GESTERING GERRY: Mr. Gesture, More Photos From The Artist Talk

Gosh I use my hands a lot! Here are some gesturing moments from the PAG artist talk!

Gesturing Gerry in action

Rental-Workshop Darkroom And Platinum Printing

Now I got to make myself up a second darkroom to rent out. I will also use the second darkroom myself. I plan on doing alternative process platinum printing and possibly wet plate work in this new space. Will get me a high end UV light source. The idea is to print all my better photographs in platinum before I die. Do limited edition box sets of the best images from a lifetime of photography.

I will set up this new darkroom in a large room (my old basement bedroom) in my mom and dads old home. That is a project for this winter, should be lots of work but also fun. Not sure how much I can rent the space for, possibly $40 or $50 an hour, with supplied chemistry (not photo paper). It might be a good way to make a bit of money on the side. I probably have enough gear to set up 4 or 5 darkrooms!!

Another Darkroom Gear Buy

Well did another big darkroom gear buy off Kijij, cost $500 CAD. The plan is to use the new-used Saunders LPL 4500 II enlarger in my personal darkroom and to make up a second darkroom to use in workshops and as a rental darkroom. Maybe I can make some money this way, can start with paying off this $500 buying gear bill. Originally 5 or 6 weeks ago the seller wanted $1000 for this gear (and a few other small pieces, since sold). After not selling the enlarger he changed his asking price on Kijiji to $600, I offered $500 yesterday and was accepted, picked up the gear this afternoon.

Got me up:

- Saunders LPL 4x5 enlarger (my 3rd), with colour head
- Multigrade dial head for the Saunder (great piece, have one with one of my other LPLs)
- a very big water temperature wall mounted device (does it work?)
- 1 6x7 negative carrier
- 3 good quality enlarger lens, 2x50mm (el Nikkor, Rodenstock) , 1x80mm  (Rodenstock)
- Small digital timer
- Large dial Grab Lab timer
- Small Nikkor 35mm colour head enlarger
- metal case for glass thermometer (great little item)
- Ilford safe light
- Itty Bitty Kodak safelight
- 3 cheaper paper easels, 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20
- 4 16x20 trays
- 4 8x10 trays
- weirdass color analayzer
- various graduates, bottles, pitchers
- various cibachrome tanks (useless)
- old style Jobo/Paterson tanks, partials
- loupe
- 3 point point and shoot film cameras
- 1 Kodak point and shoot digi camera (used in this post, will continue to use it to post darkroom things here on the blog and on Facebook).
- Paterson flip flop archival washer
- old 16x20 paper (will use making masks)
- print wringer/squeeze device
- Patterson focuser
- various books, some good some not
- a few print tongs, cloth pins
-  etc. I am sure I am forgetting somethings

From the Kijiji advert

The main reason I did this purchase because this LPL head was better than my current enlarger. Mom and dad bought me my first Suanders LPL 4x5 enlarger about 30 years ago for $1600 CAD from Calgary photo here in Edmonton brand new. A great machine that I printed on for years, including making some  the current "Families of the Dump" photos showing in Pentictton at their art gallery. Problem is the head on this enlarger does not lock down properly. This is not an issue with the Sauders LPL I bought today.

I believe I am the 3rd, possibly the 4th owner of this enlarger but it is in reasonably good shape overall,  in 100% working order. The most important thing for me is the head locks down nicely, no sliding down the column. Having a second multigrade head is also great.

The weirdest part of the deal? The SD card on the Kodak digi camera had photos, including xmas famliy shots, photos of bears and wildlife along with a 15 minute sex video of an old couple. (not the people I bough the gear from, someone they must have bought the stuff from). The sex video included anal toys,..EEK! Here is a helpful hint for you folks out there planning on selling your old digital camera complete with SD cards, you might want to delete your sex videos first.

I helped them out and deleted their passionate moment for them. 

Note* Found out today how to remove the head off the column on the LPL. I never realized you could do that before. It makes moving the enlarger so much easier, you can do it in 2 lighter parts, not one big bulky heavy machine.

Note** I might be able to use the small Nikkor enlarger included in this sale in my future utility trailer traveling wet plate darkroom (KANATA 10 year wet plate photo project). It could be a light source for doing contact prints in the field of my 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20, 20x24 film negs. Possibly also as a contact printing light source for large glass plate negs made using the wet plate process. If I am photographing on the road for 4 months at a time, it might be nice to see some contact prints of the negs. Waiting to return to Edmonton and my regular darkrooms might be too difficult. Sometimes you just need to see what you shot in print form!

