Meeting Sylvia

This past weekend was the opening of Slow Exposures 2009 in Pike County. There is a great collection of photos in this year's exhibit. The show is open through next Sunday at 5pm. If you get a chance -- you should go.

I did not 'win' anything with my photos. I always say -- I won when I got in the show. Just hanging there is really the treat for me. This time there was an extra treat...meeting Sylvia.

Sylvia Plachy was a guest of the show this past weekend. I knew she would be attending the Friday night party. A few days before I emailed a contact with the show to ask would I look like too much of a dork if I brought a book (one of Sylvia's books) with me and ask her to sign it. My contact told me it would be fine and that Sylvia would love to sign the book.

Friday night -- I left the book in the car. My husband and I were standing around at the party -- getting a drink -- seeing who was there. And then I saw Sylvia walking up to the porch. About a half and hour later I found myself sitting at a table with Sylvia, Susan Todd-Raque, Owen Jones, Lucinda Bunnen, and my husband. Wow! Susan was sitting between me and Sylvia. She represents her work in Atlanta. I leaned over to Susan and said, "If I happened to have a book in my car, and the book happened to be one of Sylvia's, do you think I could go get it and have her sign it?" She said, "yes, go get it."

So I did.

Let me just say -- I was also very thrilled to meet Lucinda Bunnen. I have heard so many nice things about her. She is very nice and a great photographer! My friend Owen Jones had arrived at the show with her on Friday afternoon just as I was getting ready to head home. I had to stop for a few minutes to talk to him and to meet Lucinda. She has a beautiful photo in the show and Owen's photo of "Noni" is the show photo this year. Lucinda also has a show at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center -- I really want to go see it!

Sunday I was back at the show for the juror's talk. After the talk there was a discussion at the Whiskey Bonding Barn featuring Sylvia, John Bennette, and Julian Cox. I was sitting very near Sylvia. I snapped a few photos during the talk. I have some really good ones of John. He can be very animated when he is speaking. The photo on the blog today is one I took of Sylvia's hands. I was enjoying watching them all -- watching their hands as they spoke. They were very expressive.

Sylvia wrote a wonderful little note in my book.