#1120 A winding Path with Grit

Posted on January 31, 2016 by admin

It is always nice to look back and reflect on the path traveled.

I’m 47. I’ve worked for about 20 years as a photographer / arts educator. Before that I worked as an outdoor educator with aspirations to become an elementary teacher. I couldn’t get into Teacher’s College in the 90s. But I’ve come back full circle to where I wanted to be.

After disappointments I gave up on traditional teaching and pursued commercial art through stock photography – it was lovely work – one of the most traditionally creative times of my life. I produced commercially viable photographs that were marketed through stock agents. My best sale for one grand use of a photo was ~$32,000 split three ways between two agencies and myself. Alas, the industry crashed (digital cameras and websites caused flooding of the stock photo market.) Time to move on!

Stock Photography

Someone suggested I teach photography. I built a broad base of photo workshops – live and online that culminated in opening our own studio / classroom on Preston St, below. Alas, workshop sales dropped off significantly. Why? Who knows, but I think it was tech, again – YouTube offered free learning and smartphones reduced people’s desire for traditional photography. Sigh. I was left scrambling again to re-invent myself.

Photo Workshops at our studio.

A couple of years ago I was very low and a friend inadvertently replanted a seed stored in a drawer of my memory. Teacher’s College… I was accepted, thrived and succeeded. I worked hard and was offered a contract teaching a Grade 4 class until Christmas. It has been extended until June, 2016. I love it.

My photo business has been reborn. Although the new business has shrunk enormously, I am only doing work I love – teaching a few clients and working on two innovative and exciting (to me) art projects.

Sunstreaks – tracking the sun’s path across the sky.

It’s been a long road… with many bumps and bruises. But it’s been exciting and I am grateful for where my winding path has taken me.

One of my favourite TED talks rings true as I look back… Angela Lee Duckworth talks about GRIT:

It’s worth a view.
Keep pursuing your passions.

#1119 – 2015 Christmas Photo Sale

Posted on December 19, 2015 by admin

I’ve had a great year.
I have many people to thank who helped…
Details about my “thank-you” photo sale are below.

Teaching
I took a leap of faith and went back to school in 2014 to become licensed as a traditional elementary teacher. Teaching has always been part of what I do. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from UOttawa and started supply teaching right away in West Quebec.

A “very stern(!)” Mr. Nowell in grade 4.

In August, I was offered a four month replacement contract at our local elementary school. I bring different personas to the classroom: “stern teacher,” voyageur, inspector, newspaper reporter, pirate and others to liven up the teaching. I’m happy to say my contract has been extended until the end of June. I am grateful to those that supported my passion and always-growing skills as a teacher. Thank-you! I love it!

Photography

Watershed one-of-a-kind art photography

Christmas Photo Sale
My Watershed collection of artwork continues to develop. I continue to shoot and explore 25km of our local watershed in Gatineau Park and Chelsea. I am capturring a creek from Camp Fortune to the Gatineau River with my large format cameras and a process that allows me to create positive prints straight from the camera. The photo paper is loaded directly in the camera… the end result is a one-of-a-kind photograph.

Large Format Camera capturing the sunrise

Large Format Camera capturing a sunstroke (see Sunstreak link below) at St. Stephen’s Church – a SunStreak original.

As a thank-you to all that have supported my vision and passions I am offering 10% off available photos with an additional 10% going to the Ottawa Riverkeeper. Contact me to see some Watershed or other work. There are traditional photos from years of shooting music, Sunstreaks, and Watershed. There’s a wide range of prices from $20 for posters to $thousands for large, limited run photographs.

The sale lasts until January 3rd, 2016. Viewings are by appointment only in Old Chelsea, Quebec.

Watershed art work – a 4×5, one-of-a-kind photograph from the Watershed Collection.

Our Photo Studio
Our Ottawa studio on Preston St. is now the home of Style Zone – a boutique of men’s fashion. Teaching photography will be offered more in the summer is available as time permits.

#1111 – Art Auction and Art Show

Posted on June 18, 2015 by admin

I’m pleased to post news of two upcoming events at La Fab in Chelsea, Quebec.

1. Member’s Annual Show – La Fab
June 25 to August 2, 2015

Members exhibit works in this annual event. There will be a wide variety of work from talented artists.

I’ll be showing unique Watershed project photos captured directly onto the final paper within the large, home-made camera. The photos are one-of-a-kind.

Fortune Lake, Gatineau Park. Headwaters of Chelsea Creek.

