On our quick trip north we stopped in at the Photographic Center NW, in Seattle. It was my sister’s idea, and a good one.
They were hosting a Zine & Book Fair. The place was lined with tables and the tables were covered in books and postcards. Some of the work was more visibly handmade, and other collections were printed via online self publishing resources, but all of it was pretty awesome. There’s a unique vision that comes through in one person making a work, putting it forward, skipping the corporate or even small press process. It’s so very personal.
I navigated the tables, mask on, in that tight crowd, leaning over to look at images, and there I fell in love with a book of photos, by a woman named Constance Brinkley, taken at a Seattle Event, Dancing ‘til Dusk.
My god, look at this joy!
http://www.constancebrinkley.photography/#/new-gallery/
The photographer/artist is really capturing an aspect of what it means to be human, bodies at rest and, even more, in celebratory motion.
Why don’t all cities have free outdoor dancing, with live music, once a month? The program, public dance parties, has been going on fifteen years, and the zine was based on an eleven year history of photography at the event. Pretty cool!
Years ago I made one, limited edition hand-bound book, The Folly of Loving Life. Maybe some of you have a copy? It was another decade or more before the full collection of linked stories by the same title came out. The handmade version became a placeholder for a longer work which I held in mind…
Now I’m inspired and considering doing the same with one essay from the newly completed collection. A thought, anyway!
I hope your day has some time for dancing, or reading, writing, looking at moments and images that make your heart sing.
I’m going to start working on a story collection, compiling stories I’ve written and writing stories I have in mind. Always in all high hopes,
xo
Always, high hopes. Always writing and inspiring, thank you. And I think you're onto something. I would love a Free Friday Night Dance Party once a month! Maybe we start small, in our backyards, with DJ Action Slacks' show on KMHD for starters. I do it every Friday night!