I have already shared a few mildly embarrassing incidents in my life, so why stop now?
One of my first apartments in Manhattan was on the Upper West Side, 82nd Street, between Columbus and Central Park West.
My landlord had long neglected my small parlor floor studio apartment with its obligatory peeling linoleum floor, mini-fridge, and decades of thickened paint on the windowsills.
But, there was a loft, a childhood dream come true. The top bunk that I never had.
Move-in day was hasty, and I took little with me. I had no furniture, no dishware, and no mattress. I arrived late in the evening, around 9 PM. Had I thought ahead, I would have dealt with the inevitable question of “what was I going to sleep on?” I had the loft but nothing to support this move-wearied, newly appointed Upper West Sider.
It’s 9 PM. What could I do?
Desperate thinking led me to CVS to look around. Surely, they must have something soft.
Diapers? Too expensive.
Bags of candy? Too lumpy.
Cotton balls? Just right.
The purchase was impulsive but logical, right? What could be softer than 27 bags of cotton balls?
Just about anything else.
I shared my story with my artist Thomas Allen. He teases me about it to this day (see top illustration).
Well, at least I tried. Actually, I’m proud of that.
It’s too easy as artists to follow well-worn paths. What happened to improvising? I wouldn’t be the first photographer to have something break on a shoot (like when I shot a wedding and my Vivitar flash cracked in half!).
When we are dealt an inconvenient hand, we can stand paralyzed until the thing we are used to having arrives, whether that’s a person, equipment, or even the weather.
What if we forged ahead anyway? What if we did something ridiculous to solve the problem? What might we discover about ourselves and our practice?
There isn’t anyone reading this that hasn’t made a “mistake” along the way only to discover that the mistake opened up a new way of working.
Trying new solutions to old problems should be a part of your practice. Don’t worry, no one has to know.
It’s time to connect with your inner MacGyver.
Classes & Notes
CENTER in Santa Fe is opening up applications for several timely grants
Registration closes Sunday for my Difficult Viewing at ICP
Lucie Foundation Open Call: Carte Blanche
Coming Soon: Community Crit at The Photo Community and an expanded version of The Photographers Report with video
Complete Guide to Artist’s Opportunities in 2022
Photoville is taking submissions for its 11th annual Photo Festival.
DEADLINE: March 4
CPW is taking applications for its annual residency program + honorarium
DEADLINE: March 7
Join the Aperture PhotoBook Club, with Sarah Meister, for FREE
Michael Foley opened his gallery in the fall of 2004 after fourteen years of working with notable photography galleries, including Fraenkel Gallery, Howard Greenberg Gallery, and Yancey Richardson Gallery.
In 2002, Foley continued his interest in educating and working with artists by serving on the School of Visual Arts and International Center of Photography faculty. He currently teaches and lectures on contemporary photography issues at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
In 2020, he founded The Photo Community, which offers classes and commentary on contemporary photography.
Foley lives and works on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with his wife, Maya.