President Obama's speech in Tucson

In case you missed it, here is an excerpt. It was truly inspirational.

"But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized — at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do — it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.

Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, “when I looked for light, then came darkness.” Bad things happen, and we must guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.

For the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man’s mind.

So yes, we must examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of violence in the future.

But what we can’t do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.

After all, that’s what most of us do when we lose someone in our family — especially if the loss is unexpected. We’re shaken from our routines, and forced to look inward. We reflect on the past. Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in awhile but every single day?

So sudden loss causes us to look backward — but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we’ve shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame — but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others....

...The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better in our private lives — to be better friends and neighbors, co-workers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher in more civility in our public discourse, let’s remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy, but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to our challenges as a nation, in a way that would make them proud."

The full text can be found HERE.

Vivian Maier: Chicago Street Photographer

An extraordinary unknown Chicago street photographer's work is uncovered. Eighty of Vivian Maier's photographs will be exhibited at the Chicago Cultural Center thru March 24th. This show is not to be missed. Her work is filled with grace and is a gift to us all. The story about her and her photographic eye is stunning (found in the video below). Over 100,000 negatives and more than 3,000 prints of her massive body of work were discovered in an estate auction shortly before her death in 2009.

The initial inquiry about the work on flicker was as follows...

"I purchased a giant lot of negatives from a small auction house here in Chicago. It is the work of Vivian Maier, a French born photographer who recently past away in April of 2009 in Chicago, where she resided. I opened a blogspot blog with her work here; www.vivianmaier.com.

I have a ton of her work (about 30-40,000 negatives) which ranges in dates from the 1950's-1970's. I guess my question is, what do I do with this stuff? Check out the blog. Is this type of work worthy of exhibitions, a book? Or do bodies of work like this come up often?

Any direction would be great. "

The replys to the inquiry can be seen HERE.

The rest is history....











There is a blog devoted to her work and I am sure more information will come to light as time goes on. Thanks to Emily and Joe for the heads up.

two days and counting...

After the terrible shock of the shooting in Arizona, my mind keeps coming back to the Room of Silence.



I visited the room located next to the Brandenburg Gate while in Berlin last fall. It was a profoundly moving experience. The room is a symbol of tolerance and brotherhood... all are welcome regardless of race, political beliefs or religion. It is a place of peace and spiritual unity.

The room's decoration reflects its non-denominational character. It is neutral and simple. Its only adornment is a woven wall hanging, which the Hungarian artist Ritta Hager made for the room, an abstract work of the light penetrating darkness.



My prayers and thoughts go out to the families who's lives will be forever altered by a senseless act of violence. My hope is that our country will reflect, recalibrate and renew a commitment to non- violent alternatives (both verbal and physical) to resolving differences.

Ephemeral

The Burn 2010 © JaneFultonAlt

e·phem·er·al   
[ih-fem-er-uhl]
–adjective
1.
lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory: the ephemeral joys of childhood.
2.
lasting but one day: an ephemeral flower.
–noun
3.
anything short-lived

—Synonyms
1. fleeting, evanescent, transient, momentary, brief.

The Work Day

I need to focus on my work. Yet there are so many distractions. I am writing a post for a blog in Germany which is taking lots of time...and yet, it is important for me to hopefully inspire others. While working on it I received an email...

"I just want to thank you for your thoughts that you've shared in 2010. I found them inspiring and constructive. I've been encouranged so many times."

The timing could not have been more welcome.

And then I received a phone call this morning from a writer friend who just returned from 40 days of solitary writing in Mexico. When I answered the door, he had a lightness about him. He said his workday followed the rhythms of the day. He would wake up in the morning, walk, write, walk write..etc. I know exactly what he was talking about... the time and space you need for the creative life. He then handed me an envelope. When he left I opened it. It was the culmination of his time in Mexico and the title was "FLUTTER."

I can't wait to read it.

Missing My Muse

Muse |myoōz|
noun
(in Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.
• ( muse) a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.





3 1/2 years later...

from Art Market News...so pleased to be included

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2010
Curator Names 2010′s Most Exciting Photographers

Rebecca Senf, a photography curator at the Center for Creative Photography and the Phoenix Art Museum, made her 13 top picks earlier this year.

Here is her list

Jane Fulton Alt – The Burn
John D’Agostino – Empire of Glass
Desiree Edkins – Lishui
Cheryl Hanna-Truscott – Protective Custody
Dave Kennedy - The Twelve
Benjamin Lowy – Iraq – Perspectives
Rita Maas – Reality TV
Adam Magyar – Urban Flow
Andrew Freeman – (Manzanar) Architectural Double
Robert Weingarten – The Portrait Unbound
Melvin Sokolsky – Bubble Spring Collection
Evan Baden – Illuminati
Richard Misrach – New Work at Pace/MacGill Gallery

© Burn No. 26