I rented a studio space from Bob and Pen Creeley for a number of years.  During that time, we spent many hours talking about art, collaborative work, some of my favorite writers and the neighborhood.  We never talked about poetry but it was then that I began to read his work.  "I Know a Man" (quoted below) soon became a favorite--so direct in cadence, so American in its pursuit of forward motion...and so universal in its concluding cautionary note.

As I sd to my
friend, because I am
always talking, -- John, I

sd, which was not his
name, the darkness sur-
rounds us, what

can we do against
it, or else, shall we &
why not, buy a goddamn big car,

drive, he sd, for
christ's sake, look
out where yr going.

--Robert Creeley 

Soaring ceilings, iconic red chairs and molecular shadows define the foyer of the Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute in Buffalo, NY.  I shot this image as part of a larger assignment photographing the facility and the researchers of this renowned  institution.

Nothing left unsaid here...

Sunshine and shadow...nothing like a Shandy on a hot summer day!

As July 4th approaches, here is another of the American Stories portraits...

It's all about the craftsmanship...precision, ingredients, design, product.  Tommy Rotter, made in Buffalo and enjoyed in fine cocktails everywhere!

Another in the series of portraits shot for the 2004 elections...

Afternoon delight!

The man and the machines...It is a dreary Monday afternoon and Clinton is in constant motion as he deftly prepares another specialty coffee.  Inside Public Espresso's cafe at the Hotel Lafayette, the cold, dank afternoon disappears.  Exquisite coffee, expert barrista, gleaming equipment--you know you are in good hands here.

Octogenarian, humanitarian and idealist, Jean is a woman who values justice and equality in all of her interactions.  When she agreed to participate in this project, I knew her image would be strong and thought provoking.