Now writing this years later, I feel like I was a kid playing with rocks and challenging myself to this new world of “gravity balancing”, as I use to call it before I knew other people did it, using friction to create. Living in the Hudson Valley has deeply contributed to my admiration and respect of all the beauty surrounding us in nature and almost anywhere. I visited the Esopus Lighthouse quite often to balance rocks and just be in my own element. One day I realized I had never seen the tide so low. I noticed there was a stone ledge that led out at least 60 feet into the water. I decided to collect a few rocks and build a sculpture. Before I knew it I had three different sculptures standing. Reflecting on the individual stone stacks there was one that just amazed me by it’s structure and balance. I sat there taking in the magical connection of the rocks, the river and the atmosphere. I started to photograph the 3 stone structures and did not realize how much time went by, so much so that the tide was now coming in. I held the moment in my eyes one more time, while taking a mental capture in my mind. Then I said goodbye knowing the tide would likely tumble the sculptures. Two days later, I went back to find the sculptures still standing; I was in shock and unbelief. After taking it in, I knew it would be a new documentary series. I was able to capture several days of great, beautiful skies in documenting this build. And then on the fifth day, we had a bizarre early snowstorm, which was so lucky to witness. If it wasn’t for the photos you wouldn’t believe that the sculptures remained through a snow storm.
My first “gravity balance” series ended up standing for eight days before succumbing to the natures rhythms.