Back to the Darkroom

New prints hanging to dry in the darkroom.

In the middle of October I will be participating in my first art fair of sorts. It will be in Louisville at Sojourn Community Church as part of their Affordable Art Show. Daniel Graham and I will be sharing a booth. With this deadline in mind I'm producing more new work along the lines of what I did for the Lexington Art League CSA project.

A wet print in which the veils were not popped. Too bad it didn't look this interesting once it dried.

I have been back in the darkroom experimenting with more botanical mordançage prints. I've learned a number of things since I made the Silver Dollars print. For starters, my enlarger was totally set up wrong, from the condenser lenses to the lamp height. It's a wonder the print even worked. After some quick adjustments and tests, those issues were worked out.

Some very unusual results in the background, although I'm not too crazy abut the final image.

The other part of the workflow that I've been able to explore more is the mordançage process itself. After making so many prints in a row (and now experimenting with a whole new batch of photograms) I've been able to find ways of controlling the tones and finished image. That said, there are still many results that seem unexplainable and random. But sometimes that bit of surprise is a boost that encourages me to keep exploring and finding something new.

This one turned out a little more predictable/traditional.

For the Affordable Art Show I am planning again to finish my prints with 11"x14" mat boards. In addition I'll be making digital reproductions, probably 5"x7" and/or 8"x10" prints on watercolor paper, to sell at a much lower price.

So far so good. Next thing on my list is to find a 10'x10' white tent.

Opportunity: Sojourn Arts & Culture Residency Program

The vision of Sojourn Arts & Culture’s Residency Program is to disciple and equip artists through an intensive season of community-based creative work.
We offer a 3 month program (June-August) and a 9 month program (September-May) for up to four makers.

Artists of all kinds (visual, music, writing, etc.) are invited to apply, though a preference toward visual artists will exist due to the kind of resources we have to offer.
Residencies will be awarded by Mike Cosper and Michael Winters based upon the (1) artist’s previous work, (2) proposed work, (3) written statement reflecting the artist’s relationship to Christ and the church, and (4) ability to commit the appropriate time.

DEADLINE FOR SUMMER 2013 APPLICATION: May 10, 2013

DEADLINE FOR 9 MONTH PROGRAM BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2013: July 1, 2013

Applicants may apply to both seasons.

Sojourn will offer residents:
- studio space to work in the 930 Mary St. facility (3rd floor classroom), plus access to woodshop, framing equipment, photo darkroom
- keyed access to the studio space
- monthly group dinners
- an exhibit at the end of their residency sharing and celebrating the new work publicly.
- note: Housing is not included in this residency. We are hoping to add that benefit in the future, but we are not able to at this time.

Residents will commit to:
- a minimum of 15 hours per week studio time
- regular participation in monthly dinners
- completion of a public workshop, class, or community project during the residency
- an interview with photographs to be published online
- a finished artwork of their choosing donated to Sojourn at the end of the residency
- abiding by basic rules regarding space-sharing etiquette and hours of entry
- participation in a liturgical art project for Sojourn (9 month program only)

If you have any questions, contact us.
Or, if you’re ready to apply, click the appropriate link below -
Sojourn Arts & Culture Residency Application – Summer 2013 
Sojourn Arts & Culture Residency Application – Fall 2013 – Spring 2014