Sharpening Your Game

I'm always trying to add to my skill set. To that end I went to a Golden workshop at Roy Kinzer's studio to learn more about Golden's Mix More Media so I could see if it might work for me in the fusion of photography and painting. I also wanted to learn more about the new Golden Open Acrylics that have a extremely long drying time. It was a really informative and in the small group (small world) were three artists that I know, Norma Greenwood, Linda Stillman and Barbara Lubliner. I consider them to be good artists so it was not surprising to see them adding to their game. I also met a new friend, Deborah Gieringer, an artist who works in the archaic medium of silverpoint. And to cap off an intense and fun busman's holiday, Roy spent some time upon our request speaking about his own work with insights into the work he's preparing for exhibition this spring at Denise Bibro Fine Art. AND we were sent home with lots of goodies from Golden!

A yen for paper —hearing the call

I used to do photographs printed on Rives BFK where I coated with a silver nitrate solution called Van Dyke Brown. I found the formula while researching the early development of photography. As you might imagine, it was a laborious process with 20x24 inch contact negatives, mixing dangerous chemicals, coating with glass rods, 1 hour exposures in the sun and so on.

I'm no longer doing this work in my own practice but am heartened to see others who have picked up the baton in this digital age. Check out the artist, Su Blackwell as well as the the Alternative Photography website. They have old formulas, pracitioners and more. In addition I may be returning — I've got that yen again and I've been experimenting with Golden's Mix More Media. I love digital—no darkroom need apply. But paper? It sings a siren song.

2007-beringer-wine-spot-w-video from Su Blackwell on Vimeo.

Source: Youtube