This page is for our Kindred Spirits -- those who complement me (and compliment me!), have and continue to inspire me, add fuel to my creative fires, shine a beacon in an oft-dark world, or just make me run home crying for Mommy in shameful envy of their work.

There are lots of people like this and I can only think of so many of them because well, the 1980's were pretty good to me.

Here are a few.

• Kyle at West Photo who is part mentor, part crack dealer and part oldschool keeping film alive guy.
• Steve at National Camera's upstairs hidden elephant graveyard of really great cameras department. He also is a crack dealer, his brand being Leica.
• Todd Deutsch. You'll never meet a guy who is a better combination of artist and real guy.
• Alec Soth. The hometown hero who went on to work for Magnum.
• Peter Latner, one of Minnesota's best photographers and printers.
• Shen Wei and Angela Strassheim -- I don't grok your work, but holy hell is it beautiful.
• Chad Breckinridge -- Seeing your work is realizing that I'm not alone in my vision.
• The late Minnesota Center for Photography and George Slade it's former director. You guys made photography into art for me. Thanks.
• IFP-MN
• Mpls Photo Center. I sure hope you live up to your potential, cause damn is there a lot of potential there.
• Elliot Erwitt and Martin Parr. There's something wonderful about people who see whimsy everywhere.
• Imogene Cunningham. She made it ok to shoot women naked.
• Henry Miller, Tom Waits, Ramon Muxter and Hunter S. Thompson -- living gonzo is the best revenge.
• Dr. Suzanne Neilsen -- I'll always be Poobah for you.
• Dr. Mark Matthews -- Deep water, indeed. I'm the better for having dived right in.

Anyway, you get an idea of from whence I come.