Jason Landry's Blog, page 13

A Thankful Reflection

I have been connected to a lot of people in my life. My most important connections, besides my family and closest friends, are the peers, mentors and the network of artists, photographers, collectors and educators that I have met along the way. I am very thankful to all of you, especially on a day like today.

Frank Sherwood White, Turkey, from the series Inflatables.

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What Inspired Me To Write

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Instant Connections: Now Available

It’s finally here!  My book, Instant Connections: Essays and Interviews on Photography is now available. Published by Boston-based Doolittle Press, this book includes essays, interviews, poems and quotes about photography. Most of what you will find in this book is coming from my own point of view––that of someone who was a photographer and who is now a collector, educator and gallery owner.

I never in a million years imagined that I would write a book. I have to give thanks to my wife who got me motivated to write and to my editor Debbie Hagan who pushed me to make each and every essay the best it could be.

In the world of photography, I have primarily been a giver. I give my time reviewing portfolios, mentoring students and emerging artists. As a gallery owner, I spend a lot of time promoting the artists that I represent––helping them to build their network, and grow as artists.

You will like this book if you like or can relate to:

Photography, Art and Galleries

Collecting Photography

People who want to be photographers

People who ARE photographers

People who write about photography

People who went to art or photography school

People who are self-taught artists

People who want a behind the scenes look at the photography industry

People who know the importance of having a personal network of friends and connections

People who have had a mentor and it has changed their lives

Click on the book cover or visit Amazon.com or as soon as you can, or contact any one of your local independent bookstores and buy a copy through them.

I will thank you the next time I see you. Maybe I can help you make an ‘Instant Connection’. All you have to do is ask.

Sincerely,

Jason

 

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Boston Red Sox: World Series Champions

We won! Yes, the Red Sox pulled off another unbelievable season going from worst to first and winning it all––The World Series. Three times in ten years––it still hasn’t sunk in.

I’ve been a Sox fan since I was a kid back in the 80’s––back when we were praying for a World Series title. I remember buying baseballs before the game, and then after, waiting out back of the park to chase down Dwight Evans and Bob Stanley for their autographs. On this night, I was at home getting the play by play off of a computer screen. We don’t have cable TV any longer––a decision that my wife and I consciously made to rid ourselves of the reality TV crapola. On this night though, I was itching to watch this game.

I took a walk and ended up at one of my favorite places, Eastern Standard restaurant in the heart of Kenmore Square. I was five-deep off of the long bar watching the game and the revelers. Inside it was controlled chaos––outside it was pandemonium. Police lined the streets and barricaded off the area. Thousands of energetic and excited fans knew, just as we did, that the Red Sox were going to win it and they wanted to be able to tell all of their friends that “I was there. I was in Kenmore Square in 2013 when the Sox won!” Shit was starting to get real! The sox were up by a lot of runs and from a distance I could see the crowd gathering from outside the restaurant windows. The managers began covering all of the windows with paper just in case the crowd got out of hand. In their sister restaurant next door, the Island Creek Oyster Bar, the police made them shut off their TV’s because too many people were gathering outside the restaurants windows to watch.

Once the final out was made, and it was official, the cheering began. The crowds were chanting, “Let’s Go Red Sox”, and on the TV was a memorable picture of Red Sox player and series M.V.P. David Ortiz, a.k.a. Big Papi, with a black motorcycle helmet on lifting up our relief pitcher Koji––a triumphant and memorable moment for the young Japanese pitcher.

There was nothing left for me to see here. I had just witnessed another Boston team win a championship. I made my way up from the restaurant, and walked down the long corridor through the Hotel Commonwealth. People were in the lobby watching the game on the big screen TV that they had installed––one older fan was passed out sleeping on on of the couches. At the front door the hotel’s security team was directing the traffic––“if you have a hotel key, you can come in. No key, no entrance.” People who were trying to get home were looking for a place to use the bathroom. Security did their best to weed out the riffraff and let in the guests. Other guests were trying to get home and wanted to retrieve their cars from the parking lot where they had valeted them prior to the game. With all of the roads barricaded, they would be lucky if they would even be able to get back on the road before 2 or 3 a.m.

