structo #18

Thanks to Structo Magazine for doing a beautiful spread of my natural world photos in their most recent journal.  Here are the photos that were featured.  More of my take on the natural world here.

colorfields at matteawan gallery 2/10-3/4

It's been a fun month of showing my colorfield work (photos and watercolor paintings) at Matteawan Gallery in Beacon.  This work has been coming together for a long time and it was extremely gratifying to see it up on the walls of this really sweet space.  

I started thinking about making these pictures over a decade ago but working, moving and having babies kept everything but the essentials on the back burner. In a way, I am glad this is the course I was forced to follow.  I don't know if these pictures would have become what they are if I had been able rush to make them.  They were allowed to remain in my head with sporadic days in my studio here and there where I could try something, fail, and then let the idea retreat back into my head for more puzzling over.  The watercolors have come more naturally - maybe because I had already spent so much time thinking about color by the time I started making them but I think they fit really seamlessly into this body of work.

When asked why I make this work, I think people mostly mean 'why the hell are you working with jello?'  What I hope is not lost in the novelty of the material is the feeling you get when you spend some time with these pictures.  They are meant to be a balm, to create a space to go and feel a certain way.  I don't want to dictate the way a person feels when s/he looks at them, that's personal.  I just hope the viewer feels something and wants to linger there for awhile.

I'm not sure what's next - if this work will continue or if I am ready to move on.  Time will tell.  In the meantime, in this moment, I wanted to use this blog entry to collect some of the things written about this work and some of the pieces in the show so that when I am feeling down or lost or unproductive, at least I'll have this.   

http://highlandscurrent.com/2018/02/10/cooking-with-color/
https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/on-the-cover-of-chronogram-meredith-heuers-photography/Content?oid=4010769
A pecha kucha talk I did about the work:  http://www.pechakucha.org/users/meredith-heuer

when harry met salami

That's the title I gave to my story about Harrison Manning and his Beacon sandwich shop this spring.  Nixed (probably wisely?) by the editor, below is what remained.  I loved this exercise in writing, but sticking to snapping pix for now.

Harrison Manning sounds older but looks younger than his quarter of a century. There is something sweetly collegiate about him and so his sordid academic story comes as a surprise: Pressured by his parents to enter college right after high school, Manning enrolled.  After three semesters, he boasted a GPA of .79. His failure wasn’t due to laziness as much as his desire to be out in the world working, so he put down his books and took a job as a barista. He had worked at a local Sonic during high school and he felt really comfortable in the world of simple, fast food.

“I really loved working in a fast-food kitchen,” says Manning. “I always knew I wanted to have my own space ... run my own thing, be the local spot.” A serendipitous vacancy down the street from where he worked offered Manning a location for what would become Harry’s Hot Sandwiches. 

The atmosphere at Harry’s is lovingly uncared for and the offerings reflect both his fast-food inspiration and the rudimentary kitchen in the back. Manning says the attitude toward building out the space was, “Let’s see how far we can go without doing anything.” Many of the dishes boast a bit of South American flair brought in by his chef, Carlos Laguna-Driscoll, whose mother is Bolivian. Initially, the menu was more driven by traditional Bolivian food, but Manning felt they were missing the mark . “We had to find the balance between what was new and exciting and what was accessible,” he explained. 

The result is truly a treat (who can resist trying the “Decent Chicken Sandwich”?). The foundation of each sandwich is simple—say, pulled pork—but it’s dressed up with pickled carrots, sliced jalapeños and cilantro.  The Calentado is not a sandwich at all: black beans and rice, homemade arepas, chorizo, grilled plantain, eggs and half an avocado make for a decadent meal.

What’s next for Harrison Manning? He’s decided college might not be out of the question so he’s enrolled in a class for the fall, but he’s also considering opening another Harry’s. Having just celebrated the second anniversary of Harry’s Hot Sandwiches, that’s the one thing that feels solid for now. 

And if sandwiches aren't your thing, here's another little story I wrote about a local flower farmer, Diana Mae:  http://ediblehudsonvalley.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/diana-mae-grows-good-idea

color fields

Sharing this announcement for an upcoming show of my jello color field photos in NYC. 

These photographs start as sculptures that I make from gelatin and pigment and then photograph.  If you want know more about the process, here’s a 6 minute explanation. 

Hope to see you there!

tutillhtown spirits

Here's some photos of Tuthilltown Distillery from a shoot for Amtrak Magazine this summer!