I had one of the nicest and most memorable evenings of my life tonight, Maria and I and George Forss and Donna Wynbrandt went to the Round House Cafe at dusk to hang our joint photo show – “Looking At Our World,” the photographic perspectives of George and me. Maria acted as the show’s curator, she and George and Donna figured out where the photos would go and she skittered around like a monkey hanging the pictures up, dragging a ladder around, moving benches and chairs and tables.
How lucky, I am, to have a partner like that, so competent, easy to work with and creative. Agile, too. George said a dozen times we would not have survived the night without her. Everybody pretty much ignored me, so I was free to follow George around with my video camera, and I shot a nine minute video that focused mostly on George and revealed the depth of his personality, experience and genius. He was in a great mood tonight, and he talked about his encounters with Jackqueline Kennedy Onassis, David Douglas Duncan, Pete Seeger and his boat the “Clearwater” and described how he took some of his most famous shots.
We were all thrilled with the end results, our different styles meshed perfectly, George was touchingly solicitous of my photos, worried about making sure all of mine got up (all but one did). I love George, he is a rare human being, an authentic genius and a great friend and I think was able to capture the feel of putting an art show together – he and Maria and Donna worked wonderfully together.
George was in his element, he knows art and photography as well as anyone, and Maria is extraordinary competent at pulling a show together, you can see in the movie how well the two sparked off of one another. George and I are easy enough together now that he was not shy in front of the camera. This is the George Forss I have come to know and love. It was a special night for me, I am so happy to see my photos up alongside of George’s, a big moment for my photography. The reception is February 20, at the Round House, 1 Washington Street, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. All of my photos, matted and framed, are priced at $200.
Come and see this little movie, a window into a special night in my life, and a chance to get to know a remarkable man, a brilliant artist and a generous and loving friend. I watched these two all night and thought what a lucky man I am to have a wife like this and a friend like this.