I've been trying to get some of the work I did in Virginia ready to print but yet I'm being torn to be, of all things, business like. Pay the bills, file the taxes, unpack everything from the trip, and family too. Can you believe my mom has the audacity to expect me to pay some attention to her too. She's seen me for 65 plus years and I haven't changed that much in the last 3 weeks. Well, truth be told, guilt has something to do with it. I have neglected her a bit of late.
Phillip Welch, Lexington, Virginia. Artist, Craftsman and nice guy. Phillip is one of those locals that allowed me to interrupt his life long enough to pose for my series. Without much fanfare, we dropped into his studio and basically didn't leave until he agreed to subject himself to my lens. Keep in mind none of these folks, save James (our friend), know me from Adam. If it weren't for the introduction from our friends, my chances of getting any shooting done would have been severely hampered.
Phillips forte is the art of creating fine furniture pieces from wood unlike anything you might find at Crate N Barrel or Ethan Allen or even Sotheby's for that matter.
The image itself is not how most folks who know Phil would picture him. I'll run more later. As a matter of fact, the shoot ran so smoothly and quickly because, as it turns out, he is a natural. He sat down and went through poses almost faster than my light would recycle. He was a Master of using his hands in the poses and feared no capture that might someday come back to haunt him. Mugging it up, he looked more like an experienced actor than a small town artist. In fact, I asked him if he would like that I submit images to various agencies, because he has a very commercial face and an ability to follow direction that is usually only found in very experienced model/actors.
This image went right to my heart. It portrays so many possible emotions, it could be the modern version of Rodan's, the Thinker. This may be one of my favorite portraits from the past 4 years.
Thank you Phil, you rock dude.
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2 comments:
awesome!
Although I'm very much enjoying getting to know all the incredible characters you photographed in Virginia, Phil's image is still my favorite. The lines of his face are so deeply etched, and I can't help but wonder what he's pondering at the moment your shutter released. There's seems to be a world of thought brewing behind his eyes, and the solemn gaze and slight tension in his expression just captivate me. Well done, sir.
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