Tracy Ketcher Photography

After working for nearly eight years in primatology & traveling extensively, I feel I have generated a photographic catalog that is both eclectic and diverse. Having directly cared for gorillas housed in foundations throughout the western world, I was...

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I am proud to have participated in the Women’s March in New York City on January 21, 2017, which has been named the largest protest in US history.  Fortune Magazine reported that the march drew 3-4 million Americans.  “The report, first picked up in Yahoo News, puts the low-end estimate of total marchers at 3.336,865 and the high-end at 4,633,725. The total population of the U.S. was 324,421,240 according to the U.S. Census Population Clock as of noon on Monday.”  Stats from various news agencies estimate 60,000 people marched in Atlanta. 250,000 marched in Chicago. There are estimates of 250,000 people in Boston, & 200,000 in Denver. In New York, the estimate ranges from 200,000-500,000. City officials estimate that 500,000 people participated in the main march in Washington, DC. In Los Angeles, the estimate is anywhere from 200,000-750,000.  There were also protests of 60,000 in Oakland, CA, 50,000 in Philadelphia, 100,000 in Madison, WI, 20,000 in Pittsburgh, 20,000 in Nashville, TN, and 60,000 in St. Paul, MN.  There were no arrests & no instances of violence, thankfully.

I personally marched for civil rights, women's rights, the LGBTQ community & immigrants.  It is upsetting to me that diversity & some of the values that I love most about this country seem under threat.  I joined the grassroots organization Rally & Rise & we were scheduled to march at 11:15am but the march had to stagger quite often because of its size. However, I never felt that people were negative or frustrated.  It was a beautiful & uplifting gathering. There were toddlers & people in wheelchairs & everyone made sure that they were safe.  The rally began at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza near Second Ave & 48th St before a sea of people began to flow down Second Ave to 42nd St & west to Fifth Avenue before heading north towards Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue at 56th St.  Police stopped protesters from actually reaching the president's New York residence, with the street blocked just south of it at East 55th Street & crowds were then being dispersed west.  People hung around on the outside of the barricades & when I broke off at 42nd St as the flow of people headed west, I noticed people placing their signs on the sidewalk outside of Bryant Park.  The signs varied from humorous comments such as “Hands too small, can’t build the wall” & “Leaders lead, Twits Tweet” to more emotional & personal comments.  Since I can only post 10 photos per blog, this is part one as I have more than this bunch to share with the people who were unable to join the movement.  

For more information about how you can participate in the movement, visit www.rallyandrise.org

You can also reach out directly to your Senator.  Remember, they work for us!  https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

For more examples of my photography, follow me on Instagram:  tracyknyc

Or visit my website:  www.tracyketcher.com

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We lost many famous figures in 2016.  It seemed like every time we turned on the news or looked at Facebook we lost someone else.  Some of the people on this list are more well known than others but everyone on this list contributed something significant to the world. They are iconic actors, musicians, sports figures, scientists & political figures, all of whom will be greatly missed.  RIP.

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New York Fashion Week is synonymous with style, uniqueness & celebrity. It was truly a privilege to attend the Sept 14, 2016  Latinista Spring/ Summer 2017 collection show featuring clothes by Cesar Galindo.  The dresses had flirty, feminine accents & great patterns.

Fabulous folks in attendance included Teyonah Parris (Mad Men, How Do You Know) & charismatic cake baker diva extraordinaire, Trisha Bordeaux.

Cesar’s models didn’t walk the runway, they stood on it in a beautiful almost Midsummer Night's Dream setting with foliage separating guests from the platform.  As a photographer this was the greatest thing ever because I didn’t have to worry about claiming a media spot or missing any of the looks.  We were allowed to walk right up to the models & they would engage & pose for my lens.  I could have shot there all night! 

Many of the dresses were coupled with stunning handbags by Houston based designer Elizabeth Younger Purpich, founder of JulieBeth Handbags.  The detail of the bags was really intricate & each one is subtly unique as they are manufactured by a boutique team of artisans & craftsmen in Monterrey, Mexico.  You can feel the care that they are created with & the bags are clearly a great investment in classic pieces that will last, stand the tests of time & wear & compliment any wardrobe.

