California Firestorm by Lenard Smith
I am heading back from what has been pure undergraduate madness. Still in Chicago, but missing New York terribly—you can expect daily tastes of Hot Shot goodness from yours truly. Today I give you aspiring HS Lenard Smith. Lenard offered us a quaint tale of his initiation into photography, one that I wouldn’t want to refuse you.
For a period of seven weeks, my parents sent me abroad to England, alone with a camera to visit with my Aunties, Uncles, and Cousins. Waiting with my mother and father and only sister at the time, I recall vivid images of my surroundings in the terminal gate before my departure. My first camera was stowed away in a small pouch, which had been fastened into my belt loops. I remember the feeling of wanting to take pictures of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, which taxied up as my excitement for the journey to start increased. I felt my eyes working harder than they had ever worked before; archiving the images I had of my family and immediate childhood soon to be left behind.
He aptly sums up the motives of his practice, and perhaps most of ours, with to investigate, learn, and improve the way the world is viewed.
Forgoing the undergraduate degree—and the four years of fun that go with it—Lenard was accepted directly into the Bard/ICP MFA program where you can find him now. His goals, in addition to being selected as a Spring 2007 Hot Shot are to exhibit in galleries, publish books, and all that’s associated with such. Perhaps it will start here...
Now that I am back at it I expect many ‘a spectacular entry––so send them on!