Black and White Images

Between working at High Hand Gallery and now this rain! Whew! It's a mess out there!  I have been quite busy.  Working on the two photo transfers, then matting them, finding the right frame!  And just when I thought I was done, I turned the last one over there on the right side of the mat is a 'BLACK SPEC"!  Oh, man, I hate it when that happens.  Now I've got to open up the back, get it out and put it back together - again!  Just when I thought I was done!

I've been working on some family stuff for Christmas - not everyone as they have run out of wall space! ; )  I also had a high school friend call me last night.  I had recently given her one of my France images on a card, and now she wants 3 more to make a little grouping in her home.  That's so nice that she wants my photography on display in her home.  And I delivered some artwork yesterday to two other girlfriends who purchased from me during the Studios Tour.

I have some printing of additional cards to do and take into the High Hand Gallery - running low.  It's fun to know which images seem to attract people:  Venice (several), Bodie Ghost Town, and Point Lobos (trees in B&W).  I'm also finding out that people are liking the metallic paper I'm printing on.  I'm really liking the Arista II photograde metallic glossy paper (ink jet).  I'm going to order today and will also purchase the 11x14.  I believe that's the only two sizes Freestyle carries for that paper.  A package of 20 sheets in the 8.5 x 11 is only $20 ($1/sheet).

I plan on getting back in the darkroom next week.  I may have an order for two images that I think I will go ahead and develop the images so I'm not rushed.  Even if they don't want them, it will be good practice as they are images that were never developed.  They were two of my earlier images from early 2000's - and I like the fact that someone found them on my website.  This is one of them.

Manuals for Photography Equipment

I guess I've taken off enough time for Thanksgiving.  It's back to the drawing board for me!!  Or, more like, back to photo transfers.  I will be working on the two commissioned photo transfers today.  I gathered up my water color tools of the trade, worked on the images that the clients sent me, so now I've got to actually CREATE the works!

These two projects have a tendency to be just a little on the complicated side.  Both clients sent photos that are of people.  Rather small images of people I might add, so I'm not sure how this is going to turn out.  It could turn out to be abstract art!  But not really, as these folks have their hearts set on realism.  I'll keep you posted on these projects.  And with all the shows over, I really need to get back in the groove of the darkroom!

I received an email over the weekend from a gentleman who was requesting a copy of the manual for the Vivitar Enlarger/Model E-54 that I have.  He apparently purchased one but had no manual.  So since it's only about 8 pages long I sent him a copy.  Told him it was his Christmas present! ; )  I believe in 'passing it on'.  However, if anyone is ever looking for a manual for an old camera or enlarger or anything pertaining to that realm, a good website is:  www.khbphotografix.com  or Tex's Surplus Sales.  These are how I found manuals for both my enlargers and for an older film camera.

Another item I wanted to share with artists is a website I found for a gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.  It is called Xanadu Gallery:  www.xanadugallery.com.  They have online free broadcasts (both live and archived) of various subject matters for artists.  Some of the recent sessions included:  marketing, how to package paintings for mailings, etc.  And you can always submit your works to them for representation, special gallery events, to name a few.

Gotta get busy now!

November Birthdays

Guess what kiddies, it's my $#! birthday!  Taking the day off and making the most of this rainy day!  I've had lots of phone calls with birthday wishes, then there's FB, and all the rest!  Even Verizon sent me a message on my phone!  What is up with that??? ; )

My sisters and I were all born in November, so we always celebrated birthdays together.  Pat on the left, Mama in the middle, me on her lap, and Carole on the right.









This next one, an old photo of our annual November celebration.  That also meant, one BIG cake!  The last one is from our European cruise last year!  Life is good!

High Hand Gallery, Loomis, CA

It's back to the drawing board for me.  I received the image from the client who commissioned me to do a photo transfer using her photo.  It's kind of a busy photo, but I am going to give it a try!  Also have been doing some printing for others who have purchased a particular print or two.

Thanks to a fellow artist friend, I will be hanging some of my images in the Sylvan Oaks Library for a spell.  That's pretty cool.  Get some exposure in another part of Sacramento County.  Transferred my matted prints yesterday back to the High Hand Gallery.  Construction going on there - hopefully it will get done this week.

