Square Foot 2012

After deciding early in the year I was not going to submit to any art shows I had a sudden change of heart back in June and decided to submit to the annual Square Foot exhibition put on by AWOL, but held at the TWIST Gallery. This was the second year in a row I submitted. I think it is a great show to not only submit to, but also to go and experience. It is a great venue full of natural light, and the show itself is lighthearted, fun, and of course visually stimulating. Each piece measures 12 inches square and they are all mounted like one giant quilt, or checkerboard if you will. It is a mixed media show and I would say the majority is painting, followed by photography, and even miniature performance pieces using projectors, and moving parts. Every single piece sells for 225.00 regardless of media.

Last year I entered three abstract pieces that were laser printed on metal, and was thrilled when on opening night one of them sold. This year I made the decision to enter pieces that in my mind would likely not sell, but perhaps just show off my work...expose myself so to speak. I recently did a series (which I hope to post some of them soon..) called Neon Self. In a nut shell it was re visiting some of my older work, but stripping the images of their natural colour, and adding neon colouring instead. It is a program that Picasa offers through their photo editing tools. The images were self portraits using long exposures which were from one of my favorite collections to date, and taken while I was still trying to figure out the new camera. (Nikon D60) Like last year, I also decided to produce these images on metal.

Due to other commitments we were unable to attend the opening night this year, but we did make it to the show a few days later. I was pleasantly surprised to see a little red dot beside one of them indicating that the piece had been bought. It is a piece that shows me looking out a window, my back towards the viewer. I had made the comment that I likely would not sell images that were of me, because in terms of being commercial which is where I thought my target market was, it would not fit the bill. Goes to show I have a lot to learn, and to stop trying to determine what will and will not sell.

These were the pieces I submitted, the top one being the one that sold. So now the question is...... what should I do for next year?

Angels and Demons

I can not believe it has been almost three months since I last made a post. So Happy Belated New Year, to you my 12 followers. I hope the new year has been good to you thus far. Spring is just around the corner, and it is only a week until we spring ahead our clocks.

I have to admit the year has been off to a rough start for me in some aspects. I have enjoyed the mild winter we experienced, but the lack of sun has certainly created a bit of a funk for me. I did head out with camera in hand a few times, but found I was coming home without taking a single shot. I guess the walk and fresh air was a benefit, but I seemed to lack inspiration.

Not to say I haven't used my camera at all. I have used it quite a bit for work reasons. I work for a designer who owns a shop in the Summerhill district of Toronto and I have been busy taking all the photos for the business postcards, facebook pages, and some for the website. Mostly commercial images of products. I don't mind doing it, and I hope to develop some skills with interior lighting, and I still have a wide angle lens on my wish list for interior shots.

I recently watched the movie Angels and Demons with Tom Hanks for the second time. I also have the movie soundtrack on my i Pod. The movie inspired me to head out and take more photos with the intent of turning them into black and whites that I could then print and frame and feature in the store I work in. Did I mention that I have been selling my photos in the store? Well, now you know. Mostly black and whites framed in a simple black wooden frame. Anyways, I decided to play the soundtrack to the movie, and it seemed to naturally lead me to the many churches downtown. It wasn't long before I was feeling good about the shoot, and felt back in my game. Once again, history, architecture, and in this case music helped bring me out of my rut, and feel good about my hobby. I have asked Hugh to include a selected piece from the soundtrack to get you in the same state of mind I was in while you look at these photos....

Notes: The sound clip starts off softly and then builds in volume. You can see the entire set of photos on my facebook page. And the shop I work in is called "Jamie Alexander". There is also a page on facebook for that.

Enjoy!!

Inspired..

Last night I had the joy of attending the first ever Inspire Awards, a night of giving thanks and honoring the lifetime contribution of individuals to the LGBTQ community. (Lesbian, Gay, Trans-gendered, Queer). This year the honor went to Michelle Dubarry (Russell Alldread), Boyd Kodak, and a Special Honourary award was given to The Honorable late Jack Layton. His Son and Daughter received the award on his behalf.

Earlier in the year I was asked by my good friend Antoine Elhashem if I would be willing to donate a piece of my photography towards the silent auction part of the evening. Without hesitation I accepted. Along with nine other artists, our donations helped fund the awards celebration, and to ensure other deserving people will be awarded in the future.

I chose this image to frame because I find it majestic, and inspiring. A single tree stands in the midst of a field, and as Autumn makes it entrance the leaves change colour, and start to fall. But the tree does not feel alone, or isolated in my opinion. To me, it stands tall, proud and keeping watch over the land. Not afraid to embrace the changing seasons. The colour orange, was not by accident. That was my own special tribute to the Honorable late Jack Layton. He, along with the others were, and remain an inspiration to the community, and true champions for change and acceptance.

I entitled the image "A season of change". Here it is:

Window Wonderland..

It has become a tradition that once Halloween is over and the retail world starts to tease our minds with all the goodies they have to sell for the Christmas season, that I head out and try to capture some of the glitz, glam, and perhaps to a lesser sense memories of a more traditional Christmas with my camera.

As I've gotten older, I find I am less caught up in the frenzy of giving and getting, but more and more enticed by the beauty, the feelings, the traditions, and perhaps magic of the season. I would much prefer not to spend hours and hours shopping, but rather time enjoying the lights, decorations, music, and time with friends sharing a meal, or having a glass of wine.

Kind of funny, considering I work in the retail world don't you think?

Anyways, here is a collection of some of the shots I have taken thus far. I hope to get out and capture a few more today.

Enjoy!

Stone Garden..

Have you noticed that I keep re-visiting some of my old and favorite themes? I've mentioned numerous times how nostalgia plays a large part of my life, so it is no surprise that it also plays a part in my photographic themes.

Architecture. The very first subject I used to photograph using my point and shoot camera, and the subject I think I most love. Well... today anyways. Tomorrow it will likely be trees, or abstract colour, pattern and textures. The point is, I have my favorites and I find great comfort in going back and capturing these subjects a second, third, or more times. Each time I notice I shoot less, but think about the shot more. You may not be able to notice a difference. I notice it more when I am doing post edits. There seems to be less edits, cropping, or even discarding. I guess that just means I'm perhaps being more picky, and possibly learning a few things along the way.

So with a recent day off I headed to Mount Pleasant Cemetery to focus on architecture and statuary details. Here are some of my favorites from the day.