World Radio Day 2020

Today is World Radio Day, certainly worthy of the nod, at least for yours truly, for I am an avid radio listener; and I've also been a guest on two radio programs that are based in NYC.

My first time being interviewed on the radio took place at the studios for 1010 WINS, where I was interviewed by John Montone about how conditions with my eyesight influenced my kaleidoscopic art work (that can now be purchased through Fine Art America).

I wrote about my experience with John Monotone in one my first entries on my blog.

National Camera Day 2019

IMAGE CREDIT

According to a number of web-pages, including, National Day Calendar, (AKA NDC), June 29th (which is today) is National Camera Day. One of the things NDC states is "... This day commemorates photographs, the camera, and their invention. A camera is an irreplaceable tool used to record and replicate memories, events, and people/places..." I find it interesting that NDC considers one of the purposes of is to "replicate memories..."

Many of my childhood experiences of being photographed for a family picture seemed be that the intent behind the camera wasn't replicating a memory of what was occurring, rather, it was to creatue  an ideal which wasn't there.

Today's the Octave of Easter for 2019 (Coinciding with a photographer holiday)

Today is the Octave of Easter for 2019. This year it coincides with Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day (WPP Day) which is an unofficial holiday that has always been observed the last Sunday in April. A holiday-themed web-page explains that WPP Day aims "to encourage people to pick up pinhole photography as a hobby and profession, and to share their techniques and pictures with the pinhole photography community."

I must confess that while I'm very familiar with the celebrations surrounding the Octave of Easter, I had not heard of WPP Day. It is somewhat odd that I had no idea about this event. The main reason that any lack of knowedge re this occasion is odd is because for a few years I worked with various pin-hole cameras — and created a number of black and white photographs from them — which I developed and printed myself.

My entire Black and White Collection has been included in gallery exhibitions in Manhattan. One of those images is titled, Thanksgiving In Riverdale (a copy of it can be seen in the image below).

INCLUDED IN THE B&W GALLERY ON MY WEBSITE

This photograph won an award (placement in a book, Photo-Glaz) in a competition juried by the late photographer, Roy De Carava.

Other ones, Cocktails and Engaging Conversation as well as Portrait of Contemplation (copies seen in the next set of images)...

INCLUDED IN THE B&W GALLERY ON MY WEBSITE

INCLUDED IN THE B&W GALLERY ON MY WEBSITE

...are featured in a literary magazine known as, Returning Woman. Moreover, my photograph, Sophia, (which can be seen in the next picture) and my process used in creating it was discussed (at length) in an interview given by Karen Lewis, on a WBAI radio program called The Al Lewis Show.

INCLUDED IN THE B&W GALLERY ON MY WEBSITE

It be heard via my web-site where you will also find more of my black and white images, pin-hole and non pinhole.

The site is called patriciayoungquist.com and was created by Chris Deatherage. He also formatted and edited my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.

Moreover, my three volume book series Words In Our Beak includes hundreds of images of flora and fauna.

MY BOOK SERIES

The goal of these books is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden (mine) in New York City, my story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. These books are directed to children and adults who are curious about birds (as well as gardening) want to learn about these topics from a unique perspective.

But getting back to a topic related to WWPD, in addition to my creating black and white photos with pin-hole cameras; I also have created ones which are kaleidoscopic in nature...

#NationalRadioDay 2018

Today is #NationalRadioDay, certainly worthy of the nod, at least for yours truly, for I am an avid radio listener; and I've also been a guest on two radio programs that are based in NYC.

My first time being interviewed on the radio took place at the studios for 1010 WINS, where I was interviewed by John Montone about how conditions with my eyesight influenced my kaleidoscopic art work (that can now be purchased through Fine Art America). I wrote about my experience with John Monotone in one my first entries here on Blogger.

The second time I was interviewed by a radio host was when Karen Lewis had me on her WBAI radio program The Al Lewis Show) to discuss how my visual challenges shaped my rendering images re Black and White photography.

Both of these interviews can be listened to via my website, patriciayoungquist.com.

