Jim Stahr Technical Arts
I started music lessons as a mere child with little more artistic ambition beyond playing - repeating, really - nursery songs I heard my teachers singing. After studies of scales, rhythmic counting, ligados, etudes, and chords I started to express myself in the pieces I learned. As a teen I was taken under wing by a teacher that thought me a prodigy. He encouraged and even copied some of my expressions as we explored the classical and popular guitar works of Andres Segovia, Jim Croce, and others.
It was this same time I discovered photography. I studied that love of all the early philosophers, light. I pored over instruction books and manuals for the equipment and materials required to produce a satisfying image on paper. Shutter speed, aperture, film speed and grain, darkroom processes, and design aesthetics became part of my vocabulary in a struggle to capture an artistic image.
At seventeen I realized that I was no match for heroes such as Eugene W. Smith, Ansel Adams, or Gordon Parks. Art was not considered a profession in my working class family, either. It was an expression of individuality that was best hidden. As much as my teachers extolled my talents I do not recall ever considering art a career path. Indeed, my big dream was to open a camera repair shop. I joined the United States Navy as an Opticalman to attain the skills required.
Traveling the world in crackerjacks suited me, but family considerations required stability. I was no longer willing to be absent for six month sea tours. Fortunately the equipment I was trained to repair became the responsibility of civilian contractors, and I took on the job with great enthusiasm. The new employer required I learn several other aspect of the equipment. My knowledge of light, optics, and mechanics was expanded to synchro-servos, electrical and electronic equipment, and computers. At the pinnacle of my technical career I was the primary caretaker of a whole ship simulator that consisted of dozens of computers interfacing through various converters and adapters to translate binary-encoded-octal, Virtual Machine Systems, and several variants of Unix and Windows operating systems.
This simulator was cobbled together by engineers from all over the nation, Rhode Island, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and California residents would converge in Connecticut for major upgrades. Most of these people had expertise that far exceeded my own, but my perspective of the whole trainer, my rapport with the operators, and my experience responding to their complaints and the underlying technical failures that caused them made me an asset that everyone wanted to access. In turn, their knowledge fed me with an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of those systems.
It required a bit of creative thinking. Data created in two computers, merging in an interface that decides which bunch'o'bits to pass dependent on a tertiary computer's operating mode required me to consider the whole so that I could efficiently restore the data path. I used humor to quell the impatience of frazzled instructors that had their limited class time interrupted. My favorite line was "I'm rebooting it as fast as I can" while drumming my fingers. While I documented the fixes as best I could, I would still come in some days finding all the computers in the trainer being rebooted / rebuilt / power cycled for a symptom that would easily have been fixed by cycling one or another of the interfaces.
Eventually these failures and my involvement with the machines gave me a seat in a high level meeting where I was asked how I fixed this and why do they fail so much and what do you do. In the middle of explaining how I functioned in the midst of this computerized Babel, a Captain stopped me dead and asked "Is computer maintenance a science or an art?" I thought of the time I spent creating mental pictures of the various interfaces (often correcting in my head charts outdated by the many upgrades performed), the hours speaking with engineers about glitches with diplomatic statements that this or another system might be causing it, but on the floor it appeared it was their system, the interpretation of diagrams that told me which circuit card would restore a data path when reseated, or the simple explanation of a system to a new instructor. I was stumped, and murmured "both", which was greeted by laughter and applause from the Captain and his attending yes men.
Thankfully I was never again invited to such a meeting. I do not doubt the Captains intelligence, but his view of how separate art and technology can be is severely limited. In hindsight, I feel sad for this man's inability to see the artistry in recreating a wartime shipboard environment so realistic that sailors' actions in this trainer were used to judge a crew's readiness for a mission. This included his own previous selection as a perspective commanding officer! Sadly this is a malady that strikes many people that work the machines and technology that drive our art.
Two years ago my technical career came to an abrupt halt. I suspect it was in an attempt to streamline the chain of command and reduce management costs. I was told it was a contracting snafu. It truly came at a great time for myself and my family, so I opted not to take the breadcrumb job offered and returned to school. Art Entrepreneurship program gave me a basic view of business while introducing me to many artist. When the Reagents of CT Colleges underfunded the arts program and discontinued the program I took a management certificate and made the cross country trip I promised myself while deployed overseas. The time freed up by not commuting and working 11 hours a day has allowed me to meet with many musicians. Funny thing, when musicians get together the discussion often goes to technique. Timing, expression, dynamics, even minute details as finger placement have all been discussed eagerly in these conversations. If you ever wish a hour long discussion of technical details, please ask any artist how their creations are made. Most will give you a dissertation on their process that will have your head spinning as the minutes and hours pass. Without creative thought there is no need for advancing technology. Without technology (or at least technique) there is no art. This is as true of cave paintings as computer graphics, stone rattles and didgeridoos as synthesizers and auto tune.
It is with this in mind that I have listed myself at my town hall doing business as Jim Stahr Technical Arts. To be sure "technical" is first only so the tongue twisting is avoided. I shall continue to play my music for those that enjoy, be that at the local restaurant or the senior center. The smiles are worth it. I shall continue to take portraits and landscapes. The stories I've told have been enjoyed by many (4600 hits on this blog and counting!). I will continue to explore technology, creating entertainment systems and computer solutions that make the best of one's art, whether making up or taking in those mediums. My past tells me I can provide all of this without excluding the other. Indeed, I I feel sadness for those that do not understand how entwined the two are.