For more information about Cesar Galindo:  www.cesargalindonyc.com

For more information about JulieBeth Handbags:  http://www.juliebethhandbags.com/

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I missed the opening band but made it time to see Grammy nominated American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, rock the Ford Amphitheater stage. The band’s current line up consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, bassist Mike D’Antonio, guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, second guitarist Joel Stroetzel & drummer Justin Foley. They seem to have endless energy & moved constantly throughout the stage.  Their vitality was matched by the crowd who started crowd surfing & singing along.  Jesse sounded powerful & Adam’s silly sense of humor is an entertaining accompaniment to his guitar riffs & squeals.

Volbeat, a rock band from Copenhagen, Denmark, next took the stage. They are everything you could ever want from a rock band. Their current line up consists of vocalist & guitarist Michael Poulsen, bassist Anders Kjølholm, Jon Larsen on drums & Anthrax alum, Rob Caggiano, on guitar. Their musical influences range from classic rock to  heavy metal. According to Poulsen, he grew up listening to Johnny Cash & Elvis but then graduated to Slayer.  His style definitely seemed to be a marriage of these influences with his slick pompadour hair, tattoos & hard core playing. Volbeat has released five albums on the Dutch label Mascot Records & all five albums are gold certified in Denmark. Volbeat shredded through their 17 song set list & a highlight for me was watching Rob Caggiano’s fingers race along his guitar while he beamed a smile as bright as the stage lighting. 

Both bands had fantastic energy, passion & stamina.  The production was great &, despite a hard sound, both bands smiled a lot & seemed to be as having as much as the crowd, which I thought was great.  It’s always nice to be around people who do what they love.  To see Killswitch Engage & Volbeat on tour, visit their websites:

http://www.killswitchengage.com

http://www.volbeat.dk/us/

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Alice In Chains played two awesome sold out nights at the beautiful Beacon Theatre on Manhattan’s Upper Westside this week.  It was the end of their US tour, which included several dates in Las Vegas with the recently reunited Guns & Roses. Opening for them was Puddles Pity Party, a nearly 7ft tall white faced sad clown with an incredible baritone singing voice. It was a strange pairing but made for an interesting show. Puddles opened with a powerful rendition of the National Anthem & sang pop covers such as Lorde’s “Royals”, Sia’s “Chandelier”.

The Alice guys were in great spirits & their shows were as spellbinding as always. Their catalog is so extensive so it was fantastic to watch the absolute joy on people’s faces when they played epic songs like “Rooster”, “Would?”, “Got Me Wrong”, “Hollow”, “Them Bones”, “Man In The Box” & “No Excuses”, among others.

The second night, which was the last night of the tour, Sean Kinney (drummer) called out the band’s crew to thank them for their hard work & we all cheered for them. And I thank Alice In Chains for always being generous & wonderful to me. Love you my brothers!!

For information about where you can see Alice In Chains, visit their website: http://www.aliceinchains.com

For more about Puddle Pity Party visit his website: http://www.puddlespityparty.com

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It doesn’t feel like summer without a 311 show!  And this summer there is a new venue at Coney Island:  The Ford Amphitheater.  It’s a shiny, new 5,000 capacity facility.  It felt roomy & I liked the sound.  

After more than 25 years together, 311 has a ton of great material & hits:  Amber, Hive, Come Original, Beautiful Disaster....  Thankfully they played those & more.  They also did an awesome cover of the Cure’s “Love Song”with Matisyahu, who opened the show. 

To catch 311, visit http://www.311.com

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Red Jumpsuit Apparatus played The Studio at Webster Hall in NYC on June 16 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their album “Don’t Fake It”, playing it in it’s entirety.  They were also going to receive their certified platinum record & members of their original team such as Steve Tramposch, who had managed & signed the band a decade ago to Virgin Records as Senior A&R, & multi-platinum award-winning record producer, David Bendeth, who produced & mixed “Don’t Fake It”, were on site to help observe the event.  Another beautiful announcement was made by singer, Ronnie Winter, who announced that he & his wife, Angela, are expecting their first child.  It was a night full of positivity, smiles & music. Congrats to the band for all of your great news!

