End of Season #2

 "Tristan #1", Rockaways, Queens, NYC, Summer 2012. Juliana Beasley

"Little Girl with Doll in Stroller", Rockaways, Queens, NYC. Summer, 2011. Juliana Beasley

End of the Season

"Skateboarders Under Elevated Subway Track", Rockaways, Queens, NYC, 8/11. Juliana Beasley

I photographed these two young skateboarders under the elevated tracks in the Rockaways one late afternoon. They weren't from the neighborhood and lived--I believe-- out in the Far Rockaways.

I owe them a photo. So, Chris and friend... just to let you know, I will be back out there in about a week and I will leave a photograph with your friend, Jose. Thanks for taking the time to pose for me. And I hope you did get flooded out and you are safe.

Juliana

Vite! Toute suite! A Quick Taste of Summer.

"Young Hotel Maids", Quebec, Canada. Summer 2011. Juliana Beasley.

Here are a couple of photos I took recently this summer. No, words... just photos. Each one deserves an explanation. For now, they stand alone without words and hopefully tell a story.

A couple of words.

I went to Quebec for a one week holiday last week.

I bought a new digital camera and am enjoying it.

The summer went too fast.

"Eviction Truck", Rockaways, NYC, Summer 2011. Juliana Beasley

"Young Woman in Front of Walmart", Quebec, Canada, Summer 2011. Juliana Beasley.

Year of the Purge

"Boy #1 at Storage with Back of Car Seat", Jersey City, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley. He was moving out with his older brother. Him and his brother had stored the back car seat in a storage room.

I would love to spend several hours working on an intricate blog post about how horrible my move out of storage was yesterday. Blow by Blow how the day unfolded. Unfortunately, as some bloggers know, time does not permit me. I will say one thing on this passage to freedom: getting lost on the Jersey Turnpike during rush hour will make even the most peaceful of devotees boil over into a fit of road rage.

This is the year of the purge. Now, instead of two storage spaces, I am a proud owner of one very organized storage space far out in Hudson County. Chances are I won't visit my storage space for another 10 years. However, all the stuff... photographs, books, clothes, kitchen ware and the boxes assigned as miscellaneous are no longer in some vague and esoteric holding space. All is now packed sky high in my parlor level apartment. As a friend said to me upon seeing the piles of banker boxes and Hefty Heavy Duty bags, "thank God you have a large apartment.

"Storage Spaces #1", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley

  

"Storage Belongings #1",,Jersey City, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley.  Bag of recyclable bottles, Rocking Horse, and filled garbage bag were some of the few random items stored for one owner. These were the belongings being removed from one storage space yesterday.

"Storage Space Elevators", Jersey City, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley

Now, comes the worst part or the selling, haggling and then finally disposing the remnants of whatever doesn't exchange hands from me as seller to buyer. The point is to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The point is to ignore subconscious infantile feelings of loss, pain and suffering that can come with the emotional attachment of material items or the disdain of an object that once held so much love and promise. Soldier onward! Ruthless I must be!

"Phil in U-Haul", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley

I am downsizing and downgrading. "More is less"is a cliche fits but fits here. All those Buddhist and self-help books on tackling procrastination, ADD, and organizational tactics for the right brained challenges that plague me have planted a seed of freedom and sunshine that I hope will greet me on the other side of the chaos.

Pictures of chaos to come soon. I was waiting for the morning light to take the photos.

"My Mom's Film Projector", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley. Keep! This stayed in storage.

"My Gum Ball Machine", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley. Keep! This stayed in storage.

Thanks to dear friends who lift heavy boxes, drive U-hauls, and are left brained and no how to pack a storage space for best access. Without you guys, I would be sitting in a pile of shit. Literally!

Sisters

"Lisa", Rockaways, NYC. Spring, 2011. Juliana Beasley.

I met Lisa and Sandra four or five years ago out in the Rockaways. They are sisters.

I took these photos one day at the church where their foster father Pastor Gary presides in the Rockaways. I wish I had more time to spend with them, but they were rushing off with their family to lunch after services. 

"Sandra",  Rockaways, NYC. Spring, 2011. Juliana Beasley.

Joanna' Summer Luau Party!

"Baby John Running", Rockaway Park, NYC, June 2011. Juliana Beasley

I had a 10 hour photo blast shooting two Saturday's ago at Joanna's 8th birthday party at her Uncle Mike's house in the Rockaways.  My work in progress, a very new work in progress that began in the last week of May revolves around the Water sisters, their children and their children's children and their friends. The work will be a part of a group show entitled "Family Values" in a couple of weeks at Michael Mazzeo Gallery in Chelsea which opens on July 7th.

"Jean", Rockaways, NYC, June 2011. Juliana Beasley

I am excited to show off this work so early in the process.

"Joanne and her Grandson", Rockaways, NYC, June 2011. Juliana Beasley

Meanwhile, my book dummy of "Last Stop: Rockaway Park" is close to being bound together... By whom? By me!!!

Aloha!

Baby Toe Tag

"Baby Toe Tag", Rockaway Park, NYC, 05/11, Juliana Beasley.

I went out to the Rockaways a couple of Sundays ago with no particular agenda, just a camera, flash and film in a knapsack. I ended up sitting on a stool in a local pub that I often frequent when the owner, Carmel told me that Margie's (one of the bartenders who works there) granddaughter was being baptized that afternoon. I jumped on a local bus and scurried down several streets and into a church full of babies and their respective families sitting in pews. I had just missed the baptism. Just like I had missed my nephew's one hot summer day over a decade ago.

"Baby Ava in Her Baptism Gown", Rockaway Park, NYC, 05/11. Juliana Beasley

Little Ava had just been blessed. Margie invited me to a party after the baptism. I got in a big SUV with the family and was shuttled to an anonymous reception hall.

Slowly, the room began to fill. Ava was taking a break, sleeping in her stroller before all the guests arrived. I looked down at her little foot and noticed we had something in common. We like to hang one foot out from under the blanket when we sleep. I hear it's called the Irish foot.

"Photo Album and Baby", Rockaway Park, NYC, 05/11. Juliana Beasley.

More photos coming soon. Just gotta' warm up that scanner.