Imagination and remembrance bring lightness in these darkening days. Four essential words help make it so: Passion, serendipity, gratitude, and recognition.
PASSIONFor 13 years I lived distant, returning to Mount Vernon in 2020. A decade ago, my son Dan visited my wife Susan and me in our Loveland, Colo., home.
His visit coincided with my efforts to design a book for an artist/poet friend. My design skills were, however, rudimentary.
Dan was employed as a designer by the University of Southern California. Thus, during his visit he helped finesse my skills.
Thanks to Dan, my first book was published. That success led to another idea:
I missed my Mount Vernon grandsons, AJ and Cole, who lived 800 miles away. That longing inspired me to author the children’s book titled Grandpa and the Sky.
Published before Christmas, 2013, it centered around a grandfather who taught his two grandsons lessons of life through tales of astronomy and legend. The book was a passionate story of family connection, viewed through the wonders of the universe.
SERENDIPITY In 2012, I taught a photography class in the Amana Colonies. There I had a chance encounter with a quirky Cornell alum named Benjamin (pronounced Been Jammin’) Miller and his wife Anne. They were visiting Iowa from New York.
I knew Ben as a student. He was legendary for his antics. As a thick-legged, collegiate cross-country runner, Ben always finished in last place. Always!
Came the memorable race when Ben ran SECOND FROM LAST. Rather than cross the finish line, Ben ran backwards to the LAST guy. He didn’t want that runner to finish alone. Ben’s good-hearted measure was soundly rejected by the other runner.
After Cornell, Ben became a prolific writer. When we met in the Amanas, he was authoring his book River Bend Chronicles. Bursting with wry observations of his early years in Davenport, Ben’s style of observance is akin to renowned humorist David Sedaris (Santaland Diaries).
Ben requested use of my Eastern Iowa photographs to illustrate his book. I gladly obliged.
Last week Ben and Anne drove from their South Dakota home to see my photo exhibit Faces of Hope: the Women and Men of Cornell. Viewing these historic images at Mount Vernon Creates is how Ben celebrated his birthday. Serendipity at play! And talk of another collaboration.
GRATITUDEMy exhibit was supported by these generous donors: Susan, Barry and Gilda, Adrienne, David and Terry, David and Kay, Doug and Sue, Marty and Cindy, and Pete. Their sponsorship helped my exhibit bring many people together in reunion illumined by the glow of happiness and remembrance. To these sponsors and attendees, I give a heartfelt “thank you!”
RECOGNITIONWhile printing, matting and framing my exhibit, I was simultaneously designing the 128-page book Picasso as Printmaker: a Collector’s Perspective. Dr. Robert Baller, a retired eye-surgeon from Illinois, contracted with me to publish his collection catalogue.
My task was to get his book printed and delivered to the Museum of Art in Fort Collins, Colo., three days after my exhibit reception in Mount Vernon.
With special thanks to my wife Susan, I worked with swift accuracy to meet both project deadlines.
The book is an inspirational and informative representation of Dr. Baller’s 56-piece Picasso collection. Dr. Baller expressed gratitude that I could produce his book on time, especially considering its mid-August inception and meeting my own exhibit deadline.
Since my son Dan first taught me elements of design, I subsequently have produced about 40 books. Another is in the works. Titled The Music Didn’t Die Afterall, it pairs lyrics from vinyl with photographs taken by my college roommate Larry who had tragically lost his hearing.
My heartfelt gratitude and recognition to all who are part of these passionate, serendipitous journeys. The question now is “what’s next?”

Gallery • 2 Photos

Cornell alum Ben Miller cleverly wrote River Bend Chronicle about his childhood memories of life in the Quad City region. The book is illustrated with black and white images of the southeast Iowa region by Bob Campagna.