Excerpt from Avedon at Work

[Librarian]

I found this excerpt from Laura Wilson's book, Avedon at Work. I pulled this paragraph for obvious reasons:

I first met Richard Avedon during a planning session with Mitch Wilder when my husband, knowing that Avedon and the museum would need a researcher to uncover photographic possibilities, introduced us. Bob and I lived in Dallas with our three young sons. I had been photographing the boys as they were growing up, taking pictures of the fun and exuberance of brothers: pictures of Andrew, the oldest, diving off the roof of a summer house into Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire, pictures of all three--Luke, Owen, and Andrew--in inner tubes in the swirling currents of the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. I loved the work of Jacques Henri Lartigue and the great photojournalists Robert Capa, David Douglas Duncan, Eugene Smith, and, of course, Henri Cartier Bresson.

Here's the link to the entire excerpt:

www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/exwilave.html

[texasgal]

I have that book and her first one, Hutterites of Montana. I am an amateur portrait artist working usually with pastels for portraits. Several months ago, I copied by charcoal & pastel the photo of Mrs. Wilson from the book jacket of Hutterites.

I sent it to her along with a copy of short stories I've written. In my cover letter I thanked her for her photography work and said that she & her family have been real inspirations to me. This was no lie. I also did portraits of Owen & Luke in color pastel. (I couldn't find a photo of Andrew to use.)

I received this short letter written by Mrs. Wilson's assistant, Kristen Ewing: "Thank you for your interest in Laura's work and thank you too for the drawing and stories. She appreciates your kindness."

I was so touched to be recognized that I'm working on another portrait of her - the one from the jacket of Avedon At Work.

[Librarian]

That's really nice Texasgal. I'd love to see your portraits. Do you have a portfolio or any slides of your work that could be posted? Digital camera?

[texasgal]

Librarian, thank you for your interest in my work. It's very kind of you. Yes I do have most of my Wilson portraits on CD. (Except the new one of Mrs. W which I am working on right now.)

I don't know how to submit them here, but I can send them to you via email if that's OK with you. My email address can be found in my profile.

Thanks again for your interest. I look forward to hearing from you.

[texasgal]

"...in inner tubes in the swirling currents of the Guadalupe River..."

OMG, I know exactly where that is! You catch the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels. It's just outside San Antonio, on the road to Austin.

Now I just gotta get there and tube! Not just for the very fun experience of it, but because it now has special sentimental meaning to me!

[emmy]

Hi everyone,

Here's a link to a series of clips with Laura Wilson talking about her book.

www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0406/av_intro.html

I'm not a photographer but found the interview fascinating. A couple of the clips have poor sound quality but they're well worth straining to hear.

And I just love this board BTW.

Emmy

[AlsoAVirgo]

Wow, thanks for sharing that, Emmy! It was neat hearing Laura talk about her work.

[Natalie]

Emmy, thanks for the link and welcome!!

[Remi]

Here's more news on Laura...

Big D gets another G. Bush

03:31 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 4, 2004

By ALAN PEPPARD / The Dallas Morning News

Taking the West East

While her sons Andrew, Owen and Luke Wilson are off directing and starring in movies, Dallas photographer Laura Wilson has been in England spreading the gospel of her mentor Richard Avedon to the British.

When Mr. Avedon shot his photos for the museum show "In the American West," Laura followed him to photograph the photographer at work. Those pictures were featured in her book, Avedon at Work: In the American West.

This weekend, The Sunday Times in London is to publish many of Laura's photos in a feature story on her work.

[bunnypanda]

Hello and welcome emmy! Thank you so much for the link!!! I hope you like being here and stay!

Remi, thanks so much for the info! I am going to buy a TON of Sunday Times!!! I can't post her photos but I will post the story and anything else that's on it. If anyone would like a copy, let me know and I will send it to you (Anyone who's not a member of this board is welcome to this too...just e-mail me at [e-mail]!)

[emmy]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm happy I found something to contribute.

[Librarian]

Wow! Thanks Emmy and Remi!

[bunnypanda]

Here are the scans from The Sunday Times article - (minus) Laura's photos and Richard Avedon's photos.


The above photo is by Ruedi Hoffmann. Laura is gorgeous as always. And I was glad to see what Richard Avedon looks like.


The following is written by Laura.





There were 5 intriguing photos by Richard Avedon and many photos by Laura catching Richard preparing for photo shootings in the article. I scanned them pretty well so please let me know if anyone would like to see them. (For the people who have already requested: The photos are on the way )

There were no photos of our beautiful boys but they are all great photos and I especially loved some of them.
Ah Laura rules

[AlsoAVirgo]

That's a great photo of Laura on top of the hay!

Is it just me or is Owen the one who looks most like his mother (only he's blonde)?

[Remi]

What a beautiful article! Thank you BP for posting it!