Art is not a justification for discrimination

Art is a reaction to the human condition. It is not a justification for discrimination.

Recently, The Week's Matt Lewis argued that photographers, being artists, should have the right to not work at same-sex weddings based on freedom of expression grounds. The argument, essentially, is that while bakers may be subject to anti-discrimination laws, and thus barred from refusing service to same-sex weddings, artists like photographers ought to get a pass since their work is so tied up with the First Amendment. Ultimately, Lewis is trying to convince us that a wedding photographer is an artist and a baker is an artisan.

First off, being an artist is not, and has never been, a justification to violate anti-discrimination laws. Freedom of expression may protect an artist from having his or her work banned, but it cannot protect an artist before any artwork has been produced. Technically speaking, New Mexico photographer Elaine Huguenin could legally express her anti-gay views through art. But to refuse to do business with someone based on their sexual orientation? That's against the law.

But even if it weren't: Wedding photography is rarely art.

Who is an artist? Who is an artisan? What is the difference? Well, an artist is someone who makes art. An artisan is someone who practices a craft. That is the simple part.

The difference between art and craft is where this gets tricky. The tools to create art and craft are often the same. And even the best and brightest in the field of art theory have grappled with a universal definition of art.

One working definition is that art is the product of intention (I intend to create art) and reception (the work being received as art). In Art and Fear, David Bayles and Ted Orland suggest that a craft can achieve "perfection" while art "continually generates new and unresolved issues."

"The difference between art and craft," they say, "lies not in the tools you hold in your hands, but in the mental set that guides them.... For you, the artist, craft is a vehicle for expressing your vision."

In this view, wedding photography is a commercial craft that has never been received by the art world as art. We wedding photographers are paid to serve a client's vision. There is usually limited (if any) creative freedom. Often clients will provide a list of "must have" photos or an inspiration board of photographs they desire (thank you, Pinterest!). Within those jobs, we strive to produce images that are technically proficient (sharp focus, perfectly lit, and exposed) and physically flawless (smooth skin, flattering poses and angles). Through the use of seasoned skills and digital editing tools, perfection is possible.

As a wedding photographer, the perfection I strive for is twofold: First, I seek to produce a set of images that allows a couple to relive their wedding day; and, second, I want to offer a service that goes above and beyond my clients' expectations. Essentially, I aim to create wedding photos that will cause my clients to laugh and cry, and, to provide that service, it is important for me to attract potential clients who are drawn to my style of photography.

Not every photographer is the right match for every wedding. Photographers curate their portfolios carefully, showing the photographs and styles of weddings they enjoy and are most comfortable with, and, as such, attract clients with a shared aesthetic vision.

It's not uncommon for a photographer, in the course of his or her career, to meet a client who is not the "right fit" for the services offered. Usually a client like this will have a vision that the photographer does not feel she or he is able to capture. In this case, a professional should refer this client to another photographer who might be a better fit. Not only is this a valuable service to the engaged couple, it's also good networking.

For those photographers and other wedding professionals who take issue with gay marriage, that's a personal opinion that they are free to have. But when it comes to our craft, discriminating on the basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation is not freedom of expression. It's just bad business.

An Amplifier for Change – Holderness Edwards Art Gallery Features Innovative Reframe Exhibit

This week, the Edwards Art Gallery opened with a new show featuring an innovative collective exhibition called Reframe produced by the non-profit Amplifier. The exhibition is a collection of bold posters designed by some of today’s top artists including; Shepard Fairey, Ernesto Yerena, Noa Denmon, LMNOPI. These posters are made for various campaigns centered on human rights, environmental activism, indigenous peoples, and voting rights.

Twelve of the pieces feature an augmented reality (AR) function that can be triggered with the companion smartphone app. When Art Department Chair Marylena Sevigney first saw the interactive posters, she “immediately thought we have to show these on the Holderness campus. The AR invokes awe and wonder while provoking thoughtful contemplation.” The app transforms the 2-D works with animation and storytelling, allowing the images to literally come to life and the subjects' own voices to share their messages.

“Student reactions to the posters have been extremely positive. It helps that the work is bold, beautiful, and, of course, interactive,” says Photography Teacher and Edwards Art Gallery Director Joseph Sywenkyj. “The posters ask more of students while offering them additional tools to help foster social change on many of the topics they care about most. I’ve always believed art should be engaging and accessible and couldn’t be more pleased with the results I’ve seen so far.”