Meanwhile in honor of National Radio Day, I'm posting a clip (seen above this entry) of a scene from Woody Allen's, Radio Days, a film he made in the late 1980's. I worked (as an actress in a "silent bit" role) on that film in the scene filmed at Radio City Music Hall that is featured in this clip.

Be that as it may, on this radio-related holiday, I'm also hoping for another opportunity to be heard on another radio program! I've heard back from a certain national radio station requesting copies of my book series, Words In Our Beak...

VOLUMES ONE AND TWO

...so they can consider having me as a guest to discuss my books and related issues. Fingers crossed that this will take place. Stay tuned to know if and when you can tune in to your radio should they decide to interview me.

FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

Hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can be found wherever books are sold.

MY BOOK SERIES

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books. Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

8-18-18's Trivia is from Nancy Nelson Mancini!

The image posted directly above is a reminder about August 2018 trivia (specifically today's date) and it came from Nancy Nelson Mancini, my prolific writing comrade and avid reader of various versions my Words In Our Beak book series (pictured below).

VOLUMES ONE AND TWO

Before volume one became available in hardcover format seen at the left in the photo directly above, it was published in soft cover format (2016) via MagCloud (seen in the next image).

PAPERBACK VERSION

Nancy purchased the book in this format and posted a comment on my MagCloud page saying:

Remembering Peggy 5/8/1924-12/31/2014

I don't want to let this day pass without paying homage to the dearly departed Peggy Wood (pictured above during her 89th birthday) who died on 12-31-2014.

Soon it will be Mother's Day 2018!

THIS SCENCE IS FEATURED IN VOLUME ONE

THIS SCENCE IS FEATURED IN VOLUME ONE

In a little over a week's time (as in Sunday the thirteenth of May), it will be Mother's Day! And if anyone knows the importance of a mother, it's is Frannie and Vincenzo, who are two to of Cam's (my visiting cardinal) children!

PRESS RELEASE for 9780996378529

Dear reader,
    The image atop this entry features a sheet that will accompany the press release for the hard-cover format of "Words In Our Beak Volume One." The press release reads as follows:

My experience on the other side of a camera.

Because I only have "counting fingers" vision in my left eye, and need glasses to enable me to see out of my right eye, folks seem to think it's interesting that I produce photographic images. I've been interviewed on two major radio stations (WINS and WBAI) re processes I've used to create the aforementioned types of photographs. Both my black and white pictures as well as my color images, which are kaleidoscopic, have been featured in a number of galleries here in NYC. 

Most of the photographs that were represented in my exhibitions can be found on my web-site, Patricia Youngquist, The Last Leaf Gardener. For the past seven years, I've mostly used my abilities in photography to give voice to the flora growing in my rooftop garden as well as the array of birds and insects which visit it. Some pictures from this endeavor are included within the pages of my web-site, others have been used in my garden-themed movies which can be found on my Vimeo Channel. Additionally many of my pictures featuring flora as well  fauna can be found here on Blogger as well as Facebook, tumblr, hometalk, Instagram, Pinterest and twitter.

And as many of my readers know, my book, Words In Our Beak Volume One, which is written from a bird's perspective, contains hundreds of pictures featuring the flora which grows in my garden as well as photographs of the birds and insects that visit it.

All of this info is a long way of saying that I have spent a lot of time behind a camera! However, for the past two days I've had to be in front of a type of camera known as an Optos (seen below) to have pictures taken of the back of my eyes.

What the Optos saw and it is not good news for me. I now have a large floater in my right eye, which is the only one of my eyes that serves me. Floaters, as you may know, dear reader, are a normal event that occurs after certain birthdays. They mainly are an annoyance that one has to live through until his/her brain begins to ignore them. However, in instances like the one I have with my eye-sight, there can be cause for great concern.

It's Berry Time In The City

This past Thursday I went to the greenmarket at Tucker Square, and a representative for GrowNYC, the organization that oversees the greenmarkets throughout the city, took the second photograph atop today's blog entry. I was so caught up in complimenting him on his sign, that I forgot to ask his name so that I could give him a photo credit. Because I go to that market on a regular basis. 

