So I'm cleaning up the aftermath of the kids friend's spending the weekend in the living room, and I find a folded up copy of the City of Ukiah's Arts and Entertainment Fall issue under a side table. This little magazine lists city classes you can take and stuff happening in town through January. I'm thinking, "hey, maybe I could take a class or something"...I'm flipping through the thing, wondering, what ever happened to that photo contest. I turn the page and start reading the top...."Congratulations, our photo contest winner"..... "Oh cool....I hope it's good".
I look down the page and it's a picture of two hot rods, really nice shot, good clarity, hey wait a minute!!!! THAT'S MY PICTURE!!!!! Sure enough, it was mine and they touted my name at the bottom.
Nobody emailed me, nobody called me, nuthin'....I actually didn't think I won! But here it was in black and white. And it wasn't even my best picture! I didn't get anything, just in case you're wondering. The one thing I did get, was free publicity and my pictures in print. This little local rag mag goes out to every household in Ukiah, Calpella, Hopland, Redwood Valley, Talmage and Potter Valley. And it's published on the town's website. So hummmm, maybe I'll start getting some photo jobs....who knows. There's my 15 minutes of fame! Oh just in case you might wanna see some other work, check out the links on the right.
I just finished off 6 rolls of film at the fabulous 50's car show over the weekend. I think I have some very nice shots. I will be dedicating a web page to nuthin' but cars. I do like the hot rods, and it's a lot of fun going to these events here in town. I get to see all the "have's" showing off their "toys" to the "have nots".....and I always seem to run into old bosses or old co-workers from previous jobs. Most were not a pleasant experience that'll I'll have to explain in another blog. Small town living can suck. Don't get me wrong, I like it here among the redwoods and vines. But there's something in the water that makes these folks nuts.
Actually at this particular car show I ran into a very politically dominant business woman whom I used to work for. She was on a date, cooing at some gray haired gentleman I'm sure she met on the internet. As this was her MO when i worked for her, taking days off to go on her dates. I remember a motorcycle date she had that got her panties in a bunch. She's an older lady with kids older then me....I'm 36. I have a great amount of respect for her, but her daughters are the epitome of "the have's" in this town. She's a no bull shit kinda woman. And she ran her printing business that way. She has since retired from the company she created over 30 years ago to let her daughter run the business now. She has an amazing face and a crass personality. Her flaming red hair a sharp contrast to her pale complexion and her thick glasses. You just can't miss her in a crowd. I avoided her like the plague, but I know she saw me with my camera up to my face on numerous times that evening. I could feel her steel blue eyes watching me at times, rolling her eyes and pussing her lips. I dodged in and out of the roaming townites everytime she got to close to mutter any words to me. I emerged from the event unscathed and with many killer pictures.
When I found my picture in the magazine above, I relished in the knowledge that her company, the flaming red head's company, prints that magazine for the city every year. She has friends on the committee and they used to show up at the shop, meeting with her on the layout of the magazine's upcoming publication. And I remember when I worked for her, that she tried to stifle my photographs and my spirit, knowing full well my passion for this art form. I know she saw my name at the bottom of that picture while she berated her employees into making that mag perfect, a perfect printing of that page; My page! So as not to disappoint the power's that be at City Hall. Oh the irony!!!!
So HA!!!! Nice job, babe and thanks!!!!
Juliet Grace
