Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.

Scooter in the Sticks: A Photo Exhibition by Steve Williams

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Scooter in the Sticks exhibition announcementA Virtual Experience

Many followers of Scooter in the Sticks unable to physically visit the Art Alliance Gallery Downtown have asked that I post a virtual experience of the exhibition. I’ve endeavored to provide a feel of the space along with a close look at the content of the show.  And I’ve also created a ZenFolio website where you can purchase prints from the show along with many others. The prints will be shipped directly to you and printed by the same company I use for prints not made myself.

There’s a video walk through of the show installation at the end of the post.

This post is very long.  A lot of material to get through.  Someone more technically proficient would probably have found a simpler and more efficient way to present the show.

So without further ado, welcome to my exhibition.Continue Reading

Photo Exhibition

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Scooter in the Sticks exhibition display for yard sign.Countdown to the Photo Exhibition

It takes more time and energy than I remembered to get a photography show ready.  That works takes away from riding and subsequently writing blog posts.  I haven’t had an unfortunate accident.  I am nearly ready to hang the show.

The yard sign in the photo above stands in front of the house to allow any interested neighbors passing by a chance to think about seeing the show.

In the meantime, I’m beat and going to sleep.  In six days I’ll be hauling all the photographs to the gallery to do the installation.

So tired…

Photography Show

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Announcement image for photography showAnnouncing a Scooter in the Sticks Photography Show

In 63 days there’ll be an opening reception for my photography show at the Art Alliance Gallery Downtown in State College, Pennsylvania.  It will take place on Friday, August 3, from 5 to 8pm. The show will run from August 3 – 26.

For more details and information (maps, hours, etc.) visit the gallery announcement for the Scooter in the Sticks show.

There.  I’ve announced it.  I can’t take it back now and really do need to finalize the image selection and start printing.  Or order printing.  Or figure out how I’m going to bring this all together.  When I first agreed to do the show I had over 300 days to work.  I’m happy to report my skills at procrastination are alive and well.

The last time I’ve engaged in putting together a collection of this sort was when I did my MFA thesis exhibit 12 years ago.  Everything was shot on film and printed on gelatin silver print in my darkroom in the basement. Thousands of photographs were made using a Leica M6 and Zone VI field camera.  I didn’t have arthritis yet or suffered a heart attack.  Scooter in the Sticks was only a few months old and no one was looking or commenting.  Things were just rolling along.

There was a quote at the end of the post about something I was working on:

As I continue working I feel a project emerging from my riding. I just don’t know yet what it is…. 

Now I know what it is.  And in August you will too.

Mark your calendars.  I hope you can visit.  Look for future posts as I move along in the work.

Tolerance for Noise

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How much noise is in your life?

Why I Photograph

Dredging through my files I found this old video — a visualization of the kind of stuff I write about now only without a scooter as subject.

Back in 2000 I was in graduate school working on a degree in art and learning to explore my self and the things that motivate me.  After a life of saying (and believing) “My work speaks for itself”, I was pushed to examine, explore, doubt and second guess everything I believed to be true.  Or at least those things related to art and photography. I resisted at first but slowly came to realize the value in understanding what was driving me (or not).

In one class taught by a member of the painting faculty we were challenged to respond and react to a variety of ideas and questions using video — an attempt to expand our ability to think and talk about why we work.  As I thought about photography I began to realize there was little motivation regarding beauty, light or form.  What I found was a method to help strengthen my tolerance for noise — the demands of earning a living be one part of it.

I was doing this before I bought the Vespa scooter and started riding and blogging.  But those things serve the same role now.  Last night I was talking to my wife about this when she asked why I try to do so much.  It’s not that I want to accomplish things — it really is a need to get the noise out of my head.  It builds up, a nervous, sometime frenetic energy that just needs drained like a recurring boil.  Nothing cosmic or romantic — just a terrible aspect of how my brain works.

So the video is a quick reflection of the sort of thing I write about now on Scooter in the Sticks.  We usually had three days to make a video.  Was sort of fun.  While classmates decided to use friends and actors in their videos I always chose myself.  I’m always available, show up on time and don’t complain.

When I’m on a deadline and don’t want any additional aggravation — I ride alone.