What, me a rose photographer? No, I am a botanist, plant physiologist and plant pathologist. At least that is all that I thought I was until 24 years ago when my passion for the beautiful roses led me on a slightly different journey to an evacuation in rose photography. It has been an interesting and rewarding trek, but perhaps I should start at the very beginning.
Many, many eons ago, when I was 6 years old, my mother helped me plant my first rose. She instilled in me a love for all types of plants. Her inspiration probably assisted me in my selection of a career choice. I chose the area of plants right after my first quarter at The Ohio State University when my blue print drawing class presented me with a significant sign that I was really …show more content…
It has been a sheer delight and privilege to work with some of the world’s great hybridizers such as Sean McCann, Sam McGredy, Keith Zary, Tom Carruth, Phil Harkness, Christian Bedard, John Clements, Ray Spooner and Mitchie Moe. It has also been very stimulating, informative and rewarding to work with some of the best rose introducing companies in the world, including: Edmunds’ Roses, Weeks Roses, Jackson & Perkins Roses, Conard-Pyle, David Austin Roses, Heirloom Roses, Justice Miniature Roses and Oregon Miniature Roses. I have even been able to interact with several entertainment celebrities as a result of my love of roses and photography. I have assisted Barbra Streisand, Suzy and Jeff Bridges and Cliff Robertson in choosing roses, toured Sam Eliot through my home garden and presented Lynn Anderson who sang “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”, with a 24”x36” photograph of the rose ‘Lynn Anderson,’ which is displayed in her home. (Photo 3 of Lynn Anderson could go here.)Yes, roses and rose photography have been very good to …show more content…
I began being asked for framed, autographed rose photographs to be used at fund raising auctions to garner money for specific rose related projects. Just imagine my stunned, but pleased reaction to someone wanting my actual autograph on something that was not an income tax form or a check! It was interesting to go to the auctions and see individuals trying to outbid each other for one of my creations. However, the highlight of my trip down this pathway was my involvement with the Mill Creek Park Community Center in Youngstown, Ohio. My sister, Marilyn Sheridan, was president of the Mill Creek Park Organization that wanted to raise funds to build a community center that would house a large room to host rose shows, a large meeting room, a library, a restaurant and a gift shop. Well, my sister is a phenomenal lady with a gazillion contacts who could get a donation out of Scrooge if she really wanted to do so. Suffice it to say that she and the group were very successful and amassed about 6 million dollars to build the community center. (Did I mention that she is very special and can accomplish whatever she elects to do!) My photographs were part of that fund raising attempt and I was so pleased to have contributed even a small amount to the successful completion of the project. Then I was truly overwhelmed when they asked me to speak at the grand opening of the center in 2001. I did and I can remember it all
Many, many eons ago, when I was 6 years old, my mother helped me plant my first rose. She instilled in me a love for all types of plants. Her inspiration probably assisted me in my selection of a career choice. I chose the area of plants right after my first quarter at The Ohio State University when my blue print drawing class presented me with a significant sign that I was really …show more content…
It has been a sheer delight and privilege to work with some of the world’s great hybridizers such as Sean McCann, Sam McGredy, Keith Zary, Tom Carruth, Phil Harkness, Christian Bedard, John Clements, Ray Spooner and Mitchie Moe. It has also been very stimulating, informative and rewarding to work with some of the best rose introducing companies in the world, including: Edmunds’ Roses, Weeks Roses, Jackson & Perkins Roses, Conard-Pyle, David Austin Roses, Heirloom Roses, Justice Miniature Roses and Oregon Miniature Roses. I have even been able to interact with several entertainment celebrities as a result of my love of roses and photography. I have assisted Barbra Streisand, Suzy and Jeff Bridges and Cliff Robertson in choosing roses, toured Sam Eliot through my home garden and presented Lynn Anderson who sang “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”, with a 24”x36” photograph of the rose ‘Lynn Anderson,’ which is displayed in her home. (Photo 3 of Lynn Anderson could go here.)Yes, roses and rose photography have been very good to …show more content…
I began being asked for framed, autographed rose photographs to be used at fund raising auctions to garner money for specific rose related projects. Just imagine my stunned, but pleased reaction to someone wanting my actual autograph on something that was not an income tax form or a check! It was interesting to go to the auctions and see individuals trying to outbid each other for one of my creations. However, the highlight of my trip down this pathway was my involvement with the Mill Creek Park Community Center in Youngstown, Ohio. My sister, Marilyn Sheridan, was president of the Mill Creek Park Organization that wanted to raise funds to build a community center that would house a large room to host rose shows, a large meeting room, a library, a restaurant and a gift shop. Well, my sister is a phenomenal lady with a gazillion contacts who could get a donation out of Scrooge if she really wanted to do so. Suffice it to say that she and the group were very successful and amassed about 6 million dollars to build the community center. (Did I mention that she is very special and can accomplish whatever she elects to do!) My photographs were part of that fund raising attempt and I was so pleased to have contributed even a small amount to the successful completion of the project. Then I was truly overwhelmed when they asked me to speak at the grand opening of the center in 2001. I did and I can remember it all