Of all the things that have disappeared from country life during the pandemic — the movie theaters, the clamorous, packed restaurants on a Friday night, the summer season of garden party fundraisers — perhaps most noticeable is the absence of the people in your daily routine.
A pivotal draw of small-town living is the sense of comforting familiarity that comes from knowing not just your neighbors, but your librarian, your barista, your dentist’s receptionist, the staff at your post office … And of course, knowing you could run into someone who knows you at any time, with all kinds of things to tell you. The smallest of errands can suddenly turn into a half hour standing in the pharmacy as you take in an epic tale involving two properties for sale, an intergenerational feud and some pesky knotwood.
The catch-ups, the idle chatter, the fevered gossip and those winding but fascinating conversations color New England as much as the fall foliage.
“Small Town Big Talk,” a civic art project now on display at the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village, Conn., was born both out of the spirit of that continuous community conversation and its notable absence during the pandemic. Combining interviews by Adam Sher and portraits by photographer Rebecca Bloomfield, the project provides a window into a small town both steeped in safety-induced isolation while also connected by a sense of thoughtfulness.
In the text portion of their “Small Town” portraits, Falls Village residents like Judy Jacobs of Jacobs Garage, Ann Bidou of the former Toymakers Cafe and Housatonic Valley Regional High School teacher Vance Canon consider topics like the fear of being misunderstood, the difficulty of courteous conversation when the issues feel too big or too personal, their ecological hopes for the future and the noise of the digital age of information.
Supported by a grant from Bridging Divides, Healing Communities, a fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Sher and Bloomfield’s interviews are an optimistic demonstration that life continues on despite the strangest of situations.
Even in the most miniature of rural towns, residents are thinking of their neighbors, of the world at large, and contemplating how best to navigate the future.
With their subjects draped in fresh snow (the photographs were taken through the end of 2020 and the start of 2021), the photos by Bloomfield have a regal, solemn quality — these are New England residents not on the go, but standing quietly in nature with their own thoughts.
Rebecca Bloomfield and Adam Sher, along with Hunt Library assistant Meg Sher, will be led in an online conversation by Amy Wynn on Saturday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. To register for this presentation go to www.huntlibrary.org or call 860-824-7424.
“Small Town Big Talk” is on display at the Hunt Library through May 28. To see the project online go to www.huntlibrary.org/art-wall. In-person visiting hours are Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Small Town Big Talk” the hardcover photo book is available for purchase at the library for $60.
Top row (left to right): Panelist Shadei Williams; Dana Hopkins, Dutchess County All Abilities Program Director; panelist Johnny Vacca; Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. Bottom row: (left to right): Panelist Wayne Robinson; panelist Tracy Wallace; panelist Samantha Van Alstyne
HYDE PARK, N.Y. — On Thursday, Dec. 5, the annual ThinkDifferently conference was held at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Educational Center in Hyde Park, New York. The conference strived to enlighten participants on evolving protocols for addressing and collaborating with individuals with challenges.
Hosted by Dana Hopkins, program director of All Abilities at the Department of Behavioral and Community Health, ThinkDifferently is an initiative first launched in 2015 by former county executive Marc Molinaro with a goal to provide services to individuals with varying abilities and guidance for others such as businesses and communities to help create a more inclusive society.
The conference, which is in its eighth year, has evolved throughout its existence. Hopkins said while the one consistent has been its daily duration, the presentation and subject matter has varied. “Each year has been a full-day conference which has included discussions with authors, clinical professionals, et cetera. Previous conferences included a ‘services across the lifespan’ session, which covered birth to death,” she said. “We adjusted our format based on feedback from attendees as the services through the lifespan [session] was often redundant.”
This year’s conference was broken into a morning session which included opening remarks from county executive Sue Serino to welcome participants and show her support for the initiative followed by personal experiences from panelists and preferred protocols while interacting with individuals with challenges. The afternoon session featured speaker Emma Arnoff, a licensed social worker, who further elaborated on protocols, the subject of neurodiversity which is described as varying manners of how the brain works, and ableism which is defined as discriminatory practices and prejudicial attitudes towards individuals with challenges. The audience consisted primarily of educators, social services workers, and providers to individuals with varying abilities.
According to Hopkins, ThinkDifferently has less to do with individuals and is more supports-oriented. “ThinkDifferently is not direct programming for people with disabilities and/or their families,” she said. “Rather, a key component of the work we do is helping individuals and families navigate the often-complicated network of providers, as well as resources available at various levels of government. We also create and host inclusive events throughout the year, but most services and programs are contracted out to our local nonprofit agencies.”
Respectful speech and courteous behavior as well as consideration for personal preferences were amongst the themes for this year’s conference. According to both Hopkins and Arnoff, while there are no set rules of etiquette, and the vernacular is constantly evolving, it’s important to consider the individual and their desires. As Hopkins explained, the vernacular can vary between person-first and identity-first language, a more recent trend which began only a few years ago.
