Thinking a lot today. Most of my thoughts are very scattered though.

I'm remembering a lot about Japan. In my spare time (I don't think I really have any of that!) I have been organizing a book of photos from our trip.

We are planning another trip – this one to Hawaii at the end of January – and I think that is adding to my scattered feelings. 

Mountain rest stop in Japan.

The city skyline view you could see as you were walking up to Osaka Castle.

Osaka Castle

I feel right now like I am at a point where I'm not sure I am working on the right things for my project, or focusing in the right areas. It is a hard feeling to have, and it fills my mind with a lot of questions that no one can really answer. 

I have plans to focus on writing more tomorrow, and work on making more test prints on Thursday. 

Hopefully that will help.

Until tomorrow,

~Peace~

Today I started my Monday like I have so many other weeks. Coffee, a little bit of internet time, and getting ready to tackle that huge to-do list. 

Today, it was a little hard getting to that to-do list. It took me awhile to realize why. It finally dawned on me that the huge to-do list, wasn't so huge today. For the first time in weeks, I didn't have things that needed to be ready for a drop off the next day. For the first time there weren't deadlines looming over me. Well, there is still that deadline for my show, and that is a pretty huge deadline, but it isn't something you tackle in one day. (I have also reached a point that requires more thinking than doing, but that is perhaps something for a different blog post) 

So instead of framing, gluing, labeling, and making inventory lists, I spent the day writing, doing some research, and finishing up an image I promised @jeffreywith2fs for his Great Polaroid Giveaway project. This felt a lot more like playing than working! 

It is so cold here, even the snow ninja is protesting for the return of Spring! Taken with my Canon Rebel XT this afternoon, on my snowy deck.

Yes, it's cheesy!

It was a wonderfully enjoyable day!

Until tomorrow,

~Peace~

Here are scans of the two images I printed on the kozo paper I made.

You'll recognize the photos from one of my recent blog posts. Both of the images are from our trip to Japan.

I didn't do anything special to the paper. This is paper that I  made in a Japanese paper making class. It is made with a fiber called Kozo, which comes from a Mullberry bush. There is no sizing in the paper, and nothing coating it to accept the ink differently. This paper was made, dried, and then shoved into my printer. 

I am considering making more of this paper to make more prints on. I can make the paper quite a bit whiter (it involves a longer cleaning process). 

Many things to think about.

Until Monday

~Peace~

Today was a day of experimenting. Thankfully, many were successful, which always helps my motivation, and my mood.

My granny started me on collecting Russian dolls when I was young. My collection is not huge, but it is well loved. I have recently been thinking about how analog dolls are, particularly russian dolls, how simple they are. I have wanted to photograph them for about a week now, and finally today I found a perfect patch of sunshine where I could work on them. 

The last one is my very favorite. The last two were shot on Fade to Black polaroid film, which, just like the name implies, continues to develop and fades to black over the next 24 hours until it is completely black unless you intervene with the developing process. These scans were from the first 1/2 hour after the photos were taken. Expect to see these again soon in somewhat altered states!

I also experimented a bit with printing today. This past weekend I took a Japanese paper making class at MCBA. Today, I took one sheet of the paper that I made, and without any preperation, ran it through my printer to see how well I could print on it. I was surprised! It printed very well! This of course opens up many possibilities in my mind – such as buying kozo fibers to make into paper to print the images for this show on. It is a possibility. I am working on figuring out the logistics, and my time line, but it hasn't been ruled out yet.

I will post scans of that tomorrow.

Until then,

~Peace~

I have been working on our Japan photo book a lot today. While doing this I find a lot of images that I think could be used as stand-alone images in my project. 

I came across these tonight. They were all taken with my Canon 40D (which I have decided on selling, and am ironically missing just a bit right now). 

I'm not quite sure yet how I would present these images. Obviously I've played with the toning in Photoshop and Lightroom, and not that I think there is anything wrong with it. I've been contemplating keeping things simple for the show though: compilation images in color, stand alone images in black and white. 

