Telephone Pole With Clouds

This is a recent scan of a photo I took a few years ago in Richmond. My earliest photos were often of telephone poles and clouds, but on the prairies.

The PNE

Many years ago, before I went digital, my son Mike played soccer and I usually took him to his games. One year, in early spring, he played a game on historic Empire field. This was after the football stadium had been taken down. Empire field is located beside the PNE grounds where Vancouver's annual late summer carnival takes place. While I was waiting for the game to start I took my camera up to the PNE grounds and, to my happy surprise, there was an open gate. I wandered around the abandoned carnival grounds and finished the roll of black and white that was in the camera. It was kind of magical. I had no idea then what I would do with them, if anything, in the future. I have just finished scanning the negatives and here are a few. I tinted some but left B&W versions of them as well.

Autumn Forest

The tree-line, like the shore-line, is an invitation ... or maybe a dare.

Cy Harrod 1920 - 2011

"And the days fall

finite as leaves from a tree

each curling into itself

like a body

around a pain"

From "In This Room: II"

Masts & Clouds & istock photo

I enjoy the occasional, accidental harmony that you find when looking through a lens. And here is a link to something funny I got from the latest istock photo e-mail. The political stuff about protecting the internet is important and "Everything Is A Remix", just below it (it is the 3rd article if you scroll down), is very cool.

Walking Down Magritte Street

It's like comparing apples to ...

I Love well illustrated books. Chris van Allsburg is perhaps my favorite. I'm sure his influence has crept into some of my photos.

Monochrome Autumn II & Ken Merfeld

And a link to someone else I found on Art Knowledge News.

Autumn in Monochrome

I guess autumn is famous for its colours but I have been seeing it in Black & White this year. This has a slight tone so it is not truly black & white.

Truth And Beauty Studio

Again I offer one of by photos so I can introduce somebody else.

This weekend I made the effort to see some photographs of India by local photographer Bjoern Obst at "Truth and Beauty Gallery", on 16th and and Heather, in Vancouver.

The photos were beautiful, as you can see on his website. Bjoern was in the gallery talking to the owner of "Truth and Beauty", and curator of Bjoern's show, Peppa Martin. They were both warm and welcoming and we had a long talk about photography and the benefits that a photography collective in Vancouver could offer. Peppa's gallery is also her studio where she does her portrait work and displays some of her own terrific prints.

Gary Friesen 1950 - 2011

This post is dedicated to my cousin Gary Friesen. In my mind he will always be the guy with the great hair, lopsided smile and an old car to work on. My thoughts are with Edna, Pat, Marlene and Diana.

Sunflower

It is important for me to go back over old photos as I redefine my Photoshop skills. A little bit of gaussian blur on the background made this the photo I didn't have the equipment for, to do in camera, when I took this shot.

Ottawa

A couple of tourist shots from our nation's capital. We went to the National Gallery of Canada and saw the Caravaggio exhibit. Made possible by Brian. Much thanks.

Cloud Box

This image is an experiment in selected focus. But the purpose of this entry is to show you a recent discovery. The piece is called "Cloud Box" and it is by Peter Alexander, from California. It was done in the '60's, I believe. I found it in today's edition of "Art Knowledge News" which I receive every day.

Show Warning

In mid October I will be hanging some work at the Unitarian Church on the corner of 49th and Oak Street. I will post details for viewing times in future blogs.

Stones Like Broken Hearts

Lake Winnipeg at Gimli.

Scarborough Bluffs

Another moment from four days dense with memorable moments. This one thanks to Jennifer.

Toronto's South Asian Festival

A magical moment from a wonderful trip. Thank you Angela and Sally.

Driving: The Prairies

In the Interlake region.

Pump House: North End, Winnipeg

Taken while wandering by the river with Roger.

Lake Winnipeg, Gimli, Manitoba

This lake was the closest I knew of oceans until I saw the Atlantic.

Inter-lakes Road

From a moving car while searching for the Hanky Museum. The Inter-lake region of Manitoba.

A New Book

I bought a book today. "Truth Beauty - Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845 -1945" The book is a catalogue of a show that was at the Vancouver Art Gallery a few years ago.

Cyclists

Some experiments in motion.

Coal Harbor & David Burdney

This is a recent shot I took of Vancouver's Coal Harbor. The sky never fails to do something nice for me if I make the effort to get up early and get out. David Burdney is a Winnipeg born photographer who deserves all the attention he gets. I saw his work at a local gallery recently. It was a great inspiration.

