When we moved from the farm to Montreal in the 1980’s, we really enjoyed the return to urban life  but still had a longing for trees, water, and the quiet of the country. Did I mention fishing?

We found a wonderful chalet that was was minimalist in upkeep, but spacious & comfortable. [Also would make a great studio...big windows in the roof. ]

We now seem to be too busy to really enjoy it, so it is up for sale. For a first look, go to:
The Zimbel Chalet
An then call Elaine for further details. (514 849 5565)

I have lived with her for 53 years and am still interested in what she has to say.
If you would like to know, go to : elainezimbel.com
It is a very interesting trip. …george

When I was a kid, my friend Raymond Grafton Charles Cote Jr. had a room in his house where he set up his electric trains. Every year at Christmas his collection grew. Trains !!! ..and a room to set them up. I was jealous. Now it’s my turn to give trains. In the upcoming weeks, I will post Norfolk & Western Railroad 1961 in my collections section. Stay tuned, and happy holidays.

I have a friend who has been collecting

my photographs for a long time.

Each time we meet

he puts his arm around my shoulder and says

“How are you feeling? ” with a certain look in his eyes.

And I, with a certain look in my eyes, reply

“Archival”

We both smile.

Last week I made three prints of “Cote D’Azur 1953″ on 16/20 Agfa sg paper . Is it new? Is it old? What’s the difference? I have made it the way I want it. I have one for myself and two collectors will own a copy…..or not. That’s business…the art is done.

You can see my new exhibition, “An evolving retrospective” on Luminous-Lint.com
You can order my book “Bourbon Street, New Orleans 1955″.
You can purchase one of my original prints and have it in time for the holidays.
You can go to a photography exhibition.
You can do none of the above and still have a good life…gsz

Returning to London after forty years fragmented my emotions
They were high because of the exhibition, and low because I was there alone.
I wanted Elaine with me.
The day I arrived a killing bomb went off in a pub half a block from the gallery.
But you know the British. Carry on.
My welcome was gracious and the work was displayed with dignity.
Aside from my scheduled activities I walked for hours to soak in the city’s changes.
No more sea of white faces and monotonously elegant tailoring.
The island fortress had been breached and this interested me.
However I decided after a few days that to be sociologically serious was depriving me of pleasure and this was not good.
So,I bought a large bag of English toffee and ate it all.
After forty years, it was a wonderful sensation of deja gout !

I am on the metro
I have my camera
My eyes hunt

A mother holds her infant
She does not look at the child
She does not talk to the child
She just holds the child

It is the saddest picture I have ever seen
I cannot take it.

I have been photographing seriously since I was 14 (not necessarily very well!). That’s 64 years, and because I make my own prints (a philosophical matter) I realise that I have outrun my capacity to print what I want to print. It has an extremely dampening effect on shooting new work. Do I need another negative? When will I print it ? Shall I make three?; Shall I make six? I will definitely not print the image again…etc.etc. Not to mention the dissapearance of SG bartya paper. The whole thing is paralyzing in terms of producing work. Of course I still see photographs every time I walk down the street , but they end up in my head archive, not my print archive.
I decided to fight the impasse [block?] by making a collage from tests that I had processed and saved over the years…I had a big box..enough for two, plus one for dear old Marilyn which I have not yet begun. I did the collage and when people ask me what it’s about, I refer to the title “It’s A Life. ” That’s it – a bunch of fragments glued together by a viewpoint. Will I rip up some prints to do more? I don’t think so, but it is tempting… gsz

If you would like to see “It’s a Life #1 or #2 for possible acquisition by your museum collection, contact me or one of my dealers for information and a readable scan.