Somewhat Abstract

Today, I return to a favorite subject: Trash. For many years now I have looked longingly at prints rescued from the darkroom trashcan. These are prints that may or may not have recognizable "lens-based" content but usually exhibit some sort of insufficient chemical processing. Often the silver appears to be plating out into swirls of iridescent or gold. They are unloved and transient; changing even as they are photographed especially if they are scanned. Gone if one tries to fix them with hypo.

Red Tulips Work (Sexy Momma)

Nightie Negligee (Red Tulips) Anthotype

I was looking through documentation of the anthotypes and came to the realization that I didn't take a snap of the latest one, Nightie Negligee (Red Tulip), when I first set it outside. Somewhere there has to be some record of when I started it. Perhaps I put it together prior to leaving for Houston around the fourteenth of March or maybe I put outside after I got back home.

This has to be either a 3 or 4 week exposure. Either way, I ran out of patience and ended the exposure today. Bridgette's been giving this one the title of Sexy Momma since it has been going out with the baby sleeping dress which is much bigger.

The day after Friday the 13th

An after Friday the 13th find on the floor of the third floor of building 13 at Sinclair Community College.

File Under Book Keeping

Pluot at Red Filter Gallery

Japanese Pear in DVAC's 17h Annual Auction Preview

This is one of those posts where I list current exhibitions. Sorry. Some people keep a spreadsheet. Some keep a binder. I use this blog on occasion to keep track of shows and what work was exhibited in specific venues.

Currently I have one piece, Pluot,  over in New Jersey at the Red Filter gallery in their Alternative Views exhibition which runs from March 1, 2012 - April 22, 2012. This is a re-working of the Transferred exhibition last fall in Alexandria, Virginia.

Dayton Visual Arts Center is previewing their 17th Annual Auction. Japanese Pear is in the silent auction and is part of the preview exhibit at their gallery 118 North Jefferson Street here in Dayton, Ohio. The auction will be on  April 27, 2012 at Sinclair Community College’s Ponitz Center. Please visit the Dayton Visual Arts Center's website for specific hours and ticket information. The preview exhibit is free and runs through April 25th at . Gallery hours at  are 11 am—6 pm, Tuesday—Saturday.

Last but not least, I will be showing Honeycrisp in Manifest gallery's Botanical:An Exhibiton of Works Exploring Plant Life which has an opening scheduled for Friday, April 20th and runs through May 18th. Manifest is located at 2727 Woodburn Avenue,  Cincinnati, Ohio 45206.

Honeycrisp at Manifest Gallery

in search of a death color

red tulip anthotype about 12" x 15" made using Barbie's "Nightie Negligee"

Ten days into April without a post. I've been playing catch-up with grading projects which means the artist hat that I often wear is put away for the time being while ideas stew and paper waits to be coated.
I think I hinted at talking about a direction for the anthotypes based upon reviewer comments in Houston. I was getting the Adam Fuss read from Barbara Tannenbaum of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Lamenting a not so good start to Fotofest, my next reviewer gave me a bit of wisdom "no artist owns subject matter". I do want to concentrate on the men's pajamas to avoid any unnecessary connection with Fuss' Christening Dress.

So the direction I want to go with these will encourage the accidental and play up the ephemeral. Drips will be introduced to the anthotypes. I will also shift the garments mid-way through their very lengthy exposure. And I may even attempt to create a "death" color, something blackish from mixing plant pigments.

I am interested in trying two pigments from the backyard that seem to co-exist quite well: dandelions (for yellow) and the henbit (for purple). This latest idea will be difficult to pull off. I want to create a two color anthotype but the application of a second color may undo the exposure of the first. Another consideration: the exposure might be twice as long as a straight forward, one color anthotype.

Henbit and dandelions in the backyard