Museo Silver Rag

For a busy night last night, I didn't sleep in much this morning!  The Artful Bra event happened last night and all the tables were filled with guests.  The live auction went well.  Both my entry of the bra made out of photos sold in the silent auction, and the one my husband and I made sold in the live auction.  That was good - I was worried I was going to have to buy my own! ; )  Which I would have done.  I really like the photo bra.  I am resting today and all next week.  A lot of energy goes into an event like that one and I am pooped to say the least.

I don't think I have an ounce of any creativity in me at this moment.  But it will come.  Just not today! ; )  Here is another image from Bodie Ghost Town that I printed on Museo Silver Rag.  Hope you're having a great Memorial Day Weekend.

High Hand Gallery - 5th Annual Artful Bra Show

I'm still here! ; )  So much going on in the art world.  Saturday was the Art in the Park and it was a beautiful day, however, just not enough foot traffic, as well as too many other competing events that weekend.  Glad it's over.  I am seriously re-thinking these art fairs where I have to lug my equipment and framed images around - maybe go to selling on the web.  I have a lot to think about on that one.

Getting the last minute paper work done for the Artful Bra Show.  I designed the show's program and took it to the committee chair for review.  With one minor adjustment, it's ready for printing.  I have one more trip to the gallery this morning to finish taking photos of the last of the bra entries.  Then I'll just have to make up bid sheets for those and post the images on High Hand Gallery's Facebook page and I'll be done for the week.

My girlfriend who is an acrylic painter sent me the picture of our 'collaboration' of a project for the Auburn Arts Commission's "Celebrating Auburn's Past" event.  I took the black and white photos of historical places and buildings in Auburn.  She incorporated them into her black and white painting of Richard Barter aka Rattlesnake Dick!  He was one of the top 10 bad guys of the old west.  Her painting of him is so awesome.  She said it's not done yet, but when it is I'll post the image here.  She is doing such a great job!  It was her idea, so kudos to her!

Next on my own artwork agenda, I will be buying more mat board and then cutting mats for the beautiful black and white prints of Bodie that I made earlier in the month.  They are absolutely gorgeous on the Museo Silver Rag paper.  You gotta try it out for yourself!

High Hand Gallery's Artful Bra Show - 2013

Been working frantically to finish up the bid sheets for the Artful Bra Show at High Hand Gallery.  So far, 51 entries, but that number will increase after tomorrow.  My husband and I made another bra entry over the weekend and he's actually finishing up with the last touches right now!  I'll post a picture when we get it done.  I know there are other artists that have already submitted additional bras.  The bid sheets entail including an image of the bra on it and the artist's information.  Then printing them out and attaching them to foam core board.  I'm half way done.

Yesterday I gave my first class on photo transfers and it went really well.  It's really not a hard process to begin with, but since I've worked out all the major bugs, it's a streamlined process for newbies.  The lady really enjoyed the class, gave me compliments on my instructions/patience/my 'eye', and said that my class really increased her knowledge on the process.  She learned a lot she said, as she had already made some transfers on her own. She was also going to send other people my way!  Awesome!

Today I'll finish up the bid sheets.  Tomorrow I head back to High Hand Gallery to take additional photos.  I would like to invite you to the Artful Bra Show on Saturday, May 25th, silent auction at 5:00 p.m., with the live auction starting at 6:30 p.m.  There will be wine and hors d'oeuvres and plenty of bras to bid on.  All the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

Here's our artful bra creation from my husband and I.  It's called "The Key to the Cure" - a door with old keys hanging off the cups which were made out of wire mesh, and the key in the doorknob is PINK!

Printing, Photographing, Happy Mother's Day!

I received my shipment from Freestyle:  the Awagami papers of bamboo which I ordered two different types (thin white and a cream color).  They do provide you with three 8x10 sheets to practice on.  One of them didn't have the test sheets, so I called Freestyle and they said they would ship them the next day!  I love Freestyle's customer service.  I have not tried them yet for several reasons.  I also purchased a box of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of Museo Silver Rag made by www.museofineart.com   And I must say THAT WAS THE BIG SURPRISE OF THE DAY for me!!

