Over two years ago Skagit Valley Artist Bill Slater passed after a prolonged bout with pancreatic cancer. We had met at a party and exchanged phone numbers in agreement that I should visit his studio. Time passed and as opportunities often do ..it passed. Finally upon Bill’s death I visited his studio sadly as a guest at his celebration of life party.
In rememberance I photographed the whole affair and captured a number of fine portraits that I’ll be posting over the next number of days.
Included here is a link to a memorial slideshow I made . My ‘signature’ photo for the Cliffwalk which is the girl on the motorbike which consequently is on my business cards was taken at this event. The author Tom Robbins “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues’ and Bill were close friends of over 40 years. Two southern gentleman that migrated to Washington State. The cabin where this studio is located is on ‘Pull and be Damned’ road near La Conner,Washington USA. Early on after their arrival in the early 70’s Bill was living on this site in a very rustic cabin with no electricty
or heat save a woodstove. Bill’s wife became pregnant and in true southern style Tom offered up his house in town so Bill’s wife wouldn’t be uncomfortable during the pregnancy. a good share of’Cowgirl’ was written in this cabin.
Memorial Blog: http://rverspirit.wordpress.com/
This is absolutely fabulous!
Very creative glance on the process of formation of the works of the art. Bravo!
I love seeing workspaces like this.
This is a wonderful photo… definitely one of my favorites of yours… and I enjoyed watching the slideshow you put together also.
Great shot of a artist workspace…
It happens so often in life, Eddie. The frenetic pace, the things we have lined up and the things that somehow we put off for so many reasons. Not enough hours in the day sometimes.
I think the photograph and your rememberence are wonderful
This is so beautiful that when it opened all I could say was “Whoa!” The colors, the design, the shapes, and both order and chaos at once…and the peace. Also the sense that the artist was no longer “there” anymore, but I don’t know why. That leaves me feeling an immediate gut wrenching sadness so deep it felt like someone slugged me. Beautiful and evocative capture of some elusive energy that I can’t quite put my finer on. Very moving.
Oh my word eddie, I sit here speechless with tears in my eyes. I just read what you wrote about this photo. And I had to come back and leave a second comment. I hadn’t read that when I left my first comment. —And NOW I just read who’s studio this is and how he had died of cancer. I remember you sharing the photos of the Life Celebration, but I don’t remember this one. No wonder I felt like he was no longer there. Phew! Wow! You sure too me on an amazing journey this afternoon. Thank you my friend, Robin
A fascinating photo. My father painted a bit (He’d trained as an Art and English teacher) but never really painted again for himself until after he retired and had a stroke. My mum still had some of his half used tubes of paints in her flat – I guess they really are quite personal things.