Once most of the crowds began to move away from Kenmore, I made a mad dash for it and walked the mile up Beacon street. I passed thousands of college students in the streets dressed in their Halloween costumes, I stepped over dozens of smashed pumpkins, and witnessed too many people peeing in bushes and throwing up for one evening. Fifteen minutes later I finally entered the threshold to my house. My wife was still up because the noise of the car horns, people yelling and helicopters were constant––not sure who could really sleep through that anyways.

As I climbed into bed with thoughts of the Red Sox dancing in my head, I recall my wife saying, “they flipped a car on Boylston street.” Sure they did––Keepin’ it classy Boston. See you at the parade! Boston, you are my home.

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My Life in Heavy Metal

I may be a late bloomer to Steve Almond’s book My Life in Heavy Metal, but I’m glad I picked it up on my most recent trip through the Harvard Book Store.  I sat in on a session with Steve at this year’s Muse and the Marketplace literary event hosted by Grub Street and found him quite funny.

I grew up listening to heavy metal––Ozzy, Metallica, Ratt, Poison, G&R, Aerosmith––you name it, but wasn’t as adventurous with the ladies and my relationships as detailed in the first chapter of his book. Maybe I should’ve waited to finish the book so that I could have given you a more detailed review, but if the rest of the book reads as the first chapter did, well, I’d make it one of my suggested readings to all of my friends.

His more popular book, Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America, is a non-fiction story about small candy companies doing it the old-fashioned way. My candy vice growing up was Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Can’t wait for Halloween. Hopefully I can score a few freebie style!

But back to heavy metal, here’s an essay flashback of one of my metal stories for you to read when you got a minute: Driving Around With Metal Heads Without Seatbelts.

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Haiku for October: Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie is best

warmed up in the microwave.

Will you make me one?

~ Haiku for October

Agnieszka Sosnowska, Arnold Arboretum,
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 1992

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Now on Huffington Post

I’m very excited to be blogging for the Huffington Post!  You will be able to find my posts in the Arts & Culture section where I will be writing primarily on the topic of photography. My first post is called: Why Art Galleries Are Important.  Enjoy!

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Book Covers

I’ve been real anxious over the last few days. I was trying to determine if it was the switch from light to dark roast, or if it was the bottle of Coke or the sugary babka loaf I’ve been snacking on. Maybe it’s the change of season––I know we have to change those clocks again soon. But in all honesty, I know it’s none of the above. It’s the anticipation of my soon to be released book: Instant Connections.

So I spend last week looking at book covers. It’s getting exciting now! Once the overall design was finalized, then we moved on to color or no color. Here were some of the samples I was given.

The design firm suggested that having color on the cover would help it stand out. But what color? A few days ago, a friend and I were at a bar and I would whip out my phone and open the PDF with the color samples and ask total strangers: if you were publishing a book, what color would you choose? They all gave different answers. I eventually settled on a light orange––looked like a Creamsicle.

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Tropic of Cancer: Henry Miller

I was told by someone this week that my writing reminded them of the author Henry Miller. I hope that is a compliment. I plan to pick up his book Tropic of Cancer this week.  May as well start with his first book. I absolutely love the book cover on this edition.

from wikipedia:

“Tropic of Cancer is a novel by Henry Miller that has been described as “notorious for its candid sexuality” and as responsible for the “free speech that we now take for granted in literature”. It was first published in 1934 by the Obelisk Press in Paris, France, but this edition was banned in the United States. Its publication in 1961 in the U.S. by Grove Press led to obscenity trials that tested American laws on pornography in the early 1960s. In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the book non-obscene. It is widely regarded as an important masterpiece of 20th-century literature.”

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Haiku for September: A Rainy Sunday

A rainy Sunday.

Feel free to sleep in today.

You’ve earned it, I’m sure.

~ Haiku for September

Keith Johnson, from the series Suite Niagara.
Courtesy of the Artist and Panopticon Gallery

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