My photographer friend from NYC, Dave Beckerman, had written about this paper on his website several years ago.  I remembered it and also wanted to try that one out too.  It is an archival fine art inkjet paper, 100% cotton, gloss finish, and is 300 gsm, which makes it a heavier paper.  The results are extremely similar to a print from the darkroom - and maybe even better! ; )  I thought I was just going to try 'one' for the evening the other night.  I made about eight prints of some of my images of Bodie Ghost Town.  It is truly amazing.  This paper makes everything else look like crap!  My eyes have been opened up to a whole new world.  But dang this stuff is expensive!  I paid $40 for a box of 25- 8 1/2 x 11.  For me to buy the 13x19 size of 25 sheets, it will be $100!  But then I'm thinking it would be worth it.  The strange thing to me is that Freestyle gave it a 'B' rating.  In my book I would give it an A+.

The last two days I've been at High Hand Gallery taking photos of the bra entries for the Artful Bra Show.  I will be uploading photos soon, re-sizing, printing them on bid sheets for each entry and I need to have this done early next week.  Monday I am teaching a one-on-one class on photo transfers.

In the meantime, I'd like to wish all the mothers out there a wonderful and Happy Mother's Day!  And for those of us who no longer have our mothers around any longer - relive the memories, over and over!

Black and White on Metallic Paper

I ordered my paper products and other supplies from Freestyle Photographic Supplies on Friday.  They should be arriving either today or tomorrow!  I've been thinking about which images I'll try first on the bamboo papers:  trees!  Some of the ones from Point Lobos would be great as they are in a misty setting.

I worked at High Hand Gallery on Thursday and Saturday, and then spent Sunday cutting mats and framing three new pieces that I had to deliver yesterday by 5:00!  I got there around 3:00 p.m.  Whew!  And while I was there removing some of my pieces, some folks were looking at my photography.  I spoke with them and explained some of the processes and the papers.  The guy already had one print in is hand, and they ended up buying it!!  Nice!  Last month was one of my best months at High Hand.

In regards to the Art Deco Show at the Blue Line, the results will be announced on this Friday.  My next outing will be the Arts in the Park in Auburn on May 18th, which means loading up the panels and table and framed images.  It's just a one day gig - I don't think I could do a two-day one!  Then of course, the Artful Bra Show on the 25th.  I will be going in on Wednesday and Thursday to photograph the entries and start working on the bid sheets, etc.  May's a busy month to say the least!    

Today is kind of a down day - no running around to do, so I'll be printing the black and white images out that I took last week for the 30th Jubilee project so I can give them to my artist friend who will incorporate them into her painting for that show.  I need to come up with one more image for the KVIE Art Auction.  That deadline is May 19th.

Here is one of the images I took into High Hand Gallery.  It's called Trinaczia (which I couldn't find a translation for, so I'm thinking it was a family name).  It is the front of a restaurant in Taormina, Sicily in black and white (digital) and printed on metallic paper.

Starry Night in Black and White

It's been a busy week and it's only Wednesday!  Sunday I was in the darkroom, or was that Monday.  Made some progress.  I think I just got myself overly worked up and started second guessing myself - again!  I made about 10 prints, 8x10's, and had no problems.  I decreased the magenta in the Beseler enlarger back to 45 as Ilford paper recommends and the images came out good.  I'm being more selective in which ones I  develop.  In the beginning they all looked so good, and I suppose they are to me, but I want images that will make a statement or hopefully have an impact on somebody!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I didn't make the cut for that International Photography Show in Redding.  Here's the link of who did win.  I was amazed to say the least.  Young people have such great, original and novel ideas.  I think it's wonderful!  http://nval.org/Photography_Show.html

Over the weekend I also got to thinking I should make a bra for the High Hand Gallery's 5th Annual Artful Bra Show which is coming up on May 25th.  I started cutting daisies out of some of my old glossy black and white images that I have tossed in a drawer.  Boy, did that make my hand hurt and I only got one daisy cut!  So I called up my girlfriend who makes cards and also does scrap booking and asked if I could borrow her punches.  That made it so much easier.  Only took about a half hour to cut up what I wanted and then proceeded to put together a bra made with black, white, and various shades of gray in-between.  Pasting them was pretty tricky.  I had two different glues before I got them to stick.  Then I added some rhinestones.  I think I like it a lot!  I'm calling it "Starry Night in Black and White!"

 This morning I went out around 8:30 into Auburn to photograph some of the historical buildings in town.  I am collaborating with another local artist who is also my friend.  She had this great idea for us to enter the "Celebrating Auburn's Past" Call to Artists by the Auburn Arts Commission.  When we get to the finished art piece, I will definitely share it here on my blog.  It was kind of exciting to know the names of these places and learn a little more about my town.  I had a list of about 40 historical places/buildings, and I managed to photography a little over than half.  And, I got my exercise in for the day!