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Submitted by mimi 09/13/10 7:51 AM GMT
Showcasing our next artist in the spotlight is someone who has a unique username..with an interesting explanation for it! I present to you casechaser (known to many of us as John). Please visit his varied gallery, and litter it with genuine comments.
John's bio is below:
I could not believe my eyes when I saw mimi’s pm telling me that I had been selected as the next “Artist of the Month.” I am humbled by this honor and deeply thank those who nominated me.
I have been a member at Caedes since August of 2007 and have had the privilege of seeing the works of so many talented people. It is such a joy to turn on the computer each day and see the remarkable pictures before me. I was born in Columbus, Ohio and will probably see my last sunset there. It is a wonderful city. I went to school in Columbus and graduated from The Ohio State University. I was very fortunate to find a terrific lady named Rebecca (Becky) who actually said yes to me and we were married for thirty-two years before she passed away. We raised four outstanding kids, one girl and three boys. And, we have one grandson, whom we all love and spoil rotten. After high school, I went into the military and served in the United States Air Force Security Service. I was a crypto-analyst. I was stationed in Turkey for a year and a half and then was sent to Taiwan for 15 months. I would never trade those experiences for anything in the world. I wish I had been into photography back then and had taken pictures of those two beautiful countries.
After the military and college, I became a buyer for a grocery chain and worked my way up the ranks of management. Later leaving and becoming an executive as a Food Broker with a national company. It is here, with the Food Brokerage, where my nickname, casechaser, was born. Food brokers made their money from the commissions gained from selling cases of products to customers’ warehouses. Each quarter, your clients would give you the quota of cases you needed to sell to your customers to make the number and maybe even get a bonus. Thus, every quarter, I was chasing the “number.” Chasing cases! When the food brokerage career field ended I was very fortunate to find employment with the College of Medicine, at The Ohio State University.
My wife passed away in October of 2006, and it took me quite awhile before I could do things we had done together. Like our long walks in the Metro Parks. One of our favorites, Highbanks, was one she and I would go to each weekend. I was constantly stopping on the paths to take pictures and she would patiently wait for me. Often, she would ask me just how many pictures of a tree did I need! As we all know, the next one is going to be better than last one. Sort of – right? So, from October of 2006 until around July of 2007, I did not do anything. But, I then got a new computer with a widescreen monitor and my son showed me these photography sites which had great wallpapers. That is when I found Caedes.net and populated my hard drive with many excellent pictures for my desktop. I became curious as to how my pictures may be received in this international community and I began posting. Immediately, people not only commented on my pictures but gave me instructions on how to improve my work and suggestions of cameras and equipment. I had been using an Olympus C-5050. It was a terrific camera but I felt the bug and soon upgraded to a Canon XTi. I use a 17-85 IS Canon Lens as my “walk about” lens. Patti (fogz) is always telling me to use a tripod, so I have compromised and use a monopod, most of the time!! I also have a Panasonic DMC-ZS3, which I will toss in my pocket for those trips where I do not want to carry my Canon. I am currently saving my pennies and would hope to one day have a Canon 7D. (I am now only 180,000 pennies short on that goal).
As I mentioned above, I joined Caedes in 2007, August 21st. Two of my close friends also joined at that time. Ron (Tick – 0930_23) joined on August 20th and Jim (Jimbob), like me, also came on the 21st. We are all close to the same age, but I have been told that I look much younger and am, by far, more handsome than either of them. Lol. They have given me much advice over the years as has Patti (fogz) and Nigel (nigelmoore). I am always amazed by the composition skills of owd Bob and Richie, the sunsets and sunrises of Liz and Thad, and the fractals of Joanie, Pat, John, and Lori. My dear friend Verena always gave me such eloquent comments and encouragement. She had a way of always making you and your work seem more special. I miss her very much.
I think my favorite works may be my art pieces. I am always experimenting with lines, colors, shadows, and composition. I have also, on occasions, attempted to fuse my visual picture with a narrative. I wanted to blend a poem or passage from a book, or the lyrics from a song, or a series of quotes, with my picture. It does not always work, but when it does, I believe it adds another layer to whole experience of the posting.
Robert Frost once said, ““Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” I believe what all of us here on Caedes do is art. It is taking something visual and with light, with shadow, with color, and with geometry, we make an emotion. And with the wings provided to us by Geri, our emotions have found the wind.
I am very appreciative for what we have here and I thank you Geri, and the moderators, for providing this site to us, and to the community of artists for the honor of being selected the Artist of the Month.
Sincerely ~~ John (casechaser)