I used to watch her write. I watched how she formed each letter. 

Handwriting is so analog.

Handwriting carries part of the person's spirit with it. The person had to touch the paper to write what they did. Their presence is embedded there.

Is there a digital equivalent? 

Will loved ones someday look through our tweets, our facebook posts, and our flickr accounts to once again feel our presence, the same way we now hang onto and re-read cards, notes, letters, journals, and hold on to anything actually touched by those who have already gone?

Until tomorrow.

~Peace~

The very last drop-off for the very last Holiday sale was made today. 

Please go to visit Dabble and all of the other awesome Johnson Street Merchants on Thursday (December 10th) from 6-9 pm. Many of the shops will be having treats and special deals. It is fun! My work will be on display at Dabble. 

The snow is here. I'm actually very excited to start taking some snow photos tomorrow. This will be the first winter I have been shooting Polaroids. I'm anxious to see how they turn out.

That is all I have for today. 

Until tomorrow,

~Peace~ 

Over the weekend I got to take this amazing paper making class with Jana Pullman at MCBA. 

I tried paper making once before while working on my BFA degree at the U of M. I did manage to make some paper in that class, but they were all thick, very cottony, mostly uneven, and not something I ever had any inclining to use. Plus, the class made me sick, and I ended up dropping out before even reaching the mid term. 

I had talked to Jana once before about my experience while taking another class of hers, and she encouraged me to try again. I decided this class would be a nice break from the work I have been doing. 

It was amazing. The paper I made was the right thickness (most of the time!) it is strong, and amazing. My brain has been whirling all day thinking of ways to add this into my photo work. I promise to take better photos of the sheets soon.

Today, I spent the day finishing work to take to Dabble for their Holiday shopping day on Thursday. I also managed to make proofs of all the image possibilities for my show. So far there are 36 in all, though I know there will be a fair number of those that will be edited out. It does make me feel a bit better though – I am well on my way, and I feel I have even clearer direction to work in now. 

I also, of course, messed with a couple of my images again today while I was working on printing them. 

They are getting close, as it is getting harder to tell what exactly I changed. Just trust me, they are better ;)

Until tomorrow

~Peace~

Apparently some comments are not appearing on my blog. I'm not sure why, and we are working on fixing that. Please don't think I'm moderating any of you! I only delete spam! Honest!

Now that that is out of the way, on to artwork.

I started working on this compilation yesterday. It is a work-in-progress that I hope to finish up by Monday so it can be added to the inventory at Dabble for their holiday sale.

I haven't come up with a title yet. So far, the working title is Gold Medal. 

Thank you to all who have visited the holiday art sales so far! Hopefully for all of us it is a successful year. 

This weekend I am taking a Japanese papermaking class at Minnesota Center for Book Arts. I really have no idea what to expect from this class, but I am excited to take it. It is being taught by Jana Pullman, one of my favorite book arts instructors. I took papermaking in college (though not Japanese style) and enjoyed it. I have wanted to get back into it a bit more and be able to some how work it into my photography. We will see where it takes me. No matter what, it will be a fun weekend. 

Until Monday,

~Peace~

Some compilation images come together really easy. Sometimes, I will be in a zone where I can see exactly how everything should fit together, and know exactly what I have to do to each layer to bring everything together. 

Other images take me quite a few tries.

This is the third time I have posted a version of this image. I think this is finally it. We'll see how it prints!

Until tomorrow

~Peace~

I'm realizing this is kind-of a hard season. There isn't any pretty snow yet, and it gets dark really early. Somedays, you just need a little boost! Today, I found myself remembering August. 

All taken with a Pentax K1000. It is a fun little camera to always have around with you. Much easier to fit in a purse than a medium format camera tends to be…though that doesn't stop me. I've been carrying my Mamiya in my purse most of the week.

Until tomorrow,

~Peace~