B i l l S c h w a b

N o r t h L i g h t P r e s s

G a t h e r i n g C a l m P h o t o g r a p h s : 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 0 4

B i l l S c h w a b

Plate 1

Foreword“Gathering calm” perfectly refers not only to the graceful

serenity of the imagery in this publication but also to the sensibility that created it. It alludes to a blend of factors: possessing an affinity for a setting, having a vision, and cul-tivating it through study and hard work. “Gathering calm” is also about having the ability to see a subject, to secure it and to convey it with the same intensity that it was experienced. It suggests a completeness of action that is sophisticated, subtle and not easy to achieve.

Bill Schwab knows landscapes – and indeed, it is evident that he loves them. His methodology is both intuitive and analytical. Through his experience of the outdoors – learning about weather conditions, light and the natural characteris-tics of a geography – he has developed a sense, not necessar-ily of knowing what to expect but rather of what to remain vigilant. At the same time, he exercises patience and perhaps hopes for a little luck. Patience is about looking and seeing. It’s about timing and framing and then later in the darkroom, patience involves another form of “gathering calm” – when the image is sought yet again through other methods of de-velopment and process. Luck is the uncontrollable factor not to be dismissed. Bill tells countless “right time, right place” tales of encounters that provided unexpected results, such as the roll of waves changing a beach in seconds or a light on the horizon blinking once or twice and perhaps no more.

And what does it mean to work within pictorialism, a sty-listic tradition that has well over a century of history? A pictorialist sees the world as it is but also he finds emotion within his subjects. This ability and desire to inject feeling or to enhance the expressive qualities of the image occur both during shooting and developing, when the photogra-pher employs all the tools at his disposal. Bill works alone. He likes the night and talks of a special calm that he finds when the world itself is quiet. He works with the concept of beauty but he sees it as more than just the presentation of a pretty thing. Beauty exists in his imagery on many levels. His prints are impeccably made. There is the beauty that results from craft, skill and technique combining to finish the object exactly as the photographer wishes. Often, his landscapes are of a splendor that can only be described as poetic. At other times, the subjects are simpler yet equally poignant and range from the humorous to the mysterious, such as a snow-coated

sculpture of a dog on Belle Isle or an industrial complex shrouded by a fog and contrasted against the sharp branches of an otherwise unseen elm off Grosse Ile. Questioning the role of beauty as Bill Schwab does remains a rich topic in late 20th-early 21st century art. For the better part of the history, it was a central element of most arts. But what is its value in our time? Is it an idea that is used, dismissed or ignored? Is it even part of an artist’s consciousness and if present, how? Being creative is about conducting this dialogue with prece-dence and process. It’s about the artist finding his own voice within a context and making a resounding statement

Thinking about the presence or absence of beauty in con-temporary art also provokes another large and equally messy question. What is the relevancy of photography now? It is everywhere in stills and moving images and everyone seems to be practicing it on a variety of levels. It can be argued that photography’s ability to reflect the world with perfect clarity is actually what has clouded its definition. From its inception, the possibilities of representation through photography have been debated perpetually. The classic dividing lines have been drawn typically between a side that viewed the medium as possessing great objectivity and one that favored its interpre-tative qualities. Such separations illustrate the versatility of photography but they don’t address the fullness of its char-acter. Another understanding is to gather all the options and to think that regardless of the era, some photographers have shown that photography can be called both objective and interpretative at the same time and within the same image. Despite how factual or real they appear to be, photographs are always extensions of the hand and eye of the person who created them. Although they may appear familiar, they are unique. They are what their makers think, see and feel in the flash of a moment, whether that’s a moment of inspiration, observation or stage direction. This rally around the image – the gathered knowledge about the who, what, where and how of its creation and existence – remains the operative force. Relevancy continues to reside in enduring imagery that can provoke a reaction, generate an interest, strike a chord or organize our thoughts with all the collectivity that “gathering calm” suggests.

