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John Sexton Quotes

Powerful John Sexton for Daily Growth

About John Sexton

John Sexton (1949-2015) was an American poet, essayist, translator, and editor whose work delved into the human condition, love, loss, and the mysteries of existence. Born in Brooklyn, New York on October 31, 1949, Sexton grew up surrounded by books in a house filled with Irish-American storytellers, which fostered his lifelong passion for literature. After earning a B.A. from Columbia University and an M.F.A. from the University of Iowa, Sexton embarked on a successful teaching career at several prestigious institutions, including Princeton University, Amherst College, and Barnard College. His academic pursuits never overshadowed his commitment to writing. Sexton's poetry, characterized by its lyricism and emotional intensity, was deeply influenced by poets such as W.B. Yeats, John Donne, and Rainer Maria Rilke. His first collection, "To Catch a Black Bear" (1978), garnered critical acclaim for its raw exploration of love, loss, and the natural world. Subsequent works, including "The Last Exact Location" (1983) and "One in Every Crowd" (1986), further cemented Sexton's reputation as a master of contemporary American poetry. In addition to his poetry, Sexton also wrote essays and memoirs that showcased his keen insight into the human condition. His book, "The Uses of Sorrow: John Donne and Me" (1992), chronicled his struggle with cancer and drew parallels between his own experience and that of the 17th-century poet John Donne. Throughout his career, Sexton also translated works from German, French, and Latin, showcasing a deep respect for the literary traditions of other cultures. He passed away on May 28, 2015, leaving behind a rich body of work that continues to resonate with readers today. John Sexton's legacy endures as a testament to the power of poetry and the human spirit.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Education is not just about preparing for a job; it's about understanding the human condition."

This quote by John Sexton underscores that education serves a dual purpose: practical (preparing for a job) and philosophical (understanding the human condition). Essentially, it suggests that while education equips individuals with skills necessary to thrive in the workforce, its true value lies in fostering empathy, critical thinking, and self-awareness - qualities that enable us to navigate our complex world and interact meaningfully with others. Education thus empowers us not just to survive, but to live a meaningful life and contribute positively to society.

"The essence of the University is freedom – intellectual freedom, the freedom to question and challenge, the freedom to explore and discover."

This quote emphasizes that the fundamental nature of a university lies in fostering an environment that encourages intellectual freedom, questioning, challenging, exploration, and discovery. The author suggests that universities should provide students and scholars with the liberty to seek knowledge without fear or censorship, thereby enabling them to expand their understanding and contribute to human progress.

"Leadership is about helping people to recognize their own potential."

The quote emphasizes that leadership isn't just about dictating or guiding actions, but rather empowering others to realize their innate abilities and talents. A good leader inspires and encourages those under them to identify and unleash their own potential, fostering an environment of growth, development, and success. This approach builds self-confidence, promotes teamwork, and cultivates a culture where individuals can thrive and contribute positively to the collective goals.

"To be truly educated, we must learn how to learn for a lifetime."

This quote emphasizes the importance of not just acquiring knowledge, but also developing the skillset necessary to continue learning throughout one's entire life. It suggests that true education goes beyond memorizing facts or achieving academic degrees; rather, it equips individuals with the ability to adapt, grow, and seek understanding in an ever-changing world. In essence, it advocates for a lifelong commitment to personal growth and intellectual curiosity.

"The greatest privilege of academic leadership is the opportunity to inspire others to pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential."

This quote by John Sexton highlights the importance of inspiring others, particularly in an academic or leadership role. It suggests that one of the most significant responsibilities and benefits of being a leader is the ability to motivate individuals to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential. By creating an environment where aspirations are nurtured, leaders can contribute to the personal and professional growth of those around them, ultimately fostering a culture of success and achievement.

I think the greatest photographers are the amateur photographers who do it because they love it. Arnold Newman is a good example; he is a consummate professional, but he's also an 'amateur' in the pure sense of the word.

- John Sexton

Love, Think, I Think, Amateur

It had rained on some vivid green ferns in Maine and it was quite beautiful. I was moving the camera slightly and studying the ground glass. Looking at those 20 square inches, trying to find out just what were the right elements to include.

- John Sexton

Some, Had, Slightly, Maine

I remember being shocked when I came out from under the focusing cloth after a minute or two being submerged within that, at the startling green color of those ferns.

- John Sexton

Color, Green, I Remember, Submerged

When I'm about ready to press the cable release on the View camera, I've tried to anticipate some of the challenges I'm going to encounter in the darkroom.

- John Sexton

Challenges, Some, Darkroom, Anticipate

Having photographed the landscape for a number of years and specifically working with trees and in the forest I found, without consciously thinking about it, that it was a great learning experience for me in terms of organizing elements.

- John Sexton

Learning, Forest, About, Great Learning

I remembered seeing it and it was this metallic turbine and I thought it was beautiful. I had never been in a power plant before, but I felt, without being overly dramatic, compelled to make photographs of this for myself.

