Road,Cattle,Pole,Taft,Ca. 2009

Back Home.........

Who says you can't go back home again ?

I was out in California a few times this summer and got a chance to reaquaint myself with the flatlands of Central California where I spent many years making photographs.

These open expanses of land have fortunately remained un-developed. Its still beautiful and mysterious. There are some valleys that are pristine with just cattle .

The heat is dry and therapeutic.

James Dean died not too far from where I made these images. Edward Weston also worked near Taft and Coalinga as did Morley Baer and I think Ed Ruscha. Where I stood I felt the same ancient vibes and whispers I first experienced in 1988 . Nineteen years of looking at this landscape and it still captivates me to the core.

X- 2 0 0 9 33x55 inch Pigment Print copyright 2009 Michael Lardizabal

The Color Work

Untitled # 1 2 0 0 9

Untitled # 2 2 0 0 9

Untitled # 3 2 0 0 9

I've been thinking of color for some time now.

The immediacy of it appeals to me , as does its honesty.

All the images above are un-corrected proofs.

Venice

Moving Day, Near Venice 1991 8x10 inch contact palladium print on Vellum

Baseball Field, Venice 1992 8x10 inch palladium contact print of Tissue paper

Not that one.

The one in Southern California.

I'm somewhat drawn to ordinary places with far away names and one day I'll compile a body of work from towns like Athens,Troy,Geneva,Mexico, and Venice, all towns and villages in New York and California.

I love the ordinary. To me, these place speak volumes.

July

Madeline's Place, Peach Hill, NY 1995 Palladium on Swiss Opaline Parchment

Montgomery Place, New York 1994 8x10 in Palladium print on Tissue

Pasadena 1988 8x10 in Platinum on Tissue Vintage print

Landscape off Route 9H, New York 1999 11x14in Cyanotype print on Cranes

I love the month of July.











The light is stunning by mid afternoon. Everything looks grand and pleasing. Here's a selection of work that I was looking at this morning. These are all images I made more than 10 years ago .











I still see the world this way.

Eastham, MA. 1999

Athens, NY 1997

Athens, New York 1997