Make Contact

March 22nd, 2007 Daryle Dickens Posted in Art |

One of my weekly habits is downloading and listening to the podcast of Studio360, an NPR broadcasted radio show. A few weeks back there was a feature about Suzanne Opton a portrait photographer who did a project featuring veterans of the current Iraq war. Billboard size portraits of soldiers heads laying on a table staring into the camera is what was described. She took the photos at Fort Drum in Upstate New York. This particular story spoke to me on many levels. Portrait photography is what I work in. I am a veteran of a war, with combat experience. (Somalia) And I happened to be stationed at Fort Drum when I was in the Army. I went to the artist website to see the work for myself. I was caught off guard by the photos.

For me the work was powerful. I could see and understand what was in the eyes of those soldiers. What was hiding behind those eyes that few can understand. Suzanne’s art hit me in a very real and personal way. So I wrote her and told her just that. To be honest I wrote without expecting a reply. After all she is a photographer featured on a national radio show who has work in a New York City gallery. I did not even expect her to read my email. I was wrong. A day or two later I did receive an email from Suzanne. She was grateful to get my email. She had not received much feedback from a veteran’s point of view. And recently she wrote me to tell me that she read from my email at the opening of her show. So at some point an audience in Portland heard words I almost did not write.

It reminded me of how important it is to let artists hear from you. Most artists want to know what their work means to the viewer. So next time your at an opening or get a chance to talk to an artist, even if it means reaching out via the internet, let them hear how their work has touched you. I believe it is an important part of the process.