For tour dates & RJA news, visit their website:

http://www.redjumpsuit.com/

Follow me on Instagram:  tracyknyc

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Mephiskapheles is a ska band based in New York.  January 3, 1991, the band made its first public appearance. Mephiskapheles was among the bands that regularly attracted capacity crowds to Wetlands during the New York City nightclub's golden era in the mid-1990s.  The band toured extensively throughout the U.S. & Europe in 1996 & embarked on a national tour with British pop-punk icons the Buzzcocks in the spring of 1997.  By 1999, the band had gone through a major lineup change with Tween, Bitz, & Endo all leaving the band, for various reasons. New members, bassist Dan Jeselsohn, guitarists Bill McKinney & Dave Hahn & saxophonist Ian Hendrickson-Smith were brought in to record an album, Might-Ay White-Ay, that fused reggae, hardcore, & metal with some  ska included for contrast. After continuing to play live performances for two more years, the band stopped playing shows without any official announcement of a breakup.  In the spring of 2012, Tween & Worrell led separate Mephiskapheles reunion shows & the band has continued to stay active both on tour & in the studio. Notable appearances in 2013 included featured sets at the Apple Stomp ska festival in New York & at Riot Fest in Chicago.  Mephiskapheles toured, mostly in the northeastern US in 2015 & in the spring of that same year they began to record & release music again.  They are still currently touring.

Nofx are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, CA.  The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike & guitarist Eric Melvin.  Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991, El Hefe joined to play lead guitar & trumpet, rounding out the current line-up. The band rose to popularity with their fifth studio album Punk in Drublic which was released in 1994.  NOFX's mainstream success was signified by a growing interest in punk rock during the 1990s, but unlike many of their contemporaries (including Green Day & The Offspring, for example), they have never been signed to a major label. NOFX has released twelve studio albums, fifteen extended plays & a number of seven-inch singles. Their latest studio album, Self Entitled, was released on September 11, 2012. The group has sold over 8 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful independent bands of all time. 

The show was completely sold out & the crowd was so electric with a circle pit & enthusiasm for the band that security had to physically hold the barricade together around general admission on the floor of Irving Plaza in NYC.  Toward the end of their set Nofx were joined by Angelo Moore, lead singer & saxophonist for the Los Angeles alternative rock band Fishbone for “Kill All The White Man”.  Fat Mike also wore a dress that was a bit small for him with a fan placed at his feet that blew up the hemline to reveal lace sort of tennis shorts.  While Fat Mike is not gay, the band has pro gay songs such as “The Black & White” & hangs a rainbow flag on the stage, which they say makes gay couples feel comfortable going to NOFX shows & to be able to be open about their sexuality.  They also have hilarious banter on stage that reminded me a bit of Steel Panther & aside from the intensity of their music was a very entertaining show.

For more information about Nofx, visit their website at: http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/tour/tour.php3

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I photographed The Contortionist at Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan on April 15, 2016.  I started the night with a quick solo shoot with singer, Mike Lessard, for Sennheiser.  Mike immediately put his new mic to excellent use as  the show was their first headline show in NYC & sold out. 

The experimental metal band, originally from  Indianapolis, Indiana, formed in 2007. Lessard joined the band the summer of 2013.  Their influences include Meshuggah, The Dear Hunter, Rush & Deftones.  Currently The Contortionist is on the final North American tour with Entheos & Sleep Makes Waves supporting their record “Language”, released in 2014.  To catch The Contortionist, visit their Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/thecontortionist/

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One of the most important albums in my life is Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” released in 1973.  I watched “The Wall” (1979) & “Live in Pompeii” (1972) thousands of times during college.  Later, while in Europe, I went to the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy & marveled at how small it actually was while simultaneously wishing with my whole heart that I had seen the band perform there.

Pink Floyd was inducted into the American Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 & the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. By 2013, the band had sold more than 250 million records worldwide, including 75 million certified units in the United States.

