A Minute With Peggy Nolan
I have to give all credit to TBW Books which is where I learned about Peggy and her work. I saw some images online and was excited about the release of her book, Juggling is Easy, from TBW. To sum up her recent book, TBW STATED IT BEST, “Ever Wonder what it looks like when a mother in South Florida raises seven kids on her own while photographing their every move?”
The book is incredible and you should buy it and Peggy is the coolest and so talented. I annoyed Peggy for months and so glad she was able to take part. To solidify how cool she is, she sent a “brag sheet” to me on top of answering my questions….
BRAG SHEET
Long divorced mother of seven and grandmother of eight
Long career starting in early middle age
Collected by nine museums
Author of two published monographs
Amazing press hyperbole
Lounging in pajamas
Happily retired
thank you Peggy !!!
First up, congrats on the book! It’s really special and immediately took me back to my time spent skating and doing teen stuff. Can we expect another book (PLEASE)?
PN: Yes, I think there is at least one more version of the early chaos.
With your grandfather having a framing & photography business, it seemed art in some way was always around, did the idea of being a photographer cross your mind when you were at Syracuse or was it always to be a writer?
PN: In fourth grade I decided that I was a writer. I wrote a play about Leif Erickson “discovering America” long before Columbus. It was slightly satirical. This passion continued into college and culminated in a creative writing class taught by Delmore Schwartz and attended by Lou Reed. I then dropped out in my senior year, became wild and disillusioned and got married. For the next 25 years, I exercised my creative obsessions in the kitchen. I pushed out 7 kids, two at home, miscarried three times, enjoyed the mom life. My childless friends felt sorry for me and I for them. They had no idea what they were missing.
Around this time…I was around 45 and my youngest was toddling, I attended an adult education class and learned to shoot and print black and white film. I looked through the view finder and saw something edited down and magical…..different ….unpredictable. The relationship of the rectangle to the rest of the world was addicting. I have never looked back and photographing took precedent over the written word.
Seriously though, 7 kids and you managed this output, I have 2 kids and I just in awe of you. How did you do it?
PN: See above…..Also, one always does what one wants to do, however it is disguised.
Do you feel like raising your family and taking these photos, that Florida itself played a role? Or not so much?
PN: Of course sense of place is a major player. Great sky line, good light, beautiful folks.
I may have read this wrong but Lou Reed was a classmate but you weren’t super into the Velvet Underground etc. but more into the Beatles and Dylan. Who are you listening to now?
PN: The Walkmen, Clap your Hands and say Yeah, Camper van Beethovan, Le Tigre, Bikini Kill, Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Liz Phair, Kimya Dawson and Moldy Peaches, Joni Mitchell in small doses……too depressing, Leonard Cohen and Dylan in small doses along with Joplin….Butt Hole Surfers, Lead Zeplin 4th album, Girl Talk Feed the Animals……and I could go on and on. I don’t have an iphone but do have an antiquated ipod which plays very loudly in my car.
Do you still reside in Florida? If so, have any recs in the area? Could be food, museums, or just places of interest...
PN: The Swap Shop, most Goodwills, Downtown Hollywood (weird and walkable), All collections and museums, especially the Rubell and Margulies, Yellow and Green Market,
https://cheenhuaye.com/ for Mexican
https://www.mistero1.com/ for pizza
Don’t really eat out much….like my own kitchen
Who should we have on next? This could be a artist, collector, galleries, publisher, etc.
PN: http://www.sofiavaliente.com/home
Last question…sorry…any projects / books / exhibitions in 2023/2024?
PN: A Mother, Possibly at the Orlando Museum of Art, Oct '23-May '24
A solo show at The Do Good Fund in Spring of '24