Amplifier also provides curriculum and teaching tools around the pieces that encourage non-partisan conversations around social justice. The Amplifier website describes the purpose as “we share these conversation drivers with the hopes that young people in every region of the United States will be inspired to shatter echo chambers and start talking to each other!”

Holderness is pleased to have purchased these posters with the intent of displaying them around campus and promoting a prolonged discussion surrounding these important topics.

Joshua Tree – A Desert Oasis

The cool desert nights make getting out of a warm sleeping bag no small task – the air is crisp, our mummy bags drawn in tight. But nevertheless, one-by-one we amass our layers and headlamps and shuffle through the sand to scramble up to the top of the boulders that surround our campsite. Erik Thatcher ’08 – Director of Outdoor Programs – lights the Jetboil, the coyotes begin to howl, and we sit quietly with the promise of warm drinks and warm sunlight.

For five days in January, this was the morning routine for a group of Holderness students.

After a year hiatus due to COVID the annual winter desert trip is back! We planned this trip in the fall when things were looking much brighter. Then, as our departure date neared, so did Omicron. Our COVID Response Team, including the school’s medical director, reviewed guidance and advised us to stay the course – being mostly outside and isolated has proven to be a safe way to gather. And it was.

On New Year's Day a group of students and adults converged in Las Vegas, Nevada for a five-day tour of the Mojave Desert, complete with hiking, climbing, unforgettable sunrises, wildlife viewing, and just all-around, simple fun.

Food, shelter, light and warmth became the central focus of each day. Things like cell coverage or even just a charged battery become pure luxury and blatantly unnecessary. The constant stimulus of living in the 21st-century world was paused. One evening, the students actually gathered around a picnic table to play the card game Magic by headlamp – teens choosing to play cards! This is why outdoor trips for teens are so valuable. We need to unplug, but now two years into a relentless pandemic it seems more than valuable – it feels vital.

In Joshua Tree National Park, we followed a winding trail miles through the sandy desert. Rounding a corner we reach a true desert oasis like an island in the sand with palm trees, birds, water, and beaming with life. Suddenly it seems so obvious. That’s what this trip is: it’s not just a break from Tiktok and test positivity, it’s an oasis.

Springtime Reflections From Our Dean of Students’ First Year

The sun is shining on Schoolhouse on our first real, warm spring day. Dean of Students Mb Duckett Ireland is having a quiet moment in her office after lunch. After 11-years as a form dean, English teacher, and coach at Choate Rosemary Hall, Mb Duckett Ireland joined Holderness School as the Dean of Students in 2021. Now that her first year comes to a close, we are excited to hear her first impressions, hopes, and thoughts of Holderness School.

Now that you are wrapping up your first year at Holderness, what are your impressions of the school? What matched your expectations, and what surprised you about Holderness?

Holderness advertises a lot that we try to seek balance and educate the whole child – a lot of people say they try to educate the whole child – I think it’s lived here in a different way. I loved getting to know our students and the many ways in which they feel fulfilled and the diverse ways they measure success for themselves.

What is your favorite part of Holderness?

The people. You know, everybody says that. It’s true. It really is a really kind – intentionally kind – community that goes out of its way to help its members. A community where leadership in part has to do with digging into mundane service, tasks, or jobs. There are not many schools where every member of the faculty and student body knows how to run the industrial dishwasher. And the lack of hierarchy is really refreshing. It’s a lot more leading by example even by the student population too, older kids to younger kids – leading by example as opposed to privileges just because we’re older.

What have been some of your favorite Holderness experiences so far?

Project Outreach was magnificent. Partially because I wasn’t in charge, which was great! But it was just nice to get to interact with students in a new way and see strengths that aren’t as evident in the everyday life of the school. And to not have to be the one to whom the problems are reported, it just changes the dynamics. It was just awesome to get to know a new group of kids so well, it was really fantastic.

The Pep Rally was one of the best pep rallies I’ve ever been to, you know it wasn’t showy, it was down to earth and had a lot of energy. It was just good, old-fashioned fun.

How would you describe the Holderness Community?