“Disability etiquette is individually based and constantly changing,” she said. “When we are speaking about people who have disabilities (and we do not know their preferences) we use person-first language (meaning we say ‘person with a disability’ versus ‘disabled person’ which is identity-first language). Only in instances when someone has specifically told us they prefer identity-first language do we utilize that. For individuals with mobility devices or other aides (canes for those that are blind or have low vision), never touch their devices or aides, unless they ask you to, and/or if you ask and they say yes. Think of the devices and aides as extensions of their bodies.”
While sensitivity towards others is always appropriate, terminology is fluid. Words and phrases which were once socially acceptable such as ‘special needs’, ‘handicapped’, ‘impairment’ and ‘differently abled’ are now to be avoided, which is proper and correct. “Language always is and should be evolving,” Arnoff said. “This move to first-person language comes from neurodivergent people finding pride in who they are and not seeing themselves as deficient. As the language evolves, it is our job to learn and listen.” Hopkins agreed, saying, “Some of these phrases/words are euphemisms to make those without disabilities feel better when talking about disabilities, but they aren’t helpful to people with disabilities.”
While attitudes and language has trended more toward sensitivity toward individuals with varying abilities, both Arnoff and Hopkins emphasized the importance of two-way communication, and also, of being mindful of lessons from previous years. “People with disabilities are just that: people,” Hopkins said. “To find out more about what is appropriate and what isn’t, talk with the disability community.”
Arnoff, too, reinforced the need for understanding and awareness, saying, “It’s important that we don’t beat ourselves up for what we did in the past and rather learn from it to be different in the future. It is critical we do this by listening ... It is not our job to change or fix [them] but rather to learn about what makes them who they are, so we can see what makes them amazing.”
The conference is only one event on ThinkDifferently’s very active calendar. Upcoming happenings include a sensory-sensitive performance of “The Nutcracker” on Friday, Dec. 13, the Dance Forever/Rhythm Works hip-hop dance program for young people of varying abilities on Saturday mornings, twice-monthly workshops on applying for social security disability programs and a retreat in mid-January for neurodiverse young adults. For more information, visit www.thinkdifferently.net.
Martin Tandler
"What I really feel lucky about is having had the chance to meet and photograph so many people who had a real impact on our lives,” said Christopher Little whose new memoir, “Shooting the Breeze: Memories of a Photojournalist” was just released. The book is as eclectic and colorful as the man himself and offers an intimate look into Little’s globe-trotting career spent behind the lens, capturing some of the most iconic figures, events, and human stories of the past half-century.
In 2021, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas acquired Little’s photographic archive.
“I had two young women who spent three months in my basement cataloging this stuff,” said Little. “So, while they were working, I was scanning as much as I could for this book.” After the three months, Little described that a “big blue truck” came to take away his 371,574 images which are now a permanent addition to the Briscoe Center’s internationally significant photojournalism collection. “It’s very bittersweet,” shared Little. “It was literally a life’s work driving away, but I’m so glad to have it there. And I’m in good company.”
Little has always kept good company; his career is a testament to a charmed life and relentless curiosity. Born and raised in Manhattan, Little’s father was a journalist with The New York Herald Tribune writing a five-day-a-week column covering the theater. His mother was a playwright, and the couple often had famous people to their apartment.
Little’s father was beloved and dropping his name not only helped open doors early on but put his subjects at ease. “He taught me a lot about journalism and the basic idea that I should look for another angle.”
This “other angle” is what makes Little’s photographs so evocative—he’s able to capture an entire story in a static image. “There’s a picture by Nat Fein, a really famous picture,” said Little about one of his early influences. “It was the first sports photograph to ever win the Pulitzer Prize. It’s a picture of Babe Ruth on his last day at Yankee Stadium and it’s shot from behind. It’s always stayed with me.”
Little studied psychology at Yale, another element that seems to have guided him to a deeper understand of his subjects. It was while he was still a student at Yale that Little began working for Newsweek. “I was at Yale from ’67 to ’71 and the campus was one news story after another with the student movement, the Bobby Seale (co-founder of the Black Panter Party) trial, and all that. So, I’d photograph stuff and then I’d get on my motorcycle and drive to New York. I had a loose relationship with Newsweek and I would give them my film, they’d process it, and if they liked something, they’d buy it. And then they started giving me assignments.” After college, he worked for Time Magazine and by 25, he was working with People magazine, beginning a 21-year stint during which he shot more than 350 assignments.
“The early days were incredible,” Little recalled. “I couldn’t have been a freelance journalist now. It almost doesn’t exist.” From covering the Watergate hearings for Time magazine to serving as official photographer for the Aga Khan and working with William F. Buckley Jr. on bestselling sailing memoirs, Little’s assignments brought him into the orbit of world leaders, celebrities, and everyday heroes. His work has been published in Life, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, and Architectural Digest, to name a few. Little’s work also went beyond famous faces. Some of his favorite assignments were stories about “ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” such as the first million-dollar lottery winner whose life fell apart under the weight of sudden wealth. “It was heartbreaking to witness,” he said.
