“If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, will answer you. I am here to live out loud.” — Emile Zola.

Maria hung my portrait show today at the Round House Cafe, we put up 27 framed portraits and filled the three available walls. I got a very warm response from several people who came in while we were working (Maria and Scott Carrino hung the show together, I was not allowed to make many comments.)

It is, I think, sometimes wonderful to see people up on a wall that you recognize and care about.

As is often the case with art, two questions came up: what would I charge for the photographs, and would I consider giving many of them away to the subjects or their families?

it’s an interesting question for any artist, and complex one for me. I generally give all of my photographs away on my blog, especially since some of my readers helped me buy some photographic equipment.

That is our deal, and I have honored it, I’ve given away more than 60,000 photographs in one way or another, they are worth much more than a camera. I don’t bookmark them or copyright them or charge for their use.

A portrait show is different.

All over the country, people are about what art is worth. These days, many in government and politics, and many people online believe it is worth little.

Of course, I believe art is essential. Picasso said that art is the lie than enables us to see the truth

Maria and I killed ourselves to buy the frames and mattes for this show as inexpensively as possible, we drove many miles picking up frames on sale and mattes that were good but not custom-made.  We are determined advocates for affordable art, in our work, in our Open Houses.

The prints were made on archival paper by the brilliant photographer George Forss, and for all of our efforts to save the printing and framing cost over $1,000. I wouldn’t want to do it any more cheaply than that.

Because of all the scrimping and searching for online bargains, I can sell the photographs framed and matted for $150, a fraction of what portraits usually cost in galleries or at art shows. At my last photography show, I had to charge $400 a photo just to break even. That was my last photo show, I didn’t care for the cost or the process.

The portrait idea – with the help of my readers, I bought a monochrome black and white camera earlier this year – convinced me to try it again. Almost all of the photos were taken on the monochrome, and I thank you all again.

I was asked if I would consider giving the photos away, especially to family members of friends of the subjects.

I did some soul-searching about that – the show opens to the public a week from Monday (Labor Day) and there will be a reception September 18th at the Round House Cafe, 2 to 4 p.m.) – and talked to Maria and some other artists and photographers.

People who give their art a way undermine every other artist or writer in the world, I think, and makes it harder than ever for them to survive in the corporate earth.

I don’t think I want to give my art away for free. If one of the subjects or a member of their family is struggling financially and asks for help, I would certainly offer it. I’ve given three portrait photos away already to people who clearly had no money and couldn’t afford to pay. Many people assume that I give hard cover books and photos away, and after giving so many away, I was persuaded to stop. There is no virtue to working for free, as I was very slow to learn.

I am not sure who would buy a portrait of someone else, I don’t expect to sell many. But that’s beside the point.

I know that portraits sell for huge amounts of money in urban art galleries, and I think $150 is a very reasonable price for signed and original black and white work on archival paper.

As I learned when I began the voluntary payment (subscription) program, it is important to be paid for one’s work. Photography and blogs are expensive to maintain.

I spent many hot and sweaty and intense hours taking these photographs, many more editing and helping to frame and prepare them. I bought lighting equipment and hauled it all over the county.

This is no lament, I loved every minute of it, and I am very excited about the resulted. I would love to do it again, but I doubt I can afford to do it very often, if at all.

Once in a while, somebody sends me a message asking me how I dare seek voluntary payments for my blog. They don’t, they say, pay for online content. I wish them well. For some years, the idea of paying people for their work online was almost heretical, and many writers and artists are no longer doing their work.

I am a grateful and determined survivor.

If I’m in a good mood, I ask these people who write me these messages if they get paid for their work, and that usually silences them. If they do respond and tell me they get paid for my work, I ask them why I should not get paid for mine. For  years I didn’t,  I was a big shot, and shame on me.

I told the person who asked me about this issue in the cafe that I did wish to be paid and was asking $150 for each portrait, and I would be surprised to make any money off of this show.  I didn’t do it for that. The idea is to celebrate my community  and to expand creatively, not make money. If I can recoup the costs, then I can do it again. Otherwise, I doubt that I will be able to afford to do more portrait shows.

Maria did an amazing job organizing the show, it is, I think, uplifting.

There isn’t a sad photo or unpleasant person in any portrait. I smile every time I look at them. They are radiant and loving.

I am continually astonished at Maria’s energy, drive and diverse skills. She does so many things so well. She jumped up and down the ladder about a hundred times, putting the photos higher, lowering them, moving them around.

Scott was astonished at how fast she was. I wasn’t.

This was a work of love for me.

I chose people I liked or loved, people who work hard and who make-up the hardy and resilient community where I live. The show was inspired by my photographs of Kelly Nolan, a waitress and bartender at a local tavern. She let me take her portrait time and time again this summer (I would love to do a Kelly Nolan portrait show).

Even though the economists and politicians long ago decided farms and rural communities were too inefficient to thrive in the global economy, people are still her, working hard and caring for one another.

The values of rural life are on display in almost every portrait, and I am reminded that these values shaped our country and, in many ways, define it still.

Kelly Nolan’s photograph is in color and holds the spot of honor in the center of the big wall.  I am grateful to her.

The show is a testament to community, to the people who stayed behind as millions fled small towns and farms and rural communities for the complex, expensive and often unpleasant work experience of the city. There, people have jobs. Here, we have callings.

I honor these people for saying and for fighting for community. They honor me by agreeing to be photographed. I thank Maria for her encouragement, inspiration, patience and never-wavering support.

Thanks to Kelly Nolan for being such a courageous and authentic human being. Thanks to the subjects for trusting me with their images.

Thanks to Lisa and Scott Carrino for letting me put my portraits on the cafe walls.

And yes, I will expect to be paid for my photos. $150.  My work is worth at least that. On behalf of writers and artists everywhere, I do need to charge for the photos, not just give them away.

As always, people without resources can come and speak to me.

I am here to live out loud.