It was this same time I discovered photography. I studied that love of all the early philosophers, light. I pored over instruction books and manuals for the equipment and materials required to produce a satisfying image on paper. Shutter speed, aperture, film speed and grain, darkroom processes, and design aesthetics became part of my vocabulary in a struggle to capture an artistic image.
At seventeen I realized that I was no match for heroes such as Eugene W. Smith, Ansel Adams, or Gordon Parks. Art was not considered a profession in my working class family, either. It was an expression of individuality that was best hidden. As much as my teachers extolled my talents I do not recall ever considering art a career path. Indeed, my big dream was to open a camera repair shop. I joined the United States Navy as an Opticalman to attain the skills required.
Traveling the world in crackerjacks suited me, but family considerations required stability. I was no longer willing to be absent for six month sea tours. Fortunately the equipment I was trained to repair became the responsibility of civilian contractors, and I took on the job with great enthusiasm. The new employer required I learn several other aspect of the equipment. My knowledge of light, optics, and mechanics was expanded to synchro-servos, electrical and electronic equipment, and computers. At the pinnacle of my technical career I was the primary caretaker of a whole ship simulator that consisted of dozens of computers interfacing through various converters and adapters to translate binary-encoded-octal, Virtual Machine Systems, and several variants of Unix and Windows operating systems.
This simulator was cobbled together by engineers from all over the nation, Rhode Island, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and California residents would converge in Connecticut for major upgrades. Most of these people had expertise that far exceeded my own, but my perspective of the whole trainer, my rapport with the operators, and my experience responding to their complaints and the underlying technical failures that caused them made me an asset that everyone wanted to access. In turn, their knowledge fed me with an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of those systems.
It required a bit of creative thinking. Data created in two computers, merging in an interface that decides which bunch'o'bits to pass dependent on a tertiary computer's operating mode required me to consider the whole so that I could efficiently restore the data path. I used humor to quell the impatience of frazzled instructors that had their limited class time interrupted. My favorite line was "I'm rebooting it as fast as I can" while drumming my fingers. While I documented the fixes as best I could, I would still come in some days finding all the computers in the trainer being rebooted / rebuilt / power cycled for a symptom that would easily have been fixed by cycling one or another of the interfaces.
Eventually these failures and my involvement with the machines gave me a seat in a high level meeting where I was asked how I fixed this and why do they fail so much and what do you do. In the middle of explaining how I functioned in the midst of this computerized Babel, a Captain stopped me dead and asked "Is computer maintenance a science or an art?" I thought of the time I spent creating mental pictures of the various interfaces (often correcting in my head charts outdated by the many upgrades performed), the hours speaking with engineers about glitches with diplomatic statements that this or another system might be causing it, but on the floor it appeared it was their system, the interpretation of diagrams that told me which circuit card would restore a data path when reseated, or the simple explanation of a system to a new instructor. I was stumped, and murmured "both", which was greeted by laughter and applause from the Captain and his attending yes men.
Thankfully I was never again invited to such a meeting. I do not doubt the Captains intelligence, but his view of how separate art and technology can be is severely limited. In hindsight, I feel sad for this man's inability to see the artistry in recreating a wartime shipboard environment so realistic that sailors' actions in this trainer were used to judge a crew's readiness for a mission. This included his own previous selection as a perspective commanding officer! Sadly this is a malady that strikes many people that work the machines and technology that drive our art.
Two years ago my technical career came to an abrupt halt. I suspect it was in an attempt to streamline the chain of command and reduce management costs. I was told it was a contracting snafu. It truly came at a great time for myself and my family, so I opted not to take the breadcrumb job offered and returned to school. Art Entrepreneurship program gave me a basic view of business while introducing me to many artist. When the Reagents of CT Colleges underfunded the arts program and discontinued the program I took a management certificate and made the cross country trip I promised myself while deployed overseas. The time freed up by not commuting and working 11 hours a day has allowed me to meet with many musicians. Funny thing, when musicians get together the discussion often goes to technique. Timing, expression, dynamics, even minute details as finger placement have all been discussed eagerly in these conversations. If you ever wish a hour long discussion of technical details, please ask any artist how their creations are made. Most will give you a dissertation on their process that will have your head spinning as the minutes and hours pass. Without creative thought there is no need for advancing technology. Without technology (or at least technique) there is no art. This is as true of cave paintings as computer graphics, stone rattles and didgeridoos as synthesizers and auto tune.
It is with this in mind that I have listed myself at my town hall doing business as Jim Stahr Technical Arts. To be sure "technical" is first only so the tongue twisting is avoided. I shall continue to play my music for those that enjoy, be that at the local restaurant or the senior center. The smiles are worth it. I shall continue to take portraits and landscapes. The stories I've told have been enjoyed by many (4600 hits on this blog and counting!). I will continue to explore technology, creating entertainment systems and computer solutions that make the best of one's art, whether making up or taking in those mediums. My past tells me I can provide all of this without excluding the other. Indeed, I I feel sadness for those that do not understand how entwined the two are.
wonderful dear Jim We hope that you will continue with your photography as you have a very good sense of what is important in your sight and what you want to have others see in your pictures. We also wish you good luck in this venue and hope you get the reconition you have worked so hard to get.
ReplyDeleteThe word 'indeed' is not needed in your vocabulary. You are very good with the English Language and that is not a word that means much only in a spare moment should it ever be used-just saying
ReplyDelete