Full of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. Which is not a lot of pretense. It’s like everyone is smiling and you’re waiting for – maybe it’s just the cynic in me – just waiting for people to give up the facade, but it just doesn’t happen.

What do you think makes Holderness unique?

The closeness of the relationships between faculty and students and the way the kids look up to the adults is just a little bit different than I’ve seen before. It’s more personal, and we all are just people. You just get to look around and see so many examples of what adulthood can look like.

Do you see any opportunities for growth or change in Student Life?

Yeah, we’re taking a deep look at discipline and the ways that we can make it the best learning experience possible for all students involved and the greater community while maintaining privacy and dignity of the people who make mistakes. That is a big area of focus right now. We have some student groups and adult groups meeting and talking about that.

We’re looking to strengthen our Core3 program [social and emotional learning] by creating a more comprehensive experience. Right now you can be in an equity and inclusion session, you can be in a health & wellness session, you can be in an sustainability session. We’re going to integrate it, and Core3 will have all of that built in, in a socio-emotional learning mode.

You started a Student Life Instagram account – how is that going?

It’s great. It’s fun. A couple of kids help me with it, it’s a group project. I’ve been told by the students I have a good ratio of followers to following. It’s fun to be able to share some of the more candid moments and not everything be through the lens of the professional photographers.

Did anyone tell you the job would include a frozen slip ’n’ slide or tackling a football dummy? Seems like you’ve really dove-in head first.

No, I didn’t hear about the slip ’n’ slide until after I had said yes to the job. No, tackling the football dummy was a surprise, too. It was actually a surprise that day. Because there had actually been a plan for Tobi [Pfenninger] to tackle the football dummy. And then some students were chanting “Pfenni… Pfenni…” and it sounded a lot like “Mb…Mb…” And Liam Johnston [Senior and Pep Rally MC] turned the chant entirely into “Mb” and said, “Mb, I just gave the people what they wanted.”

The better part of the slip ’n’ slide day was the unicorn that my child got to walk around with for an hour [English Teacher and Director of Equity & Inclusion Jini Rae Sparkman wore a unicorn costume]. She wore her unicorn shirt and her unicorn boots and her unicorn hat because she knew there would be a unicorn.

You live on campus with your wife Sarah, daughter Libby, and two dogs. How have they enjoyed Holderness?

It’s been great, my dogs are the happiest they’ve ever been. Nobody has asked them to be on leash since they’ve been here. The Montessori school on campus is excellent and it’s been a really wonderful home for Livi. Sarah has felt very welcomed and everybody loves it here.

Nine Ways We're Greener Today

Farm & Wilderness has been “green” since 1939. Ten years ago we started measuring and improving our “greenness” with the help of a Greenhouse Gas Audit. Today, we are seeing significant results of these efforts.

1. Since 2009, the amount of energy needed to heat our buildings has decreased by 40%.

2. Composting of animal, human, food, and garden waste has increased over 500% since 2010, eliminating over 367 (32%) metric tons of CO2 that would have otherwise been emitted.

3. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted per camper and staff member has declined by 48% over the past 7 years.

4. Since 2013, we’ve decreased annual propane use by 42%.

5. Installing wood boilers at the Farmhouse has decreased our use of #2 fuel oil by 6,000 gallons a year.

6. We eliminated 18,000 kilowatt hours of electricity consumption with the solar system at Tamarack Farm.

7. Our newest solar field behind resource produces approximately 75,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

8. With diligence in ensuring no food, wood, or recycling goes in the trash we’ve reduced our annual trash bill by $4,500.

9. Our “Kybos” (outhouses) save an estimated 1 million gallons of water annually.

What’s next? Ideally, we would eliminate the rest of the fossil fuel for building heating and eventually produce more electricity than we consume.

20 Sessions of SAM

On a rainy, August afternoon on the SAM lodge porch, Jeff Bounds sips a cup of coffee, answers calls, juggles logistics, and recounts the last ten summers as the SAM director. “We have a new Mac-O-Back. The lodge has been brightened up,” says Jeff. “That’s really all that has changed.”