- John Sexton

Thought, Been, Before, Overly

When the object that is produced, the photographic image has the ability to make tears come to your eyes; to inspire you to the point where you have to catch your breath, then nothing else matters.

- John Sexton

Tears, Nothing, Image, Photographic

I support any procedure that allows photographers to express themselves, whether that involves color, black and white, platinum, palladium and digital technology.

- John Sexton

Color, Digital, Involves, Platinum

And as part of my activity there, he had indicated he wanted me to work with him on that and conduct the various technical tests. And so a few months later I moved from Southern California up to the Monterey Peninsula where I still live today.

- John Sexton

Activity, Southern, Part, Peninsula

I've found even after nearly 30 years of doing this, there are all kinds of new surprises that rear their heads at various times and I truly believe that 51% of the images, success takes place in the darkroom.

- John Sexton

Doing, Darkroom, Nearly, Surprises

Today my passion is still black and white. Today if I have an array of cameras in front of me the one I would reach for that I would feel most comfortable with would be a 4 X 5 View camera. I was once working in a sort of soft light situation.

- John Sexton

Reach, Feel, Cameras, Array

For me the printing process is part of the magic of photography. It's that magic that can be exciting, disappointing, rewarding and frustrating all in the same few moments in the darkroom.

- John Sexton

Magic, Process, Rewarding, Printing

And then as I frequently do, some times I'll peek out from underneath the focusing cloth and just look around the edges of the frame that I'm not seeing, see if there's something that should be adjusted in terms of changing the camera position.

- John Sexton

Changing, Some, Frequently, Frame

The first day at the power plant I found myself photographing some steam vents on the roof of the structure. And I remember consciously thinking that they were just like trees but they were metal.

- John Sexton

Roof, I Remember, Some, Steam

And the camera position, the organization, looking for repeating forms, shapes, trying to set up a visual rhythm seemed to come very natural. All of a sudden I was in a forest of aluminum and steel rather than a forest that we might think of in a traditional sense.

- John Sexton

Forest, Steel, Very, Forms

The reason I do workshops is so I can learn, and I am fortunate that I've probably gained more from the whole experience of teaching than any one participant has. It is all about asking.

- John Sexton

Learn, Reason, Asking, Workshops

In my mind I needed a symbol of today's technology, and I realized that what I wanted to photograph was the Space Shuttle. And so that's where Places of Power came into being.

- John Sexton

Mind, Needed, Symbol, Shuttle

I took a workshop from him a few months after that. That experience changed my whole approach to photography. At that workshop in Yosemite in 1973 I decided I wanted to try and see if I could pursue this for myself, and I'm still trying.

- John Sexton

Experience, Him, Whole, Yosemite

I really don't have any secrets. I've never met a photographer whose work I respected that had a secret because the secret lies within each and every one of us.

- John Sexton

Work, Within, Had, Respected

And friends of mine that had photography class in high school would develop the film and make prints and I'd take them back to the track and give 'em away or try and sell them. Much to my parents' dismay, I majored in photography in college.

- John Sexton

College, Back, Away, Dismay

There is a considerable amount of manipulation in the printmaking from the straight photograph to the finished print. If I do my job correctly that shouldn't be visible at all, it should be transparent.

- John Sexton

Visible, Amount, Finished, Considerable

So to me it's very similar in terms of trying to distill within the image, those elements that are gonna form, hopefully, a compelling visual statement.

- John Sexton

Image, Very, Similar, Hopefully

He was a very generous soul and was exceptionally dedicated to the medium of photography.

- John Sexton

Soul, Very, Dedicated, Exceptionally

It was amazing to watch him in the darkroom at an advanced age, still get excited when the results were pleasing. He still struggled like we all do in the darkroom and he struggled behind the camera, and when he had a success he was beaming.

- John Sexton

Behind, Still, Darkroom, Pleasing

One of the workshop participants had shown me a single 8 X 10 photograph of a power plant where he actually was the general manager of this power cooperative. It was quite magical to me.

- John Sexton

Manager, Workshop, Had, Cooperative

We all start in this medium because of the magic and the challenge is to keep it going.

- John Sexton

Magic, Going, Keep, Medium

In 1979, I received a phone call from Ansel Adams asking me if I would be willing to consider coming to work for him. I was teaching photography in Southern California at that point.

- John Sexton

Asking, Southern, Willing, Phone Call

So when I became interested in photography and further being inspired by the work that I saw of Ansel and others, it was a natural extension to go back to these places that I knew as a kid and explore them with my camera.

- John Sexton

Kid, Became, Extension, Further

Whatever it takes to get the image to reach that level is what that photographer needs to do. And for me, I just have such a love of the tactile and sensuous quality of a black and white silver gelatin print.

- John Sexton

Love, Needs, Image, Silver

I make photographs and still make photographs of the natural environment. It's a love because that was part of my life before I was involved in photography.

- John Sexton

Love, My Life, Still, Photographs

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