You will note that I have a New York accent.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/a-womans-persepctive/2010/12/17/a-womens-perspective-121710.html