The self-designed book, laid out in Adobe InDesign, gave Little the creative freedom he craved. “Nobody told me what to do,” he said. The cover, a playful collage, mirrors the book’s non-linear structure and personal touch.
Beyond photography, Little has led a vibrant life. A father and grandfather, he recently retired from serving as an EMT in Norfolk, Connecticut, after tearing his rotator cuff. “It seemed like a good time to retire,” he said. He spends his time now with his wife Betsy and takes digital photographs in the woods with his dog, Ruby.
Reflecting on his multifaceted career, Little shared, “I have no regrets and no bitterness. It’s a great luxury to look at it all from afar.”
With “Shooting the Breeze,” Little has ensured future generations can explore the remarkable life and work of a photojournalist who truly captured the world.
To purchase a copy of “Shooting the Breeze” visit: www.christopherlittle.com
“Cold Spring, NY” depicts life in a notable Hudson River town with a rich history and much natural beauty.
According to Alissa Malnati, co-creator of the new coffee table tome, “Cold Spring, NY”, after twenty-five years in the urban jungle, it was time to go in search of a cure for the angst which, for some, can come with metropolitan living. “My husband and I were soul sick,” explained Malnati of the couple’s move to Cold Spring, a Hudson River town located in leafy Putnam County. “We were seeking restoration and quiet, and to be in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”
The time was right for a move in 2021. The Malnatis relocated from busy Brooklyn to a tranquil mountaintop abode which allowed them to decompress without the intrusion of cell phones and ceaseless city noise. With the shift to the Hudson Valley, Alissa, a writer and fashion executive, and her husband, Will, a podcaster and television producer, found the peace they were searching for in Cold Spring, a semi-rural town known for its boutiques, antique shops, and world-class hiking trails.
While modern Cold Spring offers an array of unique independent retailers as well as specialty restaurants and coffeehouses, it is also a destination point for nature-lovers and an historical town.
Many of its current and decaying sites have been documented in “Cold Spring, NY”, coauthored and co-photographed by both Alissa and Will. It served as the home of the West Point Foundry – now enshrined as the West Point Foundry Preserve – which produced artillery for the U.S. government starting in 1818, and it also became known for its Parrott rifles during the Civil War. The town was once visited by Abraham Lincoln back in 1862. In 1970, as part of an effort to raise environmental awareness through the Clearwater Organization, Pete Seeger’s boat, the Clearwater, was once docked at Cold Spring during a music festival at which Seeger performed. Cold Spring remains actively committed to preserving its small-town character, its waters and historic sites. The Putnam History Museum is also located in Cold Spring.
“We never intended for it to be a book,” the couple explained of the process that came about very organically. “At first, it was just photographs that we framed, then photographs that became photo albums, and eventually we decided to print it into a coffee table book.”
Their collaboration proved to be a very positive one which brought them closer. “We loved working on this together and hope that we are able to do more as a duo,” Alissa said, noting that future shared projects along the same lines as “Cold Spring, NY” are already being explored by the couple.
“Cold Spring, NY”, which contains over one hundred pages of vivid black-and-white photography, highlights the town’s very active Main Street as well as its Hudson riverfront, local mountainous terrain, nearby woodland wonders, and sites of antiquated interest.
“There is much beauty in the town that no matter where we were, there was a photo to take.”
While the Malnatis captured as many historical and modern sites as possible for the book, there was an omission of a more recent occurrence. “There was one photo we didn’t take that haunts us to this day,” Alissa recounted. “There was a massive rainstorm in the summer of 2023 and the streets of Cold Spring were flooded. The stairs that take you underneath the railroad from Main St. were alsocompletely submerged in about ten feet of water that had accumulated below. It was like a scene from a movie, and, unfortunately, we were in such shock that we didn’t think to grab the photo.”
Among the photographs they were able to capture, Will Malnati’s preference is for the Bannerman Castle snaps on pages 23-24. Said Will, “The Bannerman Castle shots are a favorite – how much history it has and how beautiful it is up close. People don’t travel there very often or at all, so it was special to see it from the base of it. I also love the human portraits – so much character and love in each of them.” Alissa is most enthusiastic about the photo on page 31 titled “Optical Illusion”, saying, “You can flip the photo upside down and it would look the same, unless you are present with the photo and notice a small ripple in the water.“
The Cold Spring experience proved so refreshing for the Malnatis that while they eventually had to return to Brooklyn, they felt very strongly about leaving a parting gift for their adopted community in the form of the book. They’re also hoping they can eventually return to the community again someday on a more permanent basis. And while some Cold Spring residents prefer for the town to remain a hidden gem of the Hudson Valley, the Malnatis have a different take. Said Alissa, “Cold Spring is a special town and like anything special, it’s difficult for it to remain a secret for too long.”
