AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

Featured AMP Member Michael Crowley - AMPer aanji - found the AMP website several months ago, when he was searching online for old friend Richard Bruland, who has also been a Featured Member on AMP. (Richard took the photo above when he and Michael were in the US Navy in 1967.) After finding Richard on AMP, Michael also joined, and has recently been posting his exquisite photos. He also recently became a featured artist in AMPer Jeff Spahr-Summers' "The Poetry Victims."

Michael says:

"michael aanji crowley lives in a 120some year old farmhouse whose plumbing, wiring, walls and windows call out to him daily near West Branch, Iowa.

I grew up not far from Lake Wobegone, and so it's not too surprising that I have only recently become comfortable with calling myself an artist (the neighbors would say I was taking on airs.) But then I didn't really have a definition of what ART was; I was one of the "I know what I like" kind of
observers.

I believe that art is finding the beauty that is - whether that beauty is external or internal, in the end, is immaterial. And, more and more I believe that everything is beautiful, or at least has beauty in it.

I think the artist is just a very good listener - to the muse - to that little voice in his/her head saying stop the car now - get out and take that picture - put this paint there - rub that out - this shape is in that rock. I may be making assumptions for other artists, but I think some pictures demand to be taken, and when they do, I listen.

Photography really grounds me and forces me to be present, so I won't miss those small quiet voices whispering "here, take me too." I think that being present, or really paying close attention to your surroundings is an absolute necessity to taking consistently good pictures.

There is a dichotomy found in this situation. The same image that requires me to be actively present in order to capture will present the viewer with a tool to aid in the remembering of another time or place, or in the very least remove them from their present surroundings. Someone said that an image is first created by the artist and then recreated by the viewer. I hope you enjoy the opportunity to co-create my images."