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Just when you think you have life under control - Boom! Something happens that makes it all collapse like a house of cards. Or just a little bit of Murphy's Law and you're late for that really important meeting. Or you just do really dumb stuff that you wish wouldn't be seen by anybody anywhere. I had several of those days. All the rain (we had no snow for probably more than a month in March) and the basement walls were leaking. Then I went to go to the artist talk and there was no parking for miles. OK just like a few blocks. And it was really warm out and I had worn a sweater as it was lots colder - Up North.

So I've been working on this solarization and it's pretty hard to get it to make that perfect image because as the chemicals wear out they change how they're working. And I get one really great image I like. I bring it home thinking it's dry and then a few days later go to put them away and it's stuck to another print. I did a quick search and found a hint to freeze it. Well it ended up pulling part of the emulsion off the face of the ONE print I really liked.

Now you say, I've been looking at the Starn twins and can't I make it work? Could be. But nothing jumps out at me. I could rip it up and re-arrange it - but once that's done then it's gone. I mean in pieces. Humpty Dumpty. Not gonna be put back together again. So I'm sort of stalling. I'm letting ideas drift around and hopefully I'll get the courage up to try something. I mean it doesn't look good with the white tear in the middle right now.

Regan with dogs

Regan in field

I've been using this time to do some field work. As you can see. I haven't let the two (2) snow storms that dumped about 8 inches of snow each time, stop me. Unfortunately I've shot two rolls of film that didn't turn out as planned. I am working with a pinhole camer and film, which I've used a pinhold camer and photo paper before and that worked, and the timing and weather has not been as I had hoped. Note to those out there who are interested in pinhole cameras or older non-digital techniques - National Pin Hole Camera Day is tomorrow April 29th!

There have been a few new artists I've enjoyed looking at, thanks to Molly Jergens and Sergio V. I was introduced to Stephanie Jung from Germany. If you haven't seen her work, take a moment and search for it. Really wonderful stuff.

Wending

wend

   /wɛnd/ Show Spelled [wend]  verb, wend·ed or ( Archaic ) went; wend·ing.

verb (used with object)

1.

to pursue or direct (one's way).

verb (used without object)

2.

to proceed or go.

from: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wending?s=t

 

I just went through the new reading list I had posted and already it's out of date. I've added two books (one I finished and one I'm in the midst of). Hopefully I'll get that sorted out in a few minutes and repost it. I can't believe how much time everything takes. It's like all this extra after your intended work and I hate trying to figure out the blog controls. I don't use it enough I suppose so it feels like it's a whole new learning process everything I log on.

Both writers (Krause and Grundberg) have been very illuminating as well as some talks with and viewing of other artists. I'll talk more about the artists in a later post.

Let's just look today at what I've been up to since I last posted.

  Roslind E. Krause in The Originiality of the Avant-Garde and Andy Grundberg in Crisis of the Real talk about different (but similar) aspects of post-modernism and what's original. Some of the ideas that I've have hovering are still waiting to have their day but for now what I've looked most closely is the object-less-ness of photographic images.

  In several of my new images I've developed B&W photographic paper to the extent that there is no image oto depict. This is partially in response to the visiting artist Liz Deschenes and my current readings discussing the anti stance that post-modernism was taking with modernism.

 

I did several of these with little to distinguish them except for the changes in marks and the tonal quality. It's really hard to see the metalic cast in these images. They present as much more interesting in person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I went on to try to use some of the  printing technique with images from paper negatives. Some worked better then others.

 

These really don't reproduce well but I'll add one more to try to show you some of the effect. The pieces are very nuanced. They look almost like printing on metal. There is a richness and patina that is really beautiful. This is all done in a web lab with B&W photos, paper negs, and solarization.

 

  In addition I've actually had a few pieces turn out from the Cyanotype process I was using. I used paper negatives and simple cotton fabric. It worked well on some images and not so great on others. There are obvious factors that caused some of the differences, such as the light and time of day and how cold it was outside. I left them in the sun (which we had 4 or so good clear sunny days) but the temp was hovering around a brisk 46-50 degrees, even with leaving for several hours some did not have the similar line definations and some didn't work at all. (For both processes - you should see how many of them I had in the 'not going to work ever' pile! 

