 |
 |
 |
Bill Livingston |
Stairway to Heaven Photograph |
Artist Statement: Walking through Acoma Pueblo, NM, this ladder held my attention. Pueblo tradition says humans first emerged onto the earth from the underworld. Today ladders such as this allow Pueblo people to tangibly experience their cultural beliefs. By climbing the rungs of the ladder out of a kiva (underground ceremonial chambers), travelers ascend to Earth, replicating the mythical ancestral emergence into this world, and at the same time connecting to their ancient ancestors who first made these journeys. Shifting to ground level and seeing its top blend with the clouds the ladder provided the perception I stood at the ground of being and was being beckoned into Heaven. Bio: I have loved photography the past 45 years but, as with many of our joys, it got neglected among other priorities: being a father and husband, mental health center CEO and then parish priest. Now retired from full time parish ministry, I have more time for photography and hiking, with the two intertwined. I live in and hike the mountains and waterfalls of western North Carolina with my wife Diane. Believing that seeing through a lens provides a new way to see the world or seeing the world as I think God sees it, I photograph what holds my attention in nature or wherever I happen to be hiking. I’ve had photographs included in Soul by Southwest, published by the Seminary of the Southwest. |