I hope to see him again and then give him a nod (in cyber space) for taking this image for me. In any event, while I was there, I told him (as well as a grower that happened to be standing nearby), how much pleasure I got in providing berries for the American Robins who have been visiting my urban (rooftop) garden — which is something I wrote about this in a recent blog post, "Serving The Frugivores."   

The grower begged to differ about deriving pleasure in seeing birds eat blueberries. She explained that she goes to great lengths to prevent birds from having access to her blueberries.

A bit of serendipity for the NYC birds that visit my rooftop garden: The grower covers her blueberries with nets to keep the birds away, then she brings her blueberries to the city, where I buy them, and use them to feed the bird types that she tries to keep away!

Serving The Frugivores

According to Holiday Insights, the month of June is set aside for a few national observations: National Accordion Awareness Month, National Adopt a Cat Month, and National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. In an effort to pay homage to the latter, I've been offering fresh blueberries to the birds that visit my urban garden in NYC.

And as you can see from the pictures posted above (which were taken in my garden), a lone American Robin and a Northern Mockingbird have been enjoying my hospitality.

THINKING OF STARR SAPHIR

CAM, A FEMALE CARDINAL

If you follow TLLG here on Blogger or Facebook, dear reader, then you know that recently much of my content has dealt with the escapades of Cam (the cardinal pictured in the image above), as well as the tales of her unnamed (as of this posting) beau, pictured in the image below...

MAC, A MALE CARDINAL

...and of their romantic interlude (indicated in the following image).

MAC AND CAM: A CARDINAL COUPLE

I'm thrilled with the aforementioned couple, and could continue to write about them for some time to come, but I am dedicating today's post (through the "escapades" of the array of all the birds which visit my garden) to Starr Saphir, a dearly departed birder, who you may read about by clicking here.

Ms. Saphir was known to many for the bird walks that she led in Central Park. Even though I live very near to this park, I've never been on one of her bird walks; or any other bird "event," for that matter, as my interest in birds as well as their antics, is fairly new: I have the feathered creatures to thank for it because they showed up in my garden without an invitation or lure of food other than the vegetation in my garden!

Tuesdays Thoughts: It me again, AKA "the lone white tulip" (with some thoughts on time)

TULIPS

Remember me? I'm the "lone white tulip" who wrote a blog entry (three weeks ago tomorrow), which you are welcome to review by clicking here, where I expressed my concerns about Sylvia Plath, the poetess, and of her accusing members of the Tulip family of having, "the mouths of an African lion", in her poem, Tulips. 

Tulips is a poem which Youngquist included in her April 26th post which you can reread by clicking here. My aforementioned concerns have been somewhat alleviated, because Youngquist addressed them (as she does with all of my needs) in her May 4th 2011 posting, Dearest Tulip, even you could not console Sylvia Plath, which you can read by clicking here.

Today, because my petals are starting to fall, I am keenly aware that I may be entering the last days of my life, because, as you may know, we tulips have a short life — and we are replaced by other ones in subsequent seasons.

That being the case, I want to take the opportunity to express my thoughts about what my life has been like in Youngquist's urban terrace garden — a terrace garden which is tended by her (your blogger under the title of The Last Leaf Gardener), as well as Juan V, a man she admires very much.

Perspectives on the Arrival of Spring

Springtime is a theme that I've used in my black and white photography (both in my collection of impressionistic note-cards and in my original prints like Springtime in the Greenhouse, which can be seen at the top of this post).

But signs of spring are not limited to first flowers, first buds, or nuances in a greenhouse. Signs of spring are not even limited to temperatures. Signs of spring often appear in subtle ways such as the arrival of spring as seen by E.B. White:

"SPRING ALWAYS USED TO ARRIVE in midtown in the window boxes of Helen Gould Shepard house. Something about the brightness and suddenness of that hyacinthine moment said Spring, something about its central location, too. The other day we passed the Gould House and shed a private tear for olden springtimes. Spring struggles into Manhattan by other routes these days; Rockefeller Center has pretty much taken the occasion over. Rockefeller's is different from Helen Gould's. Less homey. More like Christmas at Lord & Taylor's — beautiful but contrived. One never knows where one will encounter the first shiver and shine of spring in the city. Often it is not in a flowering plant at all, merely in a certain quality of light as it strikes the walls. We met ours quite a while back, late one afternoon in February, driving south through the Park; in an instant the light had lengthened and strengthened and bounced from the towers into our systems, hitting us as a dram of tonic reaching the stomach, and, lo, it was spring."