Nancy SojkaCurator of Graphic Arts – Detroit Institute of Arts

Plate 2

Plate 3 Plate 4

Plate 5 Plate 6

Plate 7

Plate 8 Plate 9

Plate 10 Plate 11

Plate 12 Plate 13

Plate 15Plate 14

Plate 16

Plate 18Plate 17

Plate 20Plate 19

Plate 22Plate 21

Plate 24Plate 23

Plate 25

Plate 27 Plate 26

Plate 29Plate 28

Plate 31Plate 30

Plate 32

Plate 34Plate 33

Plate 36Plate 35

Notes on PlatesPlate 1

Approaching Darkness, Sturgeon Bay, Mich. 2004

Plate 2 Young Maple - River Rouge, Dearborn, Mich. 2003

Plate 3 September Sky, Lake Michigan 2004

Plate 4 Wave Trails - Black Sand, Iceland 2002

Plate 5

Elm Branch, Grosse Ile, Mich. 1999

Plate 6 Glacial Stream - Midnight Storm, Iceland 2003

Plate 7 Four Swans - Holtsos, Iceland 2002

Plate 8 Reynis Beach from Dyrholaey, Iceland 2002

Plate 9 Rainbow - Skogafoss, Iceland 2003

Plate 10 Gullfoss, Iceland 2002

Plate 11 Clouds and Tide Pools, Iceland 2002

Plate 12 Young Birch - Passing Storm, Iceland 2003

Plate 13 Driftwood - Basalt Formation, Iceland 2003

Plate 14 Upper Falls - Gullfoss, Iceland 2002

Plate 15

Precipice - Skogafoss, Iceland 2002

Plate 16 November Wind, Sturgeon Bay, Mich. 2001

Plate 17 Wagoshance Light, Sturgeon Bay, Mich. 2003

Plate 18 Monterey Light - Monterey Peninsula, Calif. 2000

Plate 19 Ghost Feather, Sturgeon Bay, Mich. 2003

Plate 20 Floating Rock, Sturgeon Bay, Mich. 2001

Plate 21 Moon Beams and Maples, Emmet County, Mich. 1998

Plate 22 Maple - Torchlight, Emmet County, Mich. 2003

Plate 23 Young Tree - Backstop, Detroit, Mich. 2002

Plate 24 Okanoka Lagoon, Belle Isle, Detroit, Mich. 2001

Plate 25 Willow Branches - Rouge River, Dearborn, Mich. 1999

Plate 26 Late February Thaw, Bell Isle, Detroit, Mich. 1997

Plate 27 Rouge Steel #1, Dearborn, Mich. 1994

Plate 28 Snow Dog, Belle Isle, Detroit, Mich. 1996

Plate 29 Lamp Post - January Snowfall, Belle Isle, Mich. 1998

Plate 30 Pump House - Detroit River 1998

Plate 31 Abandoned Mill, Ripley, Mich. 1997

Plate 32Fugitive Sky, Lake Michigan 2002

Plate 33 Warm Summer Breeze, Lake Michigan 2004

Plate 34 Knifophia, Marin County, Calif. 2000

Plate 35 Northern Light, Sturgeon Bay, Mich. 2000

Plate 36 Spirit Grass, Lake Michigan 2004

AcknowledgementsThe gracious and generous support of the following people has in large part made this project possible.

With very special thanks to:

Jerry and Linda BasierbeBrian and Wendy Beard

Dennis, Carole, Misty and Ryan Burgess Mi-Li Choi Patty Cohen

Ben and Leah CraneKirk and Karen GridleyTom and Carol Halsted

Clay Harmon P. Kalbaugh

Cyrus and Marla Karimipour Catherine Kavanaugh

Tom and Rita Kavanaugh Brian and Kathleen Kelly

Della MancusoRick and Candace Medress

Gregory S. MlotKyosuke Miyazaki

Chris Norris Paul R. Paletti Jr.

Saul RomoSteven Rood Photography

Arnold and Nancee Schwab Matthew and Kathy Scher

Gregory D. Seman Marc and Gabriele Sewtz

Nancy Sojka

The Detroit Institute of Arts The Halsted Gallery

Gallery Lumiere The Photography Room

Bill Schwab’s work is represented in the permanent collections of the following institutions:

The Detroit Institute of Arts

George Eastman House

The University of Michigan Art Museum

Cincinnati Art Museum

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Dayton Art Institute

For a listing of dealers and galleries where Bill Schwab’s photographic prints are available, see:

www.billschwab.com

Copyright © 2005 Bill Schwab and North Light Press, LLCPhotographs copyright © 2005 Bill SchwabForeword copyright © 2005 Nancy Sojka

All rights reserved in all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission,

except select passages used in critical reviews and articles.

ISBN: 0-9765193-1-3 (Deluxe boxed set with signed silver gelatin print. Edition of 60.)

ISBN: 0-9765193-2-1 (Trade edition.)

First printed in April 2005 in the beautiful Northeast Kingdom of Vermont by Stinehour Press. Printed in the United States of America.

Edition: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

North Light Press - Harbor Springs, Michiganwww.northlightpress.com