Thank You

There are many people who I would like to thank for their support leading up to and during the 'Artists In Our Midst' weekend: all the artists in AIOM who welcomed me so warmly; my wife Katherine, who helped and encouraged me from beginning to end; Quadro Framing who invited me to share their window and their expertise; Finn's on Broadway who were so supportive and generous; Andrew at Kingdom Photo for his continued support and great technical advice on canvas prints; everyone who purchased prints and cards or took time to ask me about my work and give their compliments; and Rob and Joanne Sawatzky who made the weekend a true pleasure and much easier than it would have been without their help and company. Thank you all.

Artists In Our Midst

Apparently Rossini and Wagner didn't get along. Rossini once said that Wagner created some wonderful moments of music, usually followed by a quarter of an hour of bad music. Wagner shot back that he wondered who would be left to promote Rossini's music when Rossini died. I won't take sides in this argument, believing that there is enough good in both the maestros' music to please countless music fans for generations to come. But I can relate to Rossini in his belief in self-promotion. If you are in Vancouver please come to the Artists In Our Midst opening on April 28th at 7 p.m. It is at the Roundhouse in Yaletown. My work will be at studio 10 on the Saturday and Sunday after that (April 30th and May 1st) from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m.

For the next two weeks I have prints up at Finn's Menswear on West Broadway, and at Quadro framing on West 10th at Trimble.

Flowers On Film

I'm still scanning old negatives. These were shot on good film and have a feel that can only be produced with film. But I love the control digital offers me in the final printing. Maybe I have never fully experienced the romance and control of a darkroom.

Black and White Scans and Ralph Gibson

A three week chest cold has kept me inside a lot. So I've been scanning old B&W negatives. I did get out to listen to Ralph Gibson talk about his life and photography.

Richmond Dikes & Edward Hopper

Sometimes it is hard to know if you are the only one that sees something in what you work on and save. Edward Hopper was one influence on the way I look at things and the way I feel about them.

Stanley Park Stream

"Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world."

Oscar Wilde

South Beach Seawall & Rumi (a new kind of entry)

"A great silence overcomes me

and I wonder why I ever thought

to use language at all"

Rumi (from ode 1823)

Version by Coleman Barks

Fraser River Dock

Okay, so maybe I haven't gotten down to the business of preparing for the show. But I did get out. And it was the west coast at its moody best.

Artists In Our Midst

I just wanted to let anyone visiting this site know that I will be involved in "Artists In Our Midst" this spring. You can find me by going to the 'Artist' heading and scroll down till you find my name. I have enjoyed exploring the other artists' work. A talented group. Now, down to the business of preparing for the event.

Stanley Park: Part 1

I may have mentioned that I have sleep issues which often make it difficult for me to get up and catch the early light. Winter should be easier, because the morning gets up even later than I do, but the cold and the dark are so depressing and intimidating that I often don't take advantage of it. Over Christmas and New Year we had a spell of clear cold weather and, on what turned out to be the last day of that run, I got up, after a short sleep, with an unusually positive attitude and decided to try to greet the sun with my camera. I got dressed and drove to Stanley Park. Because it was still a holiday the roads were clear and I arrived in time to find some of my favorite conditions. There was a light fog over the park that gave it a magical quality. The light that filtered through it was like a fine dust that settled on the trees, frost and ground ...

Stanley Park: Part 2

The story starts the day before when I took some pictures of a cut glass canter in a backlit window and realized I should charge my batteries. I took them out of the camera and put in the replacements which, I realized later, were very close to drained as well. By the time they were charged Katherine was asleep so I couldn't get my camera out of the closet to put them in the spare battery pocket of my camera bag. Knowing my memory is far from perfect I left them by my computer with the intention of seeing them when I checked my email and putting them in the bag. Of course, when I woke up and decided to go on a photo safari, I didn't have time to use the computer and didn't see the batteries. You can see where this is going. Getting to the magically lit Stanley Park I started taking pictures with my DSLR only to run out of power. I found some batteries in my flash kit and used those but they only had enough juice for a few more shots. I took out my Panasonic point & shoot and fired away until it too was spent. I guess I am grateful to have gotten up early and taken the shots I did. Oh well ...

Happy New Year

Best wishes for a happy & healthy 2011 to anyone who sought out, or stumbled across, this blog.