The new used Saunders LPL enlarger in the darkroom next to the Durst 1200

Photo In Online Photo-ED Magazine

Here is my little blurb on the Photo-Ed magazine. Never did made it into the paper magazine but did get 1 picture into their online edition (better than nothing I guess). Hope it helps to tell the stories of the families a bit, expand knowledge of their lives and story. Maybe this will raise a tiny bit of awareness.

https://issuu.com/photoedmagazine/docs/2018_fall-photoed_for_issuu/32

Mother and daughter int he dump (bottom left photo), Mae Sot Thailand 2018

Rejection Email From The Art Gallery Of Regina

Hello  Gerry 

Thank you for your submission to the Art Gallery of Regina. We enjoyed the opportunity to view this update . Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a show at this time. We have many factors to consider and balance when scheduling exhibitions. This decision was in no way is a reflection on the quality of your work.

Thank for you interest in the Art Gallery of Regina.

Art Gallery of Regina

$150 From The Talk, Going To The "Families of the Dump"

Just added $150 to the "Families of the Dump" next trip donation total. Thank you Penticton Art Gallery for giving me the chance to speak in your wonderful facility, the speaking fee went to the families. The total donation money earned now sits at $360 CAD.

The donation goal total is $1000. We need to reach that goal before the next trip to Thailand, possibly in May 2019.

FACEBOOK: Opening Night And The Artist Talk At The PAG

 
Gerry Yaum
The opening night for the exhibition was last night. There were 4 different artists exhibited. We had a turn out of about 50-60 people, which was great! A good time, fun and stories, lots of shared experiences and questions. Later on all the gallery folk, artists went out for a meal at a local Greek restaurant.  

I wish my dad could have been at the gallery the last 2 days. In a brief part of the talk, I mentioned my father, miss him so much, especially on days like this.

Today at 1 pm was my artist talk which went very well. I am getting to really love these things. I spoke for about 1 hour. The turn out was about 10-12 people which was not great but everyone asked questions and the group was very interactive which made the crowd seem larger. I spoke for about an hour and went through my history as a photographer in Thailand as well as the back story of the donations and photography in the dump. The talk also included 2 videos which helped explain life in the dump and humanize the people who work and live there. Tons of stories shared, and lots of fun. it was a GOOD GOOD DAY!

The opening night for the exhibition was last night. There were 4 different artists exhibited. We had a turn out of about 50-60 people, which was great! A good time, fun and stories, lots of shared experiences and questions. Later on all the gallery folk, artists went out for a meal at a local Greek restaurant. 

I wish my dad could have been at the gallery the last 2 days. In a brief part of the talk, I mentioned my father, miss him so much, especially on days like this.

The $150 speaking fee for this talk will be donated back to the families on my next trip. It will allow for more boot, headlamp, medicine buys. Thank you Paul, Julie and everyone at the PAG for giving us this opportunity.

People at the opening

Add caption

Posing with photos and my fake Gerry Yaum name

Crowd on opening night

The talk

With Paul C the curator of the Penticton Art Gallery

Speaking about Dad during the talk, paying a tribute

Another $20 Donation From A Kind Lady At The Opening

Another kind lady donated $20 more dollars to help the Families, during the exhibition opening. Thank you so much for your kindness. The total now sits at $210 with another $150 earned tomorrow at the talk.

FACEBOOK: Another $20 For The Families

Gerry Yaum

A complete stranger, an older lady who just happened to come into the gallery this afternoon donated $20 to the families. You got to love that. We had a nice talk then she just said "Can I donate $20?" And she handed me a $20 bill!. I am so terrible with names, I think I remember hers but do not want to get it wrong. I just wanted to thank her publicly. You did a good thing, you will make a child smile with your kindness. People can do so much good. quite wonderful. With the $150 from the talk tomorrow, the total earned for next trip now sits at $340 CAD.

Facebook: The Pentiction Art Gallery Show Is Hung!

Gerry Yaum

The show is hung, it looks great, the best I have ever had. You got to love hard working people like Paul and Glenn at the Penticton Art Gallery (PAG). They did a great job selecting prints and hanging the show. Thank you so much to everyone at the PAG. The exhibit consists of 25 images made between 2013 and 2018. There will also be an accompanying video.
Met two cool folks while hanging around the pics in the gallery today. One was a man working outside who came into use the gallery washroom, he was originally from Guatemala and immediately identified with the photos. He will bring his children to the opening tonight. The other person was a kind older women who donated $20 to the families. Great talks with both people. Thank you so much!