 

 

  There is so much more to explore and do! Of course I have several themes that I'm working on but as I understand it we don't need to come back with a body of work this next semester - so I'm extending the ideas in various methods and ranging far and wide for material, ideas, and execution.

Until then.....

Finding the time

I've tried to update my reading list. I checked and at least it looks like the changes went through. Next I'll try to update the work I'm doing and the papers I've turned in. It's a lot of time to figure out these things so look for it in the next few days.

I had another meeting with my mentor. It is still business as usual. I'm frustrated with the things I've tried not working. I've been using Bonnie Lakota's book on digital processes and they look and sound so easy but not getting the same results she is. I am still looking through every step to see if it's something I'm doing wrong.....

Anyway, that's it for now. Just keep on cranking those ideas out and try to see if the work.  

Break Time

The next paper is coming up and I've got to get that done. Also I have several prints that I tried different techniques on (solarization) that didn't work and (paper negatives) that I think worked when I was in the dark room last.



The chemical didn't tone as well as expected and did rather poorly on the placement of the stains.

paper negative print

slight solarization

more solarization

I took another look at the film I'm working on with a good teacher who gave me great ideas on how to salvage it and try to make it closer to the way I see it. It might be usable if I can get it to work. So that helps in trying to feel like I've actually accomplished something. I know mistakes can be really important but sometimes I just want to cut to the chase and get exactly what I envisioned on the first try!
Now I'm creating more negatives to get started on sun prints when the chemicals finally come in.

March Winds

I've been working in the dark room. Not a lot that I care to share. I just didn't get the images to come out right. It was rather disappointing. I moved on to editing my film. Again, not exactly what I wanted. I'm not sure if I want to scrap the film at this point or just see if it can be fixed.
During my visit with my mentor, we discussed different types of photo printing methods and types of paper. I have been experimenting with images and paper types. Also while I wait to track down the different chemicals for the alternate type of printing, I've been working on some pieces from the book Digital Art Studio. This book by Karin Schminke, Dorothy Simpson Krause, and Bonny Pierce Lhotka combine my love for process and texture. I've got some images started but have to practice the printing out methods after the coatings dry.

Here's a few sample pieces before printing out

This is Lily by Bonny Pierce Lhotka

And Memories also by B. P. Lhotka

And I think you can see why I enjoy these images so much. They are full of texture, the content is intriguing, and the composition is strong.

I've also kept up with the other type of photography which is following a more traditional photojournalist path, but even here I couldn't help but tweak it to resemble the old scratched photos and film stills of earlier eras.

Not a snow day!

We missed the Big Storm that was supposed to land a foot on us through out the night. Everyone had hoped for a snow day. I was driving back from Duluth, MN, where it did start last night and was glad to get home before it was bad driving.
Here as promised are some of the things I've been working on.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

As you can see here I have simplified the image and added no layers. But I have to caution you, this is not my aesthetic. I have the uncontrollable desire to alter it. I continued by creating a contact print in the darkroom. Then I scanned that print and layered with a textured element. My object is to create an investigation into the space between the image, our desire to view an object, a feminist reading on the visual pleasure of "looking" at females, and destruction referencing time and the human hand.

Now this one I think I'm going to stop with this next version. Ok maybe just a little fine adjustment. But as you can see this is the image I like to create. There is distortion and destruction of the original image. I don't care if the figure is not that visible.

This one is in response to Liz Dechenes talk. I really think I might try to do more of these.

Leap Day

I wish we really did get a "free" day. I know many who want to catch up on all sorts of things. Me included. I have a lot of work to post as soon as I get it scanned. Also I had a good meeting with my mentor and I've got a lot to work on before next time. Along with that we have a paper due tomorrow, which I have been working on. So I've been very busy!