Journal Five - Andrew Joseph

While reading Holding On I found two profiles that I was very found of, and I won’t soon forget. The first one that I think of right off the bat is Dugout Dick Zimmerman. I liked this one in particular because his minimalism is something that I wonder if I could do. There are days when I think I am capable of moving out in the middle of nowhere and just being myself, then there are other days where I am thankful for the things around me and appreciate them. Its very conflicting. I think that he was holding on to not only reality but to himself as well. I think that’s why he is one of the first ones that I think of. Seclusion and self identity is something that I feel we’ve lost with the internet and social media’s constantly growing. This was just a reminder it could possibly be good for your mental health to just get away. The other one I liked really well was Stanley Kilarr because, I thought it was cool to an extent as to how much passion he had for his record collection. I too have a fairly large record collection but, its not threatening to bring my house down. I personally think he is trying to hold onto happiness with his collection. Talking about his collection he seems excited and happy. When his doctors told him to sell the collection, he was sad, so he went out and bought 4 Sinatra albums to be happy again. 

           The portraits were my favorite part of the profile because it gave me a possible insight of how they might act while being interviewed. One of the two i couldn't decide between is Jim Bishop’s. He is seen standing on top of his creation looking out onto the land, I assume, like he’s the king of the world. It’s the spontaneity, impulsiveness, and just sheer creativity that this man has. My favorite part has to be the mountains, or hills, in the distance seeing is how he is taller than them making him seem bigger or “larger than life” if you will. My other favorite is the portrait of Augustina Martinez. Her profile is about being a healer, in the italics before the interview itself it is explained that she has a cross in her right palm that looks like the letter M. The picture is completely focused on her hands, as I would say, just like the article. The fact that the hands are what the portrait is focused on makes the wrinkles and the cross stand out. Her aged hands tell her story just as she does in the interview. Her face although it is visible it is out of focus, you can see the cross on her forehead that he mentions as well. My favorite part about the picture is that she is sitting down in what seems to be a family room or some common household room. She has an unusual job of healing and yet she’s in a very usual place we all know of.