Art Books in Calgary

Todays book purchases in Calgary. You gotta love art books!!

Bunny!

Picked up THE BEAST- BUNNY today. He can ride with me on my adventures. We can travel and make Ambrotypes together!

Frames Video Interview

 

Pope and Bach

Learning more about Alexander Pope (1688-1744). My recently passed away friend Dennis did his masters in English literature with a thesis on Pope.

Also listening to classical music before bed everyday. Today Bach organ works, rather haunting, as organs tend to sound!

There are entire worlds you know nothing about until fate shoves you in their path. Thank you Dennis.

Link: Advert for Old Magazine

I found a little advert for “Analog Forever Magazine” from a few years back. The cool thing I remember about this  mag publishing was being included with world class photojournalist David Burnett. 

When I started photographing at 14 one of the first photography mags (Photo Life I think) I ever owned had a story on Burnett which I found inspiring at the time. Many years later to be included in the same photography magazine as Mr. Burnett, was damn cool and very rewarding.

https://bluemooncamera.com/shop/product/9781734151725/analog-forever-edition-three

Link: Super Punch?

Found this today. Not sure how but this sort of proliferation of the photo stories, pics and interviews occurs  but it seems to happen a lot.

https://www.superpunch.net/2019/07/the-interview-is-about-mae-sot-thailand.html?m=1

Alberta Provincial Art Collection Info Page

Found these pages today on the Alberta Provincial website. Hopefully some of last works will be accepted as well. Last year's 2 bought ambros allowed me to purchase $2000 worth of silver nitrate for the project.

Alexander Pope and Dennis

My friend Dennis in his younger life pursued his Masters in English literature. His thesis was on Alexander Pope (1688-1744). I will read this Pope poem at Dennis’s funeral on Tuesday.

Note* Dennis died on Popes birthday, May 21. Fate?

ALEXANDER POPE

The Dying Christian to his Soul

VITAL spark of heav'nly flame!

    Quit, O quit this mortal frame:

    Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying,

    O the pain, the bliss of dying!

Cease, fond Nature, cease thy strife,

And let me languish into life.

    Hark! they whisper; angels say,

    Sister Spirit, come away!

    What is this absorbs me quite?

    Steals my senses, shuts my sight,

Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?

Tell me, my soul, can this be death?

The world recedes; it disappears!

Heav'n opens on my eyes! my ears

    With sounds seraphic ring!

Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!

O Grave! where is thy victory?

    O Death! where is thy sting

MAID, My Friend Dennis Dies with Dignity

 

There were 3 of us there as well as 2 medical people and a social worker. The 3 friends all spoke to him as they injected the anesthetic to make him sleep, before the other drugs. So the last thing he heard was voices of friends. They also played some soft classical music in the background, which Dennis would have liked. Solemn and sad but giving some power back to him, allowing him to make his own choice and die with dignity.

THE BEAST is all Ready to Work!

THE BEAST is a 100% legal now. I have the insurance, and over the last few days I got $881 of work done on it, allowing him to pass the Alberta vehicle inspection check for insurance. So THE BEAST is up and running for a total cost of $8540 CAD, not bad! Now I a reliable, good working truck, for the project and general things.

Nite* I also had the garage folks install a proper 7 pin trailer connector. A half assed adapter no longer needed!

Security camera view of THE BEAST!

Video: Music to Print by

Started to listen to my friend Dennis’s massive classical LP and CD collection. Today Dvorak’s chamber music.

I first saw his collection of LPs as a young man, now I can start to enjoy it at 60. Will improve my sound system along the way and listen to Dennis’s music as I print my life’s work in the darkroom.

Lots of joy in the years ahead, discovering all this wonderful music, while printing memories. It should be glorious.

Thank you Dennis for guiding me into this unknown world.

Quote: Pablo Picasso

 

Ambrotype Boxes

Today I picked up 2 of these custom made boxes for $70 CAD. 

After foolishly and accidentally breaking 2 of my 11x14 plates from last week. Protection of the completed work has become a priority.

Quote: Carl Sagon (Astronomer, Scientist)

 

Good Art!

I have found I like to feel the image more now. What feels best is the right choice. So I try over and under exposure, I try different formats, sequences of pics, different compositions different lens. When you think about it, good art has no rules. It is best to just feel yourself through it. Follow your creative and artistic heart. 

This last week I used my 11x14, 14x14 Chamonix for the first time. I struggled to find compositions I liked when I used a lens with full coverage (450mm), so I went with wider lens that did not cover the whole plate. Those images just felt better to me. I am thinking of doing that more and more with exposure and tonality now. Letting AMBROTOS KANATA be a very personally felt thing. Follow my heart and not be to rigid in technical perfection. More Sally Mann and less Ansel Adams so to speak!

Overexposed, but you get the idea.

Sunday in my Cemetary!

 Forgot my food and my water but am having fun making ambrotypes anyway. Yesterday was world wet plate day!!! I am always a bit off with organized events, tests and teaching methods. Always been a bit of a lone wolf. Oh well, made Ambros the day before and the day after the rest of the world.

Collodion a bit funky, over exposed first plate but we are on our way. Am in the cemetery I will EVENTUALLY be buried in. This monument is maybe 150 meters from my grave. I can see dads graf3, next to ours, from the tripod position.

Monument Link, from Evergreen Cemetary.

https://www.davidmurrayarchitect.ca/cemetery-monument/

BEAST table in action

See link for Monument

The lovely BEAST and FREDDY the darkroom trailer!

Reward Day

Having a reward day today. Trying to make 14x14 inch ambrotypes at an Edmonton cemetery. Late start so pushing it a bit. Will go out Sunday as well. Love the new BEAST truck.

Lots of firsts today.

- First time using the 14x14 Chamonix camera

- First time using the 14x14 wet plate holder

- First time using the 16x20 fixer tank.

-First time u am using my cheap Russian 210mm lens.

- Second time using the BEAST to transport the darkroom trailer.

Ambrotypes Ahead!

 

Postponed Again!

 

Stories

Living a life of stories is underrated! Make sure you have yours before you go!!!