Water Is Gold

I was over at my friend Lacey's for dinner last night, and as we were sitting down outside after we ate, I noticed a little green plant growing in her backyard that is entirely dirt. It's entirely dirt because we're in a terrible drought, we've had no rain in forever, and no grass would or could grow.

But this little guy sprouted up because condensation builds up on the top of their patio umbrella and drips off directly on this spot. The miracle of water!

Over near where the garden hose is coiled up, there was another burst of life where the spigot drips. Things here want so badly to grow ... but they're dying of thirst.

We made a little barricade around the plant to protect it and see what happens ...

... And then we prayed for rain, so that we all don't wind up like this girl in Paul Gronner's photograph (Closing reception tonight, 6-9 p.m. at the Verge Gallery at Bergamot Station)!

With so many people so concerned with wealth and status and consumption ... it's important to remember that water is gold, and without it, we're dead. That's that. Then today my friend said, "Water is God", and I thought he might be right.

Verge Photography Show At Bergamot - Art In The Dark

There was a fantastic photography opening at the Duncan Miller Gallery at Bergamot Station on Saturday featuring the Verge Photographers. One of the Verge photographers is my brother, Paul Gronner, so our gang was out in full force for this one.

I thought it was an especially good turnout for a Saturday night art opening when we arrived, with people spilling out of the gallery and into the parking lot. Upon closer examination, I realized that many of the people were outside because there was a blackout inside the gallery, turning the whole thing into a kind of street party.

Inside, no one was deterred from looking at the art they came to see, and everyone had their cell phone flashlights out to better see the great collection of photos amassed here. In addition to the Verge collection, the Duncan Miller Gallery also features classic photos by the likes of Ruth Orkin and iconic shots of Einstein, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, and all the kinds of images that make photographic work so compelling.

Gronner's art was clearly my favorite (nepotism, for sure), with his gorgeous shots of Venice and sun-baked earth women (timely with our awful drought!) capturing the attention of collectors and babies alike ...

Sarah Hadley had some beautiful seascapes that were highly coveted, and Rico Mandel's work also featured stunning nature shots.

Susan Swihart's photos of regular everyday people were riveting, as were the visages captured by Benjo Arwas, Tami Bahat and Jamie Johnson.

These photographers on the verge of blowing up all made the best of the fact that people couldn't really see their work so well with no lights, enjoying talking about the pieces, sharing wine, and making new friends in the dark.

It wound up being one of the more fun openings in recent memory, as people were in this case using technology/cell phones to unite us for once ... lighting up the dark, and drawing us closer, rather than ignoring everyone around us while we glue our faces to screens.

As the power didn't return until the very instant the opening was over (seriously), the show's run has been extended to this Friday, October 24th, where there will be a closing party starting at 6 pm ... until the lights go out for real.

Congratulations to Paul Gronner and all the Verge Photographers on a truly inspiring and excellent show. It truly lit up the dark.



*Cool gallery shot 2nd to last by Matt Ellis.