alan bennett ilagan

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1st Friday - TODAY!
7/3/2009

1st Fri July

Tonight marks another 1st Friday Event at the Romaine Brooks Gallery in Albany, NY from 5 to 9 PM. This time we’re featuring a Youth Show headed up by Wayne Manchester. It’s a group effort that has been traveling throughout a number of local high schools, culminating with tonight’s show. There are a number of promising new artists taking part in it, so stop by if you have a chance.

Romaine Brooks Gallery
Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council
332 Hudson Ave., Albany, NY 12210
5 – 9 PM


A Lone Japanese Iris
7/2/2009

Iris


Underneath the Linden Trees
7/1/2009

There is a shady walkway between two downtown buildings in Albany that is lined with linden trees (Tilia americana). They are in full bloom now, and their sweet scent fills the air with perfume, leaving the bees giddy and dizzy with intoxication. It is the smell of summer, of warm nights beneath a yellow lamplight.

At lunchtime, I sit beneath the lindens, idly reading a book or watching the people pass by, taking in the breath of the inconspicuous blossoms. Summer is often a time of stillness, but it hasn’t been hot enough for that to happen yet.

PS - Today I walked to the Lindens, and the City of Albany in its infinite wisdom decided to prune the lower two-thirds of the linden trees completely off. A ridiculous and wholly unnecessary decision that will probably due more harm than good to the trees. Will somebody please help this place?


Canna-Do
6/30/2009

Canna

This year is the first that I’ve grown the Canna.

Canna

So far, so good.

Canna


A Filipino Family Wedding in NJ
6/29/2009

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed

Wed


Hot Sticky Summer Night
6/28/2009

Sum nite

Lost amid the Fargesia nitida.

Sum nite


Natural Architectural Perfection
6/25/2009

Symmetry

Courtesy of a trio of coneflowers (Echinacea).

Symmetry

Symmetry


Don’t Mock the Mockorange
6/22/2009

MckOrange

MckOrange

MckOrange

MckOrange

MckOrange

MckOrange

MckOrange


A Rose for June
6/20/2009

Rose

Rose

Rose


The Rules of Engagement
6/19/2009

Ring

To answer a few engagement questions:

1) Yes, I got a ring. A simple platinum band, no rock, as requested. It’s slightly at odds with tradition, but I wanted the engagement ring to be simple, and the wedding ring to be where the bit of bling comes into play (and it will, courtesy of Shreve, Crump and Low).

2) Our closest friends and family were told first, in letters that I wrote from Maine. I toyed with the idea of simply changing my FaceBook Relationship Status to “Engaged” (and I still think that would have been funny), but half the people in my family don’t know FaceBook exists. Besides, Andy and I are old-fashioned boys.

3) Maine is scheduled to begin marrying same-sex couples in September, however there may be a referendum against it, so if it’s not legal by next year we will do the civil ceremony portion in Boston.

4) Yes, we are excited! (As evidenced by the uncharacteristic appearance of a rarely-used exclamation point.)


ALAN BENNETT ILAGAN

Alan Bennett Ilagan is a freelance writer and amateur photographer who resides in upstate New York. A graduate of Brandeis University, Ilagan has been published in Instinct, xy magazine, Windy City Times, Q Northeast, Metroland, and commUNITY. He also appeared in and wrote the foreword to Michael Breyette's "Summer Moved On." He has contributed written work to numerous websites, including the national Edge websites and Out in America, and has been profiled in Unzipped, Genre, Diversity Rules! Magazine, and Upstate Magazine.
His photographs have been part of several exhibitions, including two solo shows - 'The Eye of the Ego' in September 2008 and 'The Reaping of the Vine' in January 2009. Currently, Ilagan manages the Romaine Brooks Gallery at the Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Center in Albany, NY. He has previously worked with photographers Steven Underhill and Dennis Dean. In 2008 he was voted "Best Dressed Man in the Capital Region" by the readers of the Times Union. He has lived with his partner Andy since 2000.

Contact: alanilagan@hotmail.com

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