Blog leads to friendship

I belong to a local photography organization that way back in the Spring of 2008, had a program on how to create a blog. This was a presentation to show and explain the benefits of creating a personal blog to help promote one's fine art photography. My blog began  on July 4th, 2008 as a mix of personal, fine art and portrait posts. I've since separated my fine art and portrait blogs. This site has become my portrait blog and http://williamzuback.blogspot.com has become my fine art blog.

New to blogging at the time, I created a post in August of 2008 titled, New by Mattel, Beach Barbie. Months later I had a comment on this post by someone named, Frieda Babbley. Not only did she comment, I believe she may have become my first "follower" on my BacktotheZu News blog. I saw this and knowing nothing about "followers" or "following" other peoples blogs I found this to be odd. Why would this person I don't know, "follow" me? Well, it didn't take me long to understand this aspect of blogging. Frieda and I quickly became internet friends that shared an interest in writing, family and art. She became a big fan and conduit for my original "Book Passages" photography series and I became a big fan of her poetry and short story writing. She helped spread the word of my Book Passages project to people in her internet and writing circles.

Then came Facebook. Frieda and I became friends and our friendship grew. I became friends with her husband on Facebook too and we continue to enjoy "liking" and commenting on each others posts. My most recent project, Madonna & Child: Interpreted brought Frieda and my creative skills together once more. I curated this art exhibit with 31 visual artists and 3 writers providing their interpretation of this iconic subject. Frieda contributed an essay for the show and the exhibition catalog. This weekend I get to meet her and her family as they make the 6-8 hour journey to Milwaukee to see the Madonna & Child: Interpreted exhibit. Sunday I get to meet in person this wonderful writer and her family. How cool is that? I think it's very, very cool.

Joyce Carol Oates

Mandy Patinkin