I also used to have a huge crush on David Gilmour & he sounded so good on Sunday, April 10 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall in NYC.  Gilmour performed Pink Floyd classics like “Wish You Were Here”, “Breathe”, “Money” & “Comfortably Numb”, among others.  Everyone in the venue smiled & sang along.  It was so fantastic to be around that energy & doing what I love!! 

For David Gilmour tour dates visit:  http://www.davidgilmour.com/livedates

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I have been seeing the band moe. since the late 1990s.  They are a talented & true jam band who usually dazzle their audience with two sets of music accompanied by brilliant lights that make the show a more engaging experience.

 While band members have changed a bit over the years, the line up of Al Schnier (guitar & vocals), Chuck Garvey (guitar & vocals), Rob Derhak (bass & vocals), Vinnie Amico (drums) & Jim Loughlin (percussion) has been steady since 1999, the same year they performed at Woodstock.  They have toured internationally, performed at  Bonnaroo Music Festival five times & opened for iconic bands such as The Allman Brothers & The Who.  In 2015 Rolling Stone Reader’s Poll named moe. one of the top ten jam bands & stated that “they go to great lengths to make sure every set is unique”.  I love this because so many Artists tell the same stories & jokes night after night on a tour.  By creating a distinctive experience each night it makes fans want to go to multiple shows & I think this is why the band remains successful after nearly three decades.

The highlight of the show, for me, was their Star Wars jam, complete with Al Schnier sporting a Princess Leia wig.  It was hilarious & not one person in the room wasn’t smiling.  They also played my favorite moe. song “Moth” in which the band sings about “dancing in celebration” & “gypsy liberation” & finally “She knows nothing at all about life, Now she knows everything about living“.  So good!

To learn more about moe. visit their website:  www.moe.org

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I first saw the band Semi Precious Weapons in the fall of 2007.  I loved their glam punk style & I knew there was something unique & electric happening on the stage.  Even their merch was fantastic with tee's & totes that read "I can't pay my rent but I'm fucking gorgeous".  And they were. All of them young, beautiful & talented men. There was a Bowie-esque quality to them, especially front man, Justin Tranter, & I'm always in for anything Bowie & glam. That same year the Village Voice readers poll named the band “NYC’s best band” & they were declared America’s most “important group” in a Guardian article written by music mogul Alan McGee.  The following year, David Bowie’s longtime producer, Tony Viscontii, worked on their first album, “We Love You,” which was self-released in 2008.

Lady Gaga opened for Semi Precious Weapons in January & July of 2007.  As Gaga became a star, she took Semi Precious Weapons with her & they opened for her on the majority of the Monster Ball tour that stretched from late 2009 into 2011. “At one of the London dates in May 2010, an 18-year-old Sam Smith saw Semi Precious Weapons & was moved enough to write Tranter a fan letter. Tranter replied, & encouraged Smith to follow his singing dreams. “This message made me not go to uni [college] — made me move to London & hustle & work my ass off to get my music & voice heard,” wrote Smith on Instagram last November”.  (NY Post) Six years later, Smith has sold more than 8 million copies of his debut album, “In the Lonely Hour”, earned a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album & an Oscar for Best Original Song. 

Broke & exhausted, Semi Precious Weapons dissolved in 2014.  But Tranter continued writing songs.  He co-wrote the Fall Out Boy single “Centuries”, which became a Top 10 Billboard hit & launched his songwriting career.  Justin Tranter has now gone on to be one of the most in demand pop song writers & has penned current hits such as Justin Bieber’s “Sorry”, Gwen Stefani’s “Used To Love You”, Selena Gomez’s “Good for You” & “Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE, Joe Jonas’ new band, of which Cole Whittle is the bass player.

I was thrilled to see bassist Cole Whittle at the Republic Records holiday party in December 2015, where I was the event photog.  He was with his new band DNCE.  He had been an animated & engaging member of Semi Precious Weapons.  He came & said "hi" to me & I was so happy he was still his sweet self.  It was a brief "hello" as there were many VIPs at the event, such as The Weeknd, Hailee Steinfeld, Jay Watts, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy, & Rob Caggiano from Volbeat, among other Artists, so  I was darting around.  But I believe it shows not only how really lovely these guys are, as well as super talented, but why they endure in this crazy business we call "show".