Station Identification: Pending

The screen-shot posted above (from a J Peterman catalogue) is included in this blog post because the sentiment spoke to me, and perhaps it will speak to you, dear reader, when like myself you find yourself having to explain (as a career consultant has asked me to do) who your "audience" is for your product and or blog.

Celebrating Texture

Since last Saturday's posting of honoring the days of November and beyond, I've been reminded that November is the month of remembrance that began with All Saints Day on November first. 

This feast day is followed by the solemn celebration of All Souls' Day on November second, and for the remaining days of November, special homages are made for all who have died. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," is a consolation of November. With it getting dark earlier due to going back to "standard" time, and the apparent focus on the dead, it is good to recall that November is a textured month, and so while people honor the dead during this time, it is also a month very much intended to remember the living.

Nothing Small Minded about Small Business

Recently I read an article by Joanna Molloy and that article, Small-business owners say their plans can't be confined by city's tiniest work spaces, has caused me to I post this as a follow-up. Molloy writes,"Big-box stores may be all the rage in suburbia, but in this recession some canny business people have been running what could best be described as thimble stores."

Thanksgiving in Riverdale

My being a photo-artist is very surprising to some, given the limitations of my eye-sight, so, I'm using this posting on my blog as an opportunity to offer some information about how I've adapted cameras and darkroom equipment to create some of the images that are posted on my web-site and to offer some of my perspective on photography.

My first formal endeavor as a photo-artist was a number of years ago when I pursued many aspects of Black and White photography. Much of the back story on these efforts can be heard in the interview with Karen Ingenthron Lewis that I spoke about in my January 6th posting, where I mentioned that it can be heard on my web-site.

Since Karen singled out certain photographic works of mine (prints and greeting cards that are on my web-site), to discuss for interview purposes, and you can hear about them on the link posted on this blog or go to my web-site and download it, I will blog here about a few of the images she did not cover. I must confess that I do not like to talk about how I've created a print or why the composition has been rendered in a certain way in a given print. I feel too much information spoils the magic of not knowing. I think having knowledge of many specific details of a given work of art can interfere with the relationship a viewer has with the art work. Consider the photo posted below:

We know there is an elderly woman seated at a table. Is it for dinner? Brunch? 

We can assume it is probably not breakfast; because candles have been lit, and on the opposite side of the candles someone is drinking what appears to be wine from a goblet (though you can have wine at breakfast or you can drink juice from a goblet and perhaps the candles are lit because the electricity has gone out).

We know it is probably in someone's home because of the detail near the ceiling, but it could be taking place at a restaurant made to look like a home. 

We don't know anything for certain, and by not knowing, we can create our own story — until we notice the title of the image - which viewers often use to search for a clue. 

Because this image was being considered for publication, the jurors of the competition insisted that I give it a title. I ultimately received the honor (hopefully for the print, not the title).

"Tis true my form is something odd..."

I often hesitate to admit that I have Neurofibromatosis-Type-One (NF-1) because people's attitudes towards me having it have caused great emotional pain that has often been harder to live with than any pain caused by a neurofibroma. Meanwhile, it is important for me to mention the condition because not only has it shaped my art-work, but I owe the community of those diagnosed with NF-1 as well as NF-2, any awareness that can be raised. Joseph Merrick, the man associated with Elephant Man's Disease (often confused with NF) used to sign his letters with this poem by Isaac Watts:

"Tis true my form is something odd,

But blaming me is blaming God.

Could I create myself anew,

I would not fail in pleasing you.

If I could reach from pole to pole,

Or grasp the ocean with a span,

it would be measured by the soul,

The mind's the standard of the man."

Admittedly, my case of NF is nothing, nothing, nothing compared to Mr. Merrick's, but the emotional pain, brought on by my reaction to other people's remarks, has evoked a very similar response, especially as a child.