54
SHOW PONY MAGAZINE
IN THE WORDS OF PATRICIA CARTER Q – What was the catalyst for your collaboration with Keith? How many years have you been working together? A – Keith and I married in 1975, and the catalyst for our collaboration was the desire to work together toward a shared goal, and the necessity of combining our efforts to earn a living through Keith’s work as a photographer. In the beginning he took on all kinds of work; portraits of children were a specialty, but he also did advertising work, weddings, editorial assignments, anything that came his way. At the same time he was trying to continue to develop his personal work and find his own artistic voice. I took responsibility for all the nonphotographic work: bill paying, collection of receipts, scheduling and negotiating fees. When Keith was finally able to give up the commercial assignments and concentrate on his own work, my responsibilities morphed into keeping records of images, their edition numbers, distribution, and dealing with galleries.
Q – Before Keith found his unique artistic vision, what elements of his early work inspired your faith and encouragement of his aspirations? A – When we first met, Keith was a young man on fire to make photographs, but there was something else about him. He seemed to have a real appetite for the work itself. He had faith that it was worth doing, and it didn’t hurt that I thought so too. He
also had faith in what he has always called the alchemy of photography. His taste for the physical work of the process has stayed with him through the years. *This is adapted from a longer answer in my Afterword for A Certain Alchemy 2008.
Q – The images made on this Texas road trip became Keith first book, From Uncertain to Blue which you documented beautifully with the text that accompanies the photographs. In what ways was this journey a time of growth and transformation for you? A – We realize now what a lasting gift we gave ourselves: to travel with no intention except to see what was along the way; to wander unhurried, so that there was always time to stroll down a path, to sit and look, or sit and talk; to end each day together watching the fading light as night came on. It was a luxury unsurpassed by any travels since. There was a special quality in our connection with the people we met. As strangers Keith and I had these advantages: We were not lost; we were not selling anything; we had come specifically with an interest in seeing that place. And Keith had come to make photographs. People recognized instinctively that he saw significance in the things that made up their lives, and often their hearts opened to us. *From my notes in the new edition of From Uncertain To Blue 2011
Q – What have been some of the more challenging aspects to your collaboration with Keith? A – When an artist makes the commitment to live by his art, he must also accept the uncertainty that comes with that decision. We knew there were no guarantees, but we were both committed to that decision. There is a natural ebb and flow to a long career, but Keith’s passion for the work remains strong. He has learned the digital process and adapted it to his use. Currently he is pursuing an interest in older processes, such as wet plate collodian.
Q – What has been the most rewarding? A – I drop everything when I am called to the darkroom for a first look at a new print, and I walk the twenty-five paces from house to studio with real anticipation. The pleasure of this experience is undiminished even though I have done it thousands of times. I love seeing first-hand the process of creativity – how the germ of an idea slowly becomes a cohesive and coherent body of work – and, often, how that work is further refined and edited to become a handsome book. It is my great joy to share this life and to feel I have made a real contribution. It continues to be exciting and fulfilling.