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Last night I went to Rockwood Stage 3 to see El Mar, a Brooklyn based Artist named Joey Primero.   She resembles a gorgeous red haired rock mermaid with a stunning & strong voice.  In her music I heard influences from Stevie Nicks, one of my all time favs, & maybe Jenny Lewis,  The ensemble had a clear, clean sound with a little country flair. The vocals weren't over powered by a drum kit in the small & very full room as the percussionist was a subtle box drum & was complimented by the bass.  The electric guitar was a bit bluesy & the two other ladies' who accompanied El Mar sang lovely harmonies. They played mostly original material such as "Proven to Be Good" the first part of the "Hangover Series", which has profound lyrics like "there is no forgiveness if there is no trust...."  I had visions of El Mar opening for Artists like Tom Waits or Ryan Adams during the set, which I think would be a great fit. 

"Childish Heart" was another song I really liked.  I’m not really a fan of hers, but one of the highlights for me was the Gloria Estafan cover “Con los anos que me quedan” which translated means “Over the years I have left”.  El Mar’s voice really shined on this song, which she sang in flawless & impassioned Spanish.  It was incredible.  El Mar also had great stage presence & a fun banter between songs that engaged the audience.  I look forward to watching this shining star rise!  To catch El Mar, visit her Facebook page for dates & new music: https://www.facebook.com/iamelmar Follow me on Instagram to see my photo of the day:  tracyknyc www.tracyketcher.com

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Originally from Lake Placid, NY. , Julie Kathryn was in Americana bands before mixing digital & acoustic elements to create “I Am Snow Angel”. She composes, performs, produces & engineers her music herself. “It’s the kind of sophisticated, enchanting alt-pop that fans of Imogen Heap and Enya will lap right up.” (LADYGUNN) Building from Crocodile, a fantasy-inspired album, I AM SNOW ANGEL continues to "explore the subtle complexities of desire, passion & longing on Desert, while creating a very intriguing & mysterious composition in the process.” (Beats and Beyond) Julie is striking looking with long legs and long platinum hair exquisitely styled by the amazing make up artist, Robbie Minjarez. Show highlights for me were “Loosing Face” which sounded sort of like a cool hybrid of Peggy Lee & Sia. I loved it. “Falling” is a tribute to Twin Peaks & would have been great on the show. Some of the songs reminded me of Portishead but my ultimate favorite moment was the Springsteen cover of “I’m on Fire”. Mercury Lounge was fairly full for the 9:30pm set. The electronic-pop artist, I AM SNOW ANGEL, is preparing to release her upcoming EP, Desert, the follow-up to her debut full-length album, Crocodile. A self-sufficient artist, I AM SNOW ANGEL is also one of the co-founders of Female Frequency, a musical collective that is dedicated to empowering women and girls in the music industry. She’s currently producing the group’s first collective album. For more information about where you can see I AM SNOW ANGEL visit her website: http://iamsnowangel.com Follow me on Instagram to see my photo of the day: tracyknyc www.tracyketcher.com

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There are a lot of theories about how Valentine's Day actually started but one knows the exact origin.  One of the more likely theories is that the holiday comes from Chaucer's Love Birds. Jack B Orich writes "that the first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules published in 1382.  Chaucer writes "For this was on St. Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."  It is unclear why readers have assumed that Chaucer was referring to February 14 as Valentine's Day but mid-February is an unlikely time for birds to be mating in England.

Over the centuries, for some reason, the holiday has evolved & paper Valentines became popular in England in the early 19th century.  In fact they became so popular they were assembled in factories as fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons in the mid-19th century.  In 1835, approximately 60,000 Valentine cards were sent by post in Britain, despite postage being expensive.

In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of paper lace were produced & sold shortly after1847.  Since the 19th century, handwritten notes gave way to mass-produced greeting cards.  In the second half of the 20th century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts such as roses & chocolates packed in heart-shaped boxes. In the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for giving jewelry.

