Social Documentary Photography for a Better World!

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Looking Forward To Meeting "Grace The Ghost!"

Ghosts anyone? Seems Grace the Spirit of Memorial Hall has become a legend. Wonder if I will hear the piano playing. I hope I meet her this trip!

'According to Parsons, on a brisk fall evening six years ago, he was completing late building checks at approximately 1 a.m. Building checks, which are often completed on foot, are required to ensure the safety and security of our campuses and student residents.
“We were overstaffed that night, so I was sent back down there to do a second check for the evening,” he says. “Once I arrived on foot to the pathway between the Alumni Memorial Building and Mem Hall, I was a bit surprised as I could see the lights on in Mem Hall, with the sound of a piano playing in the background. I thought this was odd and the hair on the back of my neck immediately stood up.”
Parsons hurried up to the front doors of Mem Hall, not understanding what was going on in the building. “I can remember putting my key in the front door and this really strange feeling came over me.”
As Parsons entered the building, the lights in the lobby were on, so he walked in with much trepidation. “As I approached the auditorium and stuck my key in the door, I felt this big rush of air on the back of my neck,” he states. “I honestly thought I left the front door open, but when I turned around, there was a faceless lady standing behind me, hovering off the ground.”
Frozen with fear, Parsons stood there as he watched the lady, who zoomed to the right and then zoomed to the left. “She was wearing what could be described as ‘old-timey’ clothes – kind of like Little House on the Prairie,” he explains.
And just like that she vanished.
A week later, after speaking with his supervisor who had the same experience years ago, Parsons returned to Mem Hall to do a lockout. “While my supervisor and I were walking around the hall, I noticed that there was a picture on the wall and, lo and behold, it was a picture of the same lady.”
So, who is this woman who floats around Mem Hall at night?'

Note* Just thought of something, maybe she will view the photos! Wonder what she will think of them and the people's stories?

Ghosts anyone?

Doing The Radio Interview Tomorrow

Doing a recorded Zoom call talk for the CHSR-FM Arts program in Fredericton tomorrow at 430pm Mountain Time. It should be fun and interesting. Hope I can express the stories of the families and the people under the freeway clearly.

They stream on the internet, got to find that. Will try to post a link to our little 20-30 minute talk later.

Note* There is a 3 hour time difference between Edmonton and Fredericton. Atlantic time versus Moutain. Got to factor that into tomorrow, thought it was earlier :).

Memorial Hall Art Center Built 1924

Wow just learned the UNB, the University of New Brunswick was established in 1785!! 237 years ago. Interesting to know the history of places like this. Memorial Hall where the Art Center is located was built in 1924. So almost 100 years ago.

UNB established 1785, Memorial Hall (Art Center) builth1924

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Poem: Not How He Died...But How He Lived

 Not How He Died...But How He Lived

Summer Sandercox:

Not how did he die, but how did he live?

Not what did he gain, but what did he give?

These are the units to measure the worth

Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.

Not, what was his church, nor what was his creed?

But had he befriended those really in need?

Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?

Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,

But how many were sorry when he passed away.

AMBROTOS KANATA Submission To The Alberta Gallery Of Art!

Woke up today thinking of a submission idea for the biggest and best gallery in Alberta, the AGA (here in Edmonton).

The submission idea would go as follows. An AGA Curatorial Staff email I am working on.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My project is a major 15-year cross Canada effort. My idea is to do an Edmonton component for Manning Hall. The overall project is called AMBROTOS KANATA. The series I would submit to the curatorial staff would be AMBROTOS KANATA: EDMONTON. 

AMBROTOS KANATA is photographic in nature, I will be making photographs on glass (Ambrotypes) in sizes from 8x10 to 35x35 inches using a variety of view cameras. Ambrotypes are a very difficult and complex wet plate photography technique that dates back to its invention in 1851. My idea for Manning Hall would be to create 10-35x35 inch framed ambrotypes of important and historical parts of Edmonton.  As part of the submission process, I will include a video on how an Ultra Large Format 35x35 ambrotype is created. Ambrotypes need to be made with a mobile darkroom on the spot before the glass plates dry (that is why it is called wet plate). I would need to travel to each location with my huge 35x35 inch view camera (see photos) and my mobile wet plate trailer darkroom. Making each image would probably require 3 or 4 days of work.

If you have never seen an ambrotype before, especially an ultra large format image, you're in for a treat. It is magical, like the subject is captured inside the glass. There is feeling of 3D, in highly detailed warm tones. A magical moment of time remembered forever. Ambrotypes are incredibly beautiful.

