There are certain activities in my life that are essential to my artistic practice but that have no direct relationship to photography. One is driving around in my car. Another is listening to podcasts. Another is cooking. And, yet another is swimming. I do all of these things in an effort to get myself in a frame of mind for connecting with thoughts and ideas. The most essential, however, is swimming.
In the summer I swim every day in one of several lakes in the Berkshires. Which one I go to depends on weather conditions, wind, air temperature, how much time I have and whether or not I’ll need to avoid weekend motorboats. If I don’t get at least an hour in the water to think and dream my whole day is set off. Therefore, perhaps the most important “tool” in my artistic process is my nose clip. If I swim without one, the lake water, well, let’s just say it’s not a good situation. I order nose clips in bulk. The only ones that work for me, given my prominent nose, are the classic kind with metal wire and latex tips. They litter my house, studio, car. If you ever see a nose clip on the Appalachian Trail in Becket, or at the side of a lake in the Berkshires, you’ve probably just missed me.
Header image: Gregory Crewdson swimming in Upper Goose Pond, Beckett. Photo by Terry Holland.