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately “190 million Valentines are sent each year in the US” although the rise of  internet usage at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Every year millions of people use digital means of creating and sending Valentine's Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards. It is estimated that 15 million e-valentines were sent in 2010. 

Valentine's Day is considered by some people, like me, to be a Hallmark holiday due to its commercialization.  However, I definitely appreciate a cool couple.  So in honor of Valentine's Day I thought I would feature a few dynamic duos.   Enjoy!

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When I thought of Savannah, GA. I always associated it with the Bird Girl statue from the cover of John Berendt’s book Midnight In The Garden of Good & Evil.  Going to Bonaventure Cemetery was something that I really wanted to do while I was there.  But besides eating good Southern food & knowing that Savannah was one of the oldest cities in the U.S., I didn’t know much else about it.  I quickly learned many interesting facts about the nearly 300 year old city. Savannah was actually America’s first planned city, the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (the founder of the Girl Scouts), the Telfair Academy of Arts & Sciences is one of the South’s first public museums, the First African Baptist Church is one of the oldest black Baptist congregations in the U.S., Temple Mickve Israel is the third oldest synagogue in America & the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex is the oldest standing Pre-Civil War rail facility in America.  Today, Savannah’s downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated in 1966).

While walking towards City Market I noticed a statue of Johnny Mercer (1909- 1976) who I didn’t realize was from Savannah.  He was a composer & performer who wrote nearly 1,400 songs, one of which was Moon River.  He was the co-founder of Capitol Records & the founding president of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  He was also nominated for 18 Academy Awards for Best Song, winning 4 Oscars.   I later learned that his family’s plot was in Bonaventure Cemetery.

Shortly before my trip a friend mentioned that Bird Girl had been moved from the cemetery to the Telfair Museum.  The bronze statue, was created in 1936 by Sylvia Shaw Judson, an American Artist (1897-1978).  Bird Girl stands 50 inches tall & is the image of a young girl wearing a simple dress & a sad expression, with her head tilted toward her left shoulder. She stands straight, her elbows propped against her waist as she holds up two bowls out from her sides. The bowls are often described as “bird feeders”. The sculpture was actually commissioned as a garden sculpture for a family in Massachusetts & only a total of 4 were made. A slight, 8 year old  model named Lorraine Greenman (now Lorraine Ganz) posed for the piece.  The statue sat virtually unnoticed until 1993, when Random House hired Savannah based photographer Jack Leigh to shoot an image for the cover of John Berendt’s new book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  At Berendt’s suggestion, Leigh searched the Bonaventure Cemetery for a suitable subject.  The book quickly became a hit & soon people began flocking to Bonaventure Cemetery to see the sculpture.  Due to the high traffic, the monument was removed from Bonaventure Cemetery & relocated to Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center for the Arts, on long-term loan from the Trosdal Family.

I went to the Jepson Center to see Bird Girl before going to Bonaventure Cemetery.  Bird Girl is tucked away in a corner on the second floor.  The granite base, which was added in 1965, hold a plaque that reads: “We are confident, I say, & willing rather to be absent from the body, & to be present with the Lord”.  II Corinthians 5:8  

I got chills as we drove into Bonaventure Cemetery.  Spanish moss waved gently & even though it was a sunny day it was pretty cold being January.  I first noticed a grave that is said to be the marker for “a third of the ashes of 344 cremated sacred souls, victims of the Nazis, including the remains of Schmul son of Y’Cheel Szcerkowski who was killed on the third of Nison 570-Mar.17,1945.  Brought here from Alem, Hanover, Germany”.  It was really moving. 

As I walked through the rows, I saw graves of children & families from the 1800s.  So many unique & beautiful monuments.  I made my way to plot H-48, the Mercer’s plot.  There I saw Johnny Mercer’s grave & a bench marking some of his accomplishments.  It was a really interesting & beautiful place.

To learn more about Savannah & Bonaventure Cemetery, visit: http://www.savannah.com/

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