AMBROTOS KANTA: EDMONTON subjects might include:

  1. AGA building
  2. Alberta Legislature
  3. Historical Schools
  4. Petro Chemical Plants near Sherwood Park 
  5. River Valley
  6. City Hall/ Churchill Square
  7. Gibson Bock
  8. Fort Edmonton
  9. Ukrainian Village
  10. Hotel McDonald
  11. Princess Theatre
  12. St. Joseph’s Cathedral Basilica
  13. Any other subjects that I or you can think of.

Friday, October 14, 2022

The Road Less Travelled.

So many people take the more traveled road when it comes to their life choices. Every now and again it is better to take the road less travelled. On that path you can often create experiences and memories that make life worthwhile.

The Road Not Taken 

ROBERT FROST
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

“THE AQUINIAN” 'The Families of the Dump" Interview

Here is the story about the families from the St. Thomas University newspaper in Fredericton, New Brunswick. I have not read it myself, find reading about ME highly uncomfortable. Hope the writer Guinevere Santaguida focused on the families, not that Yaum dude. Also hope the story brings in more people to the UNB Art Centre galleries.

https://theaquinian.net/visualizing-families-of-the-dump/

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Roger Tv Advert For The UNB Exhibitions

More adverts for the coming shows. This is on a Rogers Tv page link, thingy. Hope some of this advertising translates into people attending the exhibits.

https://www.rogerstv.com/home?lid=14&rid=49

Advert For Coming UNB Shows

 Please come on down!

Quote: William S. Burrorghs (Writer)

"There is no intensity of love or feeling that does not involve the risk of crippling hurt. It is a duty to take this risk, to love and feel without defense or reserve."

Monday, October 10, 2022

Interviewed Over The Phone

Was interviewed for the coming University of New Brunswick exhibitions by a nice young St John's University reporter. The interview will be published in "The Aquinian" University newspaper. Will post a link to the story later. I do not read those things, makes me squeamish! Tell me what you think. It was fun to the writer/reporter, a nice kind person.

Advert For the Coming Exhibitions At the UNB

 New Ad for the coming UNB shows. Please consider attending if you can.

3rd Day In A Row Making Ambrotypes. IT WAS GRAND!

3rd day in a row making Ambros. Am tired but happy. Will work until dark, have a sleep then drive at night the 4 hours back to Edmonton. The trailer and RV combo is working well together. Looking forward to taking 2–3-month photo making trips in the future. I am back to work tomorrow night. This was a short by great final trip of the season.

Will try to submit some of this work to the Art by Aquisition program, here in Alberta. If I can sell anything will use the money to buy silver.

A fire at night is both warming and relaxing

8x10 clear glass ambros
Creating art is bloody work! :)
First night T-Bone barbacue dinner, second night ribs and chicken barbecue
Breakfast

Grand Old Tree

Spent more time photographing this grand old tree on ambrotype. This time I moved up from 4x5 inch plates (last year) to 8x10 plates this year. I guess that shows a degree of improvement. I would like to shoot 16x20 ambros of the tree but maneuvering the camera and getting the 16x20 ambrotype technique together, will take time!

What type of tree? Am unsure, need to research


Lovely "History Of Art" Book Read

 Reading my$2 HISTORY OF ART today, so lovely!


Dumped 16x20, Moved Onto 8x10

Made 1 lousy 16x20 then switched to 8x10s. 8x10s are relatively easy to make now. I think it was the smarter move for the last shooting days of the season. I needed to go home with some strong plates!

New 25 Gallon Tank For The Wet Plate Trailer Darkroom Sink

Got a newish used RV sewage tank last week for the darkroom trailer last week. New cost was $249, used with delivery was only $100. Before I was using a 15-gallon tank, this 25-gallon version fits and works much better. Slowly and surely am making improvements to the working systems and tools. Climbing the mountain to making 35x35 plates 100% in the field across Canada.

Note* This last week the tank worked great, but I almost ruptured myself trying to get it out of the trailer to empty. I need some kind of pump-hose system which will allow me to remove the wastewater without too much strain. I found out after words that 25 gallons of water weighs an astonishing 200lbs!!

The 16x20 Camera

16x20 camera set up, tree Ambrotypes today!!! 1C on waking up, high of 24C today. Will make 16x20 ambrotypes of the trees today. Will also try to wash. yesterday’s 8x10 dinosaur ambrotypes. The one I left outside in water trays froze over!! Hoping to do multi week and month Ambrotype trips next year if I retire. Handling the big cameras is difficult, not sure how I will manage the 35x35 inch machine.

Iced over Dino
16x20 Chamonix, with 450mm lens