Emmet Gowin had juried a show I had submitted to right before Covid went crazy. I was excited because I wanted to see how my work would fare with such an eminent photographer. He chose a photograph of mine as one of the best in show. That was the good news. The bad news was that the show was cancelled one week later. No opening and no meeting with Emmet Gowin.

Well all these years later I finally met Emmet and his lovely wife Edith, while at the opening of Bruce Katsiff’s career multi-media retrospective at the Michener Museum here in Doylestown. Katsiff is a photographic legend in Bucks County. Beyond his important body of work created over a lifetime, he led the Bucks County Community College’s storied photography department and the Michener Museum for over twenty years. I will be going back to take in this most interesting show in a much more leisurely way when it is a more quiet.

I had never met Bruce before so this was a great pleasure! And after a very nice conversation with him he introduced me to someone that seemed a little bit familiar. Damn, it was Emmet Gowin! Ended up talking with him and sharing a few stories together, like how I had hoped to meet him before. Then his lovely wife came over and introduced herself. I told her I was familiar with her, having seen many of Emmet’s sensitive pictures of her.

All in all a wonderful chance encounter with someone I admire greatly, but also a chance to meet not only the artist but his delightful supportive life partner and muse. Perhaps I will see them again sometime.

I certainly hope so.

Stay well,

Michael