Grand Canyon photogravures on display in NJ (entire series)

For those who have yet to see the completed first stage of this project,

it will be on display at Fairleigh Dickinson University, on the Teaneck side of campus,

in University Hall Art Gallery (main floor).

Three of the photogravures from this series just came from a show at The Belskie Museum of Art and Science, so I know that many local people saw the work there.  This, however,  is a rare opportunity to see all of the images together, in one place, where the narrative is more developed.

I will give a brief presentation to the University's students, about the process of making these images.  The general public is welcome (and encouraged) to attend.  The time for the presentation is not yet set.  I'll post here when it is.

The show will only be up for two weeks, so mark your calendars!

February 24 - March 21

The University Hall Art Gallery is open Monday - Friday

from 9:30 - 4:30 pm.

I teach on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and can open the gallery for people on those evenings if you contact me.

Printing a Photogravure

http://youtu.be/0HkvxnO22s4

This plate is very cooperative, with a good aquatint and an image that had a lot of texture, so the processing time was quick.  Some plates take 3 to 4 times as long to ink and wipe.

***Update  (Dec 2013)***
I wrote a book about this process, from plate-making to printing.
It is available on Amazon through this link.

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Photogravures-With-Polymer-Plates/dp/0615919219/

"Pumpkin Spring"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Downstream

"Cactus West"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Upstream

"Cactus East"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

social scene in the harbor

Havasu is one of the most popular stops.  Last time, we met a couple of crews tied up to the entrance of the side canyon.  It reminded me that travelers are travelers, no matter the craft, and the harbor is always a meeting place to share stories.

"Havasu Harbor"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

"Matkatamiba 3"  (working title)
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Canyon REO (River Equipment Outfitters)

had outfitted us with three rafts (two years ago), named "John", "Paul", and "Ringo".  They packaged some excellent meals and provided super-friendly shuttle service. 

"Paul & Ringo"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Moon risen, Sun setting, Stars emerging

on this night, where we found a terraced campsite in which almost everyone slept without setting up shelter.  I spent the night drifting in and out, as I was lulled to sleep by radiant stars in a clear night sky, soon to be awake with excitement to look over the high horizon of the canyon's edge again and gaze out into the universe.  It had to be the most restful restless night I have ever had.

"Upper Ledges"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Grand Canyon

That is simply the name of this photogravure.  The image shows the beautiful range of high-contrast and subtle tonality that keeps shifting on a trip like this.  I cannot describe or portray the complexity of light that is pervasive in the Grand Canyon.  I try, but I cannot fully explain it to anyone who has not been there.  Those who have experienced a similar trip are only agreeing that they have seen it too, but must admit that words fail to describe the experience, and pictures only capture a small part of it. 

Low Winter Sun

It's a warm desert trip when the sun is shining, but being in a mile-deep canyon one encounters many miles without direct sunlight. 

"Cool In The Shade"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

In the heart of Marble Canyon

with Vassey's Paradise in the background, K decided to get some water from the spring trickling in from the canyon wall. She did the entire thing on the fly, while the raft was drifting with the current of the Colorado River.

"Three Graces Below Vassey's"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Meeting the crew in Flagstaff

and preparing for a winter trip on the Grand Canyon.

Today, all 16 of us will meet in the parking lot of a hotel to modify our boats for the trip, go to the grocery store, and figure out which vehicles will act as shuttles from Flagstaff to Lee's Ferry.  We will be in parking lots, on paved roads, in fluorescent-lit stores, preparing for and thinking about more beautiful and natural scenery; growing more excited to have this experience in one of the great National Parks.

"South Rim Snow"
Graphic Chemical Sepia on Rives BFK

Diffusion IV

my photogravure titled "Campsite Quanta"

is part of the Muse Showcase in 

Diffusion Magazine

"Altered" show

October 5 - 31
http://www.submitartimages.com/show/6/gallery/

at Open Shutter Gallery
735 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301

Juried by Mark Sink

I won't be there for the opening reception
(October 5 from 5 - 9 pm),
but I'm happy to be included in the show at such a great gallery,
and psyched that I'll be in town a week later,
so will be able to see all the beautiful work that was selected.

(here is the photogravure of mine that will be included
titled "Winter Canyon"

12 Different Cyanotype Tones Compared

(click on image to make it larger)

1.  Overexposed.  No Bleach.  Very long tannic acid bath.

2.  Brief bleach.  Long tannic acid bath.

3.  Medium bleach (half of cyan color left, half gone).  Long tannic acid bath.

4.  Bleach all cyan color out.  Tannic acid bath.

5.  Long bleach (almost all cyan color gone except in darkest shadows).  Tannic acid and coffee mix for toning bath.

6.  Medium bleach (half of cyan color left, half gone).  Tannic acid and coffee mix for toning bath.

7.  No bleach.  Coffee bath over night (about 7 hours).

8.  Completely bleach all cyan color out.  Coffee bath for about 2 hours.

9.  No Bleach.  Coffee and tannic acid bath for about 3 hours.

10.  Long bleach (almost all cyan color gone except in darkest shadows).  Coffee and tannic acid bath for about 3 hours.

11.  Completely bleach all cyan color out.  Black tea bath for about 3 hours.

12.  No bleach.  No tone.  Native cyan color.

Notes:

* The bleaching solution used was Borax in water.

* The tannic acid solution is from Bostick & Sullivan.  It is part of their bleaching/toning kit.  It is cyanotype toning solution B.

* The coffee is a dark roast.  I do not remember the brand.  I brewed an entire pot.

*  The tea is Tetley classic black tea. 

*  All the images had a standard exposure time of 10 minutes, with the exception of #1, which had a 12 minute exposure time.

*  The prints were scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 PHOTO scanner.  All color corrections were turned off so things might look a little bit flat.  But, while considering the differences that exist with each person's monitor, web compression, and jpeg compression, I decided to leave the images alone so that, even though they are a little dull, the relative differences would be preserved for comparative analysis.  

Navaho Bridge

cyanotype (toned)

making cyanotype cards

to say thank you to all the people who supported the Grand Canyon Gravure project, and helped it start the second phase of development.

Making Cyanotypes (and a simple contact frame)

(...just the visually interesting parts are show. There is a lot of work on the computer tweaking the negatives for this unique process. I also don't show the chemical prep. or the mistakes made while dialing in the exposure times. Lots of work goes into these)

A little more care is taken with the large cyanotypes, but it's too long to make into a video on YouTube.

click here  to view the video on YouTube

this is another good intro video on YouTube

The contact frame you see in the video is very simple:
*  $10 tempered glass shelf from Ikea.
*  3/4" plywood cut to 15" x 30"
*  self-adhesive cork shelf liner placed on top of the plywood
*  6 woodworking clamps

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1064313302/grand-canyon-gravure?ref=card

If you want one of these cards, visit the link above and participate in the Grand Canyon Gravure project before July 27th.  $10 is all it takes to get hand-made art sent to you in the mail.

Historic River Boats Afloat

http://youtu.be/vBTKccHnDVY

http://www.historicriverboatsafloat.org/

Big Water Little Boats

BigWaterLittleBoats.com

---update---
I just finished reading "Big Water Little Boats".  It reads like someone telling a good story.  That's because it IS someone telling a good story.  Tom Martin did a great job with this book and I'm sure I'll read it again within the year.