The "Celebrating the Photography of Debra McClinton" exhibition starts this Thursday, August 28th, and runs through Monday, September 1 in San Francisco. An opening reception will be held Thursday from 6-9 p.m. at Gallery 291 at 291 Geary Street (on Union Square). We tried to send an email or a print invitation to everyone for whom we had contact info.
The purpose of this exhibition is not only to publicize Debra's stunning photographic legacy, but also to make it possible for those who loved her to own a piece of her art at an affordable price. The good news is, even those of you who can't make it to the show will have the opportunity to purchase a print basically at cost. A 16"x20" print is $200, a 20"x24" is $300, and a 30"x40" is $400.
A secure e-commerce website has been set up, and you can order prints using a major credit card or PayPal starting midday Thursday, August 28, through Monday, September 1 only. The limited window is because this opportunity is just for friends and family, not the general public.
The gallery website has the images that will be in the show and for sale, and there is a separate secure e-commerce site where, starting Thursday, you can purchase prints. If you have questions, they are probably answered here.
The show and the image sale are made possible by the generous donations of time, materials, or images by Alex & Becca Ashton of ZipFly Design, Ed Carey of Gallery 291, Griff Williams of Urban Digital Color, the McClinton family, Stephanie Rausser, Bart Nagel & Bonnie Powell, Kate Powers, and Tony and Frankie Ray Hollifield. We all hope to see you at the show Thursday night.
August 26, 2008
Debra McClinton exhibition and online print sale Aug 28-Sept 1
August 18, 2008
I’ll Never Forget Her Spirit
I crossed paths with Debra for nine days only back in March 2001, when I met her at a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. When I embarked on this trip I felt nervous and shy, going with a group of people I did not really know. Debra was one of the first people I met before we even left San Francisco on the flight. I was immediately struck by her beauty and energy. She had such a unique fashion sense that she wore so well. But mostly, she was just so nice! I don’t know how it got decided that we would be hut-mates once we arrived, but I was glad to share the living quarters with her. She made this shy, invisible person feel important and interesting. She wanted to know about me; she wanted to know about everyone she met, and she listened intently when you spoke to her.
She moved around so athletically and gracefully and was a wonderful yogini—with a little baby on board. She took photos of everything, everybody, capturing moments in time in this beautiful environment. I sat back, closed off a little, reserved but wanting to come out of my shell. And she epitomized what I wanted to be—a free spirit! But one thing I never forgot—something she did for me that was just from a place of love and true compassion.
One night, I had a real scare when I passed out after becoming dehydrated. I was in and out of consciousness for a long time, and people were trying to bring me back to earth. I truly felt I could have died at any time, but the strength of people around me brought me back, and I came to…slowly and weakly.
When I went back to the hut, Debra came too. She talked to me for a long time about anything/nothing important and I didn’t want her to stop because it made me know I was alive. I told her I was scared to go to sleep- scared I wouldn’t wake up. So she offered to have me sleep next to her, and she spoke to me until I drifted off, calmly resting. I’ll never forget her kindness and nurturing towards me- someone she’d just met a few days prior. And I’ll never forget her spirit which inspired me to come out of my shell a little, through her influence. It’s like she was an angel, demonstrating how to truly live and love and appreciate all in every moment. All this from nine days of knowing someone. I can understand how much she impacted those who knew her longer, and my heart goes out to you. I’m sure we will all carry a little piece of what she left us in memory and spirit forever.
Dinene