A one-of-a-kind Sunstreak Cyanotype of Chelsea’s historic St Stephen’s Church will also be part of the show. Many of the artists above will be exhibiting works.

Sunstreak Cyanotype – St Stephen’s Church, Chelsea, Qc.

La Fab:
212, chemin Old Chelsea
Chelsea (Québec)
J9B 1J3
(819) 827 3326

For more information contact La Fab directly.

2. La Fab Auction Fundraiser
Sunday, June 21st, 2015

Coming up this Sunday is the centre’s annual fundraiser. Not only will you support a good cause by going but you could walk away with a fine piece of artwork by Jeff Stellick, Paula Murray, Reid McLachlan, Gail Bourgeois, Lisa Creskey, Becky Mason, Maureen Marcotte, Karen Goetzinger, Mike Beedell, Elisabeth Rutledge and Harry Nowell.

I have offered one of my favourite pieces from 8 years of shooting music festivals in the city.

Tickets available at La Fab, Ottawa School of Art or online.

Blues Bass

#1110 Creating Art Differently

Posted on June 1, 2015 by admin

Every class has students who would prefer to be doing something else.

In math class, some students would rather be playing football. In language, some students would rather be doing art. And in art, some would rather read.

Art Projects for Kindergarten

I’ve been supply teaching regularly since I finished teacher’s college. In one period I was asked to have the students continue their pop-art projects (Andy Warhol-esque pictures). One student was clearly not conforming to the plan. He was just putting dots on his paper in a reluctant way.

I sat by him and asked how most new art forms started… He just stared at his paper and dotted defiantly.

I waited. No response…

So I offered an answer “By breaking the rules of art and trying new things… so you are creating new art ideas by breaking the rules.”

He looked at me. “Really?”

Yes!

I made a deal with him… He could create what he wanted but he’d have to create something, however exploratory… His art would need to have purpose. It worked. His slouch disappeared and he started working on art in his own way.

Collaborative Classroom

Collaborative Problem Solving and Tribes training are popular, current approaches to engaging more students in school and life. The theories involve working together to produce a learning environment where all are included or empowered. It works better than expecting all to ‘conform’. The result is a student or students who are more open to their learning process.

I started working with the ideas behind these theories over 20 years ago when I worked with youth and adults at Outward Bound. The work back then ignited my love of teaching people how to learn.

#1098 A big thank-YOU!

Posted on October 14, 2014 by admin

Many thanks are due to many people!

Last week I took down my solo exhibition at La Fab in Chelsea.

La Fab exhibition with home made 8×10 camera

The show
I exhibited works from my long term Watershed project. For 14 years I’ve followed and documented the ‘little’ creek behind our house – so far that’s been 18km of exploration along Chelsea Creek (and tributary) and photography, mostly, using medium, large and very large format equipment.

I also exhibited a much newer project using a much older medium – cyanotypes – in a way they are not supposed to be used. I placed the paper directly in the captured and used all day exposures to capture the sun streaking across familiar landscapes.

Roadkill along the Watershed
We closed the show with a discussion about the dangers to wildlife who travel along the Chelsea Creek Watershed and choose between a haunting trip through a tunnel under Highway 5 or a dangerous trip across the major highway. There are permanent blood stains from animals who do not make it across the road…

Chelsea Mayor Caryl Green and others listening to the “Preventing Roadkill on the Watershed” discussion.

Press
The exhibition was well received and earned a visit from the region’s mayors and local press coverage. The exhibition caught the interest of Radio Canada’s Bernier & Cie who featured the unique works in the exhibition.

Many Thanks
Many thanks to Jeffrey, Reid and Adrienne who saved me from a very late night hanging the show. Thanks to Sandrine who coordinated the exhibition, to the media for their kind words and to Catherine Joyce who wrote an Artist’s profile. And a big thanks to everyone who visited, commented and purchased the artworks!

#1096 September Solo Show Update – “Watershed” and “SunStreaks”

Posted on September 7, 2014 by admin

Coming soon to La Fab in Chelsea:
See brand new works from my SunStreaks and Watershed collections.

Join us!
La Fab
212 Old Chelsea Rd.
Old Chelsea, Qc.
September 18 to October 5, 2014
Vernissage: Thursday, September 18th; 5-7pm.

SunStreaks
In 2013 I got excited about a very old process that is traditionally used to create Contact Prints. I started playing with the process placing the blue paper directly in my hand-made large format camera to track the sun’s arc across the sky – this is not supposed to be done!

One of my first tests resulted in the sun burning a hole in the paper while the paper was exposing. Ouch!