I have to say there are so many 'gift' ideas at High Hand Gallery!  Lauren Lane, wood turner, has small women's mirror encased in wood, small coffee scoops, and wine corks topped off with a turned wood top - you can get most of these for $20!!  Terry Accomando has some beautiful pieces of pottery that she's pretty much giving away - $40!!  You need to get over to High Hand Gallery and get your Christmas shopping done early!  Of course, even I have some matted prints ready for framing:  5x7s for $10; 8x10s for $35; and 11x14 giclee and digital matted prints for $150; 11x14 gelatin silver prints matted for $175!!  Not to leave out framed prints hanging in the gallery!

I was going through some of my images from Bodie that I took this year.  This is a digital print that I did some extra burning in on the sky - but that's about it.

Veterans Day Parade 2012

Yesterday was the end of the 3-day Autumn Art Studios Tour!  Let me just say, I was soaking my feet this morning!  Ouch!  It turned out to be a great weekend with some sales, met some new people interested in my works, met one gentleman who had placed a special order earlier this year and came by to meet me in person and check out my new stuff!  I received a commissioned piece, a couple folks wanted portraits, so all in all I think it was a productive show.  Plus a I might have a connection for a new venue!  I love it!

I just finished sending out thank you emails to all the people who showed up, and to those who purchased some of my pieces.  I thought I would be 'taking down' my temporary studio for this show today, but I don't have to break it down until a week from tomorrow!  That's so nice to hear.  I can leisurely get my energy back.

I'm pretty much done with shows, no deadlines for new work for the rest of the year, so that means I can get back into the darkroom and continue with my black and white film developing of Europe!  That actually won't happen for another week because of other family commitments.  But I will definitely be ready for that one!

Yesterday, however, was made interesting because of the added event of the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Auburn.  In fact, right in front of the Arts Building where I was.  Here's a shot of the artists gathered in front of the building watching as the parade was going by, and then there was this awesome patriotic dog out there too honoring our veterans! ; )

Studio Tour Layout

The first day of the Studios Tour is over and it was encouraging to say the least.  Have several sales and a commissioned piece too for a photo transfer!!  How fun is that!?  Here are a couple of photos of my studio setup I wanted to share with you this morning:

I've been hearing great compliments about my work like, 'wow...you do have an eye' and I lots of people recognizing the places I've been that they've been to also.  The temperature is really cold here today, so I'm taking down my small heater just in case I'm not warm enough!!  More later!

Autumn Art Studios Tour

Is it soup yet??  ; )  I've been like a yo-yo this week, back and forth to Auburn and Loomis.  Today I will be making the last trip and adjustments to my setup for this weekend's Autumn Art Studios Tour.  I've been saying all along AUBURN instead of AUTUMN!  Oh, well, no one's called me on it!

I have been doing some image printing for cards that I can put together while I'm at this event.  Also, printing samples of different papers.  I am on my way to High Hand Gallery right now to take photos for our upcoming cards to hand out for the next couple of months.

So with that said, I am posting a fall/winter image that I took a couple years ago that I just printed on metallic paper!  I've printed several winter scenes on this type of paper and they came out fabulous!

Black and White Digital

It's been busy, wrapping up loose ends.  Just trying to stay 'well' before the show.  I really won't know about my set up for the Auburn Art Studios Tour until Monday.  It's going to be interesting to say the least, but it is what it is.  I won't know how much hanging space I will have until then.  I will most likely have to bring my pro panels.  I will just make the most of it, that's for sure.  I still need to make my signage for the images, which means I need to figure out which ones I will hang and the rest will be in the back in boxes.  List of things to do:  pick up my print racks from High Hand, deliver new artwork to High Hand Gallery on Sunday, get my cash box ready, etc., etc.

We did get our Smart phones today, but I read up on both Intuit and Square for debit/credit payments on your phone.  Right now I don't think it's something I HAVE to have.  PlacerArts will take these types of payment for me and charge me 3.5%.  If I don't utilize it regularly (which I don't participate in  a lot of shows) it wouldn't be cost-effective.  There's a monthly fee of $12.95 (w/1.7% swipe fee) from Intuit which seems to be the better deal.  If you don't pay monthly, then it's 2.7%.  Square has a more complicated determination of payment from what I can see.  Bottom line:  I don't need it right now.  And I just need to learn my phone for now!

I finally rounded up images from the European Cruise and put those on disk for the Studios Tour to have running on my laptop.  And I had another project to get out for my brother-in-law - so that's done!

I will leave you with this image that I played around the other day.  I was ordering some 'free' stuff from Vista Print and used this digital B&W image from Santorini.  I added a water color layer, and then a film layer, and this was the result.