In 2008, Jeff made the long trip from Bend, Oregon to Lake Ninevah to direct a camp he now describes as “Outward Bound meets Glee.” Now, many campers can’t imagine SAM without Jeff. “When I think of coming to Farm and Wilderness,” says Rebecca Grossman (IB ’09-’10, SAM ’11-’12, Questers ’13, Office staff ’17), “the first thing that comes to mind is that I will always be welcomed back with a big warm hug from Jeff.”

Jeff had a turning point in his own life when he “established trust in nature.” At SAM, he enjoys watching campers find that same trust. “SAM gives campers an opportunity to be seen and loved for who they are which gives them a strong sense of self going into their adolescence.”

Olivia Ramirez (IB ’07-’08, SAM ’09-’10, BDC staff ’17) recounts, “Jeff has this ability to fill all campers, past and present, with such warmth and love. SAM would not be the place it is without Jeff.”

Ten summers have offered numerous highlights: In 2016, watching Ben Finley (SAM ’03-’06, staff SAM ’14-’16) and Adrian Singleton (SAM ’06-’08, Questers ’09-’11, BDC staff ’12, SAM staff ’16 & Questers ’17) find the time capsule. And this year, welcoming back 22 SAM alumni as F&W staff.

“Every time I’ve come to Jeff with an idea his answer is, ‘Yes! How can I sup- port you?’” says Murphy Robinson (SAM staff ’05, Questers staff ’06-’11,’17, RSG staff ’16). “Jeff has so much wisdom about the way that people grow through challenging themselves.”

For Jeff, directing SAM Camp feels like he is “care-taking something really beautiful that was passed on.” What keeps him coming back? “Knowing that I’ll never have to hire a cook, thanks to longtime SAM cook, Sam Arfer. And knowing I’m going to be creating so many wonderful connections. Opening day feels like having family over.”

Capturing Love: It's Not Rocket Science, but There Is an Art to It (PHOTOS)

In 2005 I photographed my first same-sex couple's wedding and realized that although I had plenty of professional experience to lean on, in many respects I felt like a beginner. Flash-forward to today, and I've learned a lot, and I wanted to share my experience with other photographers.

In my 15 years as a professional photographer, I've photographed more than 200 weddings, so you could say that I've gotten pretty comfortable working as a wedding photographer. I have an established routine to meet and exceed my clients' expectations, and I'm able to offer guidance, based on my extensive experience, to better create beautiful and lasting wedding photographs for them. But in 2005 I photographed my first same-sex couple's wedding and realized that although I had plenty of professional experience to lean on, in many respects I felt like a beginner.

That first gay wedding represented many firsts for me. In fact, it was the first same-sex wedding I'd ever attended. It was the first wedding I'd ever photographed where neither member of the couple was wearing a wedding gown. And it was the first wedding where the ceremony kiss turned out to be the first time this couple had ever kissed in front of their families.

This couple was fantastic, two beautiful people who truly and deeply loved one another, but capturing their love on camera was challenging. My "regular bag of tricks" was no help when I tried to convey the level of intimacy I usually capture at a wedding. Even simply posing this couple, because they were so similar in height and weight and couldn't physically dip or lift each other, made the "standard" images difficult.

Flash-forward to today, and I've learned a lot, namely that love is love and that gay and lesbian weddings have a lot in common with heterosexual weddings. However, there are some key differences that a photographer must understand, and I wanted to do something more to share my experience with other photographers.

That's why I called Kathryn Hamm, president of GayWeddings.com, the first online resource specializing in support and information for same-sex couples, their families and the wedding pros who wish to work with them. The end result of that fateful call? Together we designed a groundbreaking guide, Capturing Love: The Art of Lesbian & Gay Photography, designed to help photographers and engaged couples understand the art and mechanics of photographing lesbian and gay weddings and engagements.

To understand in depth what we've discovered and the tips and information we've gleaned from so many talented photographers and beautiful couples, consulting a copy of Capturing Love is well worth the time and effort. We scoured thousands of photographs to select 65 outstanding examples of same-sex engagement and wedding photography, representing the work of 38 photographers and 46 couples from 19 U.S. states, Canada, the UK and Italy.

We are standing at the edge of a new frontier in weddings, one that is inclusive of couples of all shapes, sizes, ages, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations. These are exciting times indeed, and Kathryn and I look forward to the exciting developments to come for same-sex couples and their inspirational weddings.