SunStreak – St Stephen’s Church – Old Chelsea, Quebec The blue line is the path of the sun.

Watershed – Original Prints Straight from the Camera
In 2012 I traveled to Victoria BC to teach a workshop. On that trip I discovered a seed that developed into a process I tweaked to produce unique Black & White Photos.

I have applied this process to my Watershed collection of work.

The final paper is loaded into the camera, exposed and framed.
>> There is no negative, no digital file, no post processing and no opportunity for darkroom manipulation. The result is a one-of-a-kind B&W photo.

This process tests my skills behind the camera and requires me to get a perfect exposure for the complete photo. It’s demanding!!

Watershed Old Chelsea, Qc B&W print direct from the camera – no negative, one-of-a-kind, shot straight from a home made 8×10 camera.

Join us…
Vernissage:
5-7pm: September 18th; 212 Old Chelsea Rd., Chelsea, Qc.

My home made, large format camera – 8×10 field camera

#1092 Solo Show in September

Posted on August 1, 2014 by admin

Coming in September I’ll be exhibiting works from my Watershed & Sunstreaks Collections at La Fab in Old Chelsea, Quebec.

Watershed
The Watershed project started 14 years ago as my dear old dog and I started exploring the little creek behind our home.

That turned into an 18 km (so far) exploration of a traditional watershed in Chelsea and Gatineau Park with medium and large format photography. It’s been an amazing adventure seeing how the waterway changes over the years.

Watershed – Black & White One-of-a-Kind Originals – Straight from the camera. 2013

SunStreaks
My latest project started with a home made 8×10 camera and tweaking a 170 year old art process that’s not supposed to involve a camera. The original, one-of-a-kinds depict the sun as it streaks across the sky.

Kingsmere Lake SunStreak – the blue line is the path of the sun. The gaps? Cloudy periods… One-of-a-kind originals – Straight from the camera

The Big Camera
Some of each project is captured using a very large, plywood camera, built by hand. The camera produces originals straight from the camera. Unlike traditional photography there is only one final piece of art available with each exposure.

Hand made 8×10 Large Format Camera

Join us!
La Fab
212 Old Chelsea Rd
Old Chelsea, Qc.
September 18 to October 5, 2014

#1090 World Press Photo Winners 1955-2011

Posted on July 23, 2014 by admin

Last blog post we announced the arrival of the World Press Photo Exhibition at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

Past Winning Photos
Since then I discovered a site showing the winning photos of the award from 1955-2011. The photos give an idea of what to expect from this year’s exhibition.

WARNING!: Some photos in the link above show scenes of conflict or portray challenging situations that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Local World Press Award WInner
Ottawa’s own David Barbour, below, won a World Press Award in 1986 for a photograph taken in Egypt for CIDA.

Exhibition Details
This year’s exhibition runs from July 25th to August 21st, 2014 at the Canadian War Museum. It’s free!

Ottawa’s David Barbour – 1986 World Press Award winner

#1089 World Press Photo Awards Arrives in Ottawa

Posted on July 18, 2014 by admin

One of the finest annual photo events comes to Ottawa again starting next Friday, July 25th, 2014:

World Press Photo Exhibition at the Canadian War Museum

The World Press Photo Exhibition features the finest press photography from around the world. Subjects include:
• sports
• people
• peace
• war
• some lovely stories we never hear about
• … and some that make me cry

It’s worth a visit:
Canadian War Museum
July 25th – August 21st, 2014
Free.

You’ll walk away changed.

#1085 Large format innovations

Posted on June 30, 2014 by admin

I get bored easily…
So I am always looking for new and not-yet-done innovations with cameras or camera-like devices.

After your feedback and sales at The New Art Festival I am excited about the direction I am going with my work.

Large Format – One-of-a-Kind Works
More and more, I am excited about simple processes. I feel like I am going backwards along the evolutionary scale of photography – back to simpler equipment and slow, but extraordinary results.

Old photo formats – slow photography

While I have modern, new equipment I get most excited about old equipment. Last month I dropped my 4×5 in a lake… submerged. After a thorough disassembly (easy) and drying, the camera was happily back in action.

I’ve slowly explored the path of large format photography starting with a Graflex 4×5 and building up to my newest camera, my home made 8×10 field camera.

Last year I worked hard to figure out two new processes producing originals straight from the camera – not prints / reproductions.

I like it!

Next Show
I’m creating more this summer preparing for my next show at La Fab – September 18 – October 5th.

Stay tuned!

Original, straight from the camera. One of a kind. From my continuing 14 year Watershed project following the creek behind our home – 18km so far…