Penticton Art Gallery Exhibition hung and waiting for opening night

Facebook: Made It To Penticton

Gerry Yaum

Made it to Penticton today and visited Paul C the curator of the Penticton Art Gallery. The photos look great, around 22 prints, hanging, I think. The framing turned out very nice and the gallery is a first class facility, the best I have ever shown in. They were doing the final hanging and starting the print titles when I arrived. Everything should be pretty and beautiful tomorrow for the opening. They chose mostly b/w images of 3 sizes, 11x14, 16x20 and 20x24, with about 8 color shots as well.

Am laying on a nice queen size bed (2 in the room) that the gallery booked and paid for, 3 nights here. After all those nice crammed into our little van. Lisa and I are really enjoying a REAL HOTEL ROOM. Hot bath, cable TV (watching Tiger golf), balcony, nice shower and bath etc, even a nice swimming pool and hot tub under a gazebo nearby.
The artist talk is on the 22nd, my time is 1pm. The only down point is I will not be able to meet Greg Constantine, he will not be here till October 6.
The prints-framing-matting look better than I thought they would. The hotel is nicer than I hoped. The people I met in the gallery seem so friendly and kind. This is turning into a truly wonderful experience. I need to do my part, I need to nail my talk on the 22nd, need to do justice to the "Families of the Dump". Their stories are so important, I need to live up to the faith they showed in me, need to tell their stories fluently and with passion.
The gallery also asked me to make up a life at the dump video they could play in a loop. The hope is to humanize the family even more. I made something up quickly tonight with limited the files I had with me. The first part of the vid unfortunately does not have audio. The photos will have proper titles before the opening tomorrow. I will update with more complete and better photos of what the hanging prints look like. Hope to also do a short video later on for my YouTube channel.

Early handing of the show without titles

Hotel Room at the Ramada, Peniction BC Canada

Camping In Radium

Am camping in Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia. They have a nice large hot pool in this town. Radium is a place I used to go to with mom and dad and my sister as a young one, it has always been a special place for me. Last night in the pool I imagined my father sitting in the hot water and enjoying it. Dad always loved the pool and spending time in Radium. Wish I had taken him one last time here in 2014 before he died but never thought of it. I will try to bring mom here early in 2019 before it is too late for her as well.

Tonight is the last night here in Radium, will be on the road tomorrow before 11am. I need to be in Penticton for the PAG opening of the "Familes of the Dump" show on the 21st and the talk on the 22nd. The gallery has booked and paid for 3 nights a Ramada hotel in Penticton. A nice big bed, washroom with cable TV and free WIFI will be nice!

The weather this trip has been cold, in Banff their was snow and a temp of -2C ! Penticton seems to be about +17C which will be nice.

Note* Went shopping yesterday from a local thrift store got me:

- 2 times dvd players (Panasonic and Toshiba)
- hard line mobile telephone (Panasonic)
- a small metal tripod
- dvd composite wires x2
- a towel

for $24.47 CAD

and 1 beauty book on the Impressionists for $24.99
3  books on Indigenous culture for $20

Van, Leng Mao (the cat) and the Campsite

Quote: Mark Twain

"The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why."

Quote: Richard Jordan (Actor)

"The story of 'Macbeth' is about a man and woman who will do anything to be successful. As far as I'm concerned, it is particularly appropriate for this day and age. That sense of 'I gotta have it now' has been around forever, but we have now held it up as the thing to do, the way to be. And I'm sorry, but that is completely stupid, irrelevant and wrong."

Quote: Bill Daily (Actor)

"Happiness is a decision that you make."

Facebook: Another $20 For The Families

Gerry Yaum shared a memory.

Re posting this old entry because today a stranger who works with Kaye (Shutterbug Group Leader) donated $20 for the families, that takes the total earned for the next dump series of visits to $170 CAD (with a goal of $1000 CAD). Got to love when a complete stranger helps other complete strangers. People can be so good,it is beautiful when someones empathy and compassion for those in need wins out.
Now I just have to figure out the cheapest way to get the money. Do not want to spend $15 in gas for a $20 bill. Maybe mail it? Or transfer via Paypal? I would bike over to get it but my bike was stolen a while back. We will work it out. Thank you my anonymous friend of a friend for helping the families.

Donation work from the past