Life|Love|Loss: Yesterday the snow drifted towards Earth once again. My day was similarly dotted by other floating spirits of sorts. The Portland Art Museum offered a moving and intimate (though full to the rafters) memorial for Terry Toedtemeier. It was great to stand in the midst of a community, in a crowd full of artists, curators, collectors, docents, teachers, scientists, everyday people, etc. Standing alongside Rob we became part of the fabric of the crowd, as a festive undercurrent warmed people sharing their personal stories. There were many familiar faces, notably several artists and the hardest working regional photographers. A few people in the crowd close to Terry mentioned he would have loved to see this sea of folks.

Later in the day we headed to see the much talked about David Fincher movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. As far as film is concerned it was OK, but in terms of storytelling, it was superb. The whole life in reversal was done with a sense of style. The story of how we lose love and gain it back in mysterious ways. Cate Blanchett is so very beautiful, and I was surprised to see both her and my other favorite British actress, Tilda Swinton, in the same film (never on screen together of course). With such a powerhouse cast I was delighted that the acting highlight here is actually by a rather unknown supporting actress, Taraji P. Henson, as Queenie, Button’s surrogate mom. The performance is passionately believable throughout. Based on a short story (though the film lasts three hours) by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1921), its fueled by special make up and computer/airbrushed effects that are at times a lil’ unnerving, but there are some gorgeous scenes in New Orleans that capture the grandeur of another time altogether.

And when we exited the theater there was a dusting of snow-cover over the downtown streets at every corner.

After hearing of the death of Eartha Kitt on Christmas Day there was something special about this holiday in a passing glint of light.  She was indeed the living legend who crooned ‘Santa Baby’ among many other favorites. Having had the true pleasure of seeing her perform live thrice in various style venues, I was honored to meet her face-to-face when she was in Portland in ‘02, she autographed my Bear Family Box Set with a sense of candor and openness, a true lady of class and style. In one show (circa mid 80s) she danced with high Rockettes-style kicks, bountiful laughter, she was raucous (and even within the age of retirement). I’ll never forget a show I attended with my friend Charlie at Sculler’s where she punctuated nearly every song with laughter. Her show was full of charm, and like her infamous portrayal of Catwoman, she seemed to have as many lives, though she leaves this one at 81 years young as she may have said. The loss of Kitt brought to mind the many that have passed of late, those who made us smile, laugh, think and wonder, maybe even self-edit or question reality at times. Every annum I reflect on the twelve months recently served and how it shape-shifts the greater community of working artists. Many changes this past year as we lost some true greats - peers, mentors, spirits having flown. Some we’ve met, or learned from, influences or collaborators, their memory lives on…

* * *

George Brecht
Harold Pinter
Robert Rauschenberg
Freddie Hubbard
Sam Bottoms
Odetta
Paul Newman
Bo Diddley
Henri Chopin
Miriam Makeba
Roy Scheider
Heath Ledger
Nagi Noda
Robert Hazard
Bruce Conner
Michael Crichton
James E. Jones
Robert Graham
Henning Christiansen
Studs Terkel
Levi Stubbs
Willoughby Sharp
Bettie Page
Adam Nodelman
Richard Wright
Suzanne Pleshette
Mario Schiano
Charleton Heston
Isaac Hayes
George Carlin
Paul Benedict
Terry Toedtemeier
Estelle Getty
Yma Sumac
Eartha Kitt

Terry Toedtemeier, Portland’s preeminent proponent of all things photography passed away last evening after presenting a lecture. The earnest and gentlemanly soft spoken nature photographer and curator laid the foundation for the current Wild Beauty exhibition. Life can be as fleeting as the click of a shutter, and after just having seen him at Steve Schapiro’s talk a week or so ago, he was as full of life as ever. Toedtemeier is survived by his wife of several years, writer and teacher Prudence Roberts.  As the Curator of Photography at the Portland Art Museum for the last 25 years he also helped co-found Blue Sky Gallery, and like myself was active with the Advisory Board of Newspace Center for Photography and elsewhere. For 17 years he taught at PNCA. In many ways it can be said that the intimate power of the region’s photography community was doubly fortified by his life’s work. In Portland, his work is represented by PDX. He will be greatly missed. Take a moment to engage his amazing spirit of the Northwest today.

Lost Boy Cave, Tillamook Co., Oregon ©2000

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The Art Counselor, Duane Snider, had this to say back in October.