Gone Bananas

I think I've gone bananas trying to make prints I will send to reviewers I met with at FotoFest.

Working title ..."Ridiculous Nebula"

a slightly complex photograph

I've been concentrating on reprinting "Don't Take This Personally" for a Houston based photography collector. I've been working this, off and on, since late March. Teaching and other exhibition obligations have limited the amount of time available to focus on this slightly complex photograph (or is it a collection of photographs).

This week I have had the whole week available to address color variation, flaws in coating, flaws in paper or exposure concerns. It's almost done. Today I am going to spot the sections, draw guidelines for the framer in Houston, trim down the paper, flatten them and figure out a way to sign this piece. Then it gets boxed up and shipped to Houston.

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

It's always foggy in Houston

Today I woke up to a foggy Houston morning. This is the last day for reviews at FotoFest 2012 session II. So far it has been worth the trip to Texas and I'll detail this in a future blog post.

I've developed a better way of taking notes following reviews which will help with the all important follow-up letters and thank you notes.

Last night was the open portfolio night which is the connection to the image below. We each had four feet of table space.

It's a bit awkward writing a blog post on the light rail so this is a good enough stopping point.

It's always humid in Houston

At the start, let just get this out of the way: I do things the hard way.

I am basically carrying a chunk of what I consider my studio. For Houston, I brought 5 large anthotypes, rolled up in a tall plastic tube as well as  two smaller ones. Next is the hard case, a too large to carry-on suitcase which has my  clothes, two larger portfolio boxes and toiletries. Addtionally I have my messenger bag with lap top, an Agfa 11x14  box with some extra prints to exchange or sell, chargers for the computer and cell phone, a hard drive, etc. etc. etc.

Here's the narrative of my travels today: lug this stuff to the check in counter at the Columbus airport after an hour drive at four in the morning. Did I mention that my flight departs from a city different from my final return trip city of Dayton?)Retrieve the luggage after a turbulent re-route of my Houston flight (an extra two hours in the air). Forget the large tube of anthotypes while retrieving the hard suitcase from a locked cage near the baggage carrousel ( I evidently took my time going wee, eating a Tampico burrito form Papasitas).

Not realizing I had forgotten my tube until I was handing my luggage to the Super Shuttle driver. Running back to locate the tube, finding it and running back to the shuttle.
Checking in at the Meeting Place office. Did I mention I liked to do things the hard way. Instead of going directly to my off-site hotel, I decided to lug all of the luggage through the Double Tree (three bags full, sir) and then track down my hotel.

Going out Dallas street to Main (maybe five city blocks) to pick up the light rail. Buying a ticket on the correct side of the tracks to go to my hotel. Thinking it was the wrong direction and walking up a block to board the light rail going in the wrong direction. Taking it in the wrong direction for one stop. Exiting and re-boarding the correct direction.

Taking the train down towards Reliant Park and the Medical Center while talking to a suspiciously friendly dude who was telling me he inherited a Houston Pedicab company. He technically didn't call it a pedicab. He described it as a three wheeled bike that has two seats in the back and was a business.
Exiting the train at the correct stop but walking the wrong direction (away from the hotel) and then back again.

I should have checked in first. BTW, I think this room is half the size of our house and it has two flat screen TV's in it. Thank you Margie and Ray! I think I will watch cable and avoid tomorrow's portfolio reviews. After all, it's always humid in Houston for a gent carrying too much of his studio on foot.