Medical issues, financial woes and deep depression made the last seven or eight months pretty harrowing, diverting all my time and energy, and thus Up From The Deep has languished. Recently, I had to pawn much of my equipment to cover medication costs, thanks to bureaucrats and bean counters at my Medicare Part D provider. On the upside, my eyesight has been restored by my brilliant ophthalmologist, Dr. Gary Aguilar, and I have at long last pulled myself up out of the worst depressive episode in over twenty years. Now it is high time I bring you up to date with what I managed to photograph.
For starters, here are a few of the people who — entirely unbeknownst to them — kept me from altogether losing my mind.
“Wendy – mid-Market” (2014)
“Laurie Wigham & Sketchers – mid-Market” (2014)
My friend Wendy MacNaughton, author and illustrator of Meanwhile in San Francisco, in partnership with the wonderful Laurie Wigham of SF Sketchers (“I want to sketch on paper without an undo button and get inkstains on my fingers”), invited me as a guest lecturer to lead a sketching expedition of the mid-Market corridor. What a grand time it was, and how fascinating to observe the ways different people perceive the same things.
“Lewis Jackson” (2014)
Jackson for many years had a shoeshine stand near the corner of Mason and Turk. After he retired a few years ago, I lost track of him. When a mutual friend now living in Florida asked about him, I decided to look him up. I found him one bright Sunday morning, dressed in his Sunday best, near where his shoeshine stand had been, and learned that he returns there every weekend to visit with old friends. Whenever I would see him in years gone by, Jackson never failed to make me smile, and when I caught up with him last fall, I was not disappointed.
“At the Gangway” (2014)
Occasional visits to the Gangway with friends Koffi and Dan would always raise my spirits.
“Mark & Julia” (2015)
Julia Scott, author of Drivel, invited me to participate in a soundscape audio tour of the Tenderloin called “Detour,” which ended up being a thoroughly delightful experience. Julia is a sweetheart with the patience of a saint, who even on my worst days managed to pull me up out of my funk to record voiceovers for her project. Not many people could do that, I dare say.
Welcome back! And I am glad you’re doing better. We need you around. Your viewpoint on our city is one of the best out there. Cheers!
Thank you, Rachel! Honestly, I draw much inspiration from your own observations and musings. I fear we are a vanishing breed here in San Francisco.
Glad to hear, Mark!
I love your photos and your insights into this great city.
Mike Vella
San Diego, CA
Thank you, Mike. Good to hear from you.
I am so happy to know you are back and with beautifully restored eyesight! You have good friends who stood by you during the dark times. OMG, I look forward to your wonderful photography and so much more from ‘Up from the Deep’. Laurie Farnam
Thank you, Laurie. It means a lot to know you care about what I do here.
So happy to know you are back and feeling well. I’m looking forward to more if your artful inspirations. Love, Elaine
Thanks, Elaine. I’m glad you’re still following my work. Hoping all’s well in Topanga Canyon.
Whoa, that is a picture of yr actual own self *smiling*?
🙂
Ha haaa! Good point, Martha! 🙂
Mark, glad to “hear” from you & glad to know you’re doing better. So sorry that the changing landscape isn’t benefitting you in any way…. I wish I could say that I have tricks up my sleeve. If I do, I’ll contact you directly. Peace and health be with you… ~yasi
Thanks, Yasi. While the changing landscape of the central city may not be directly “benefitting” me, I am no less determined to document those changes. If nothing else, I’ll leave an historical record of my time.