I am collecting images for the new piece I am creating for Made Here. Editing, making adjustments, adding, subtracting…
This is all part of my process.
All above images taken with Kodak Ektar film and a Mamiya C330 camera.
Artwork
Not all here yet
With all the projects I am working on, and the applications that are due very soon, I can honestly say that most of the time I have no clue what is going on in the rest of the world. I only have my to-do lists of projects, and that is honestly about all I can keep track of. I’m grateful for the other people in my life that often help me keep track of where I’m going, and where I am supposed to be!
On top of the Made Here project, I am also working on getting artwork ready for Art-a-Whirl, which also includes finishing more of the edition of my little book. For that I have mostly been focusing on creating the instant photos for the covers, and other very mechanical things such as trimming pages and cutting strips to weave pages together. Perhaps this will become an Art-a-Whirl demo? “Come watch Jes put together her crazy book!”
I am working on scanning in and editing negatives from my little photo shoot on Sunday. These will go into a new piece created just for the Made Here exhibit. I will post a few of those photos soon!
In the mean time, here are a few photos of the ongoing journal projects I am working on. These have been really helping me to focus and clear my head a bit! None of the poetry or journaling is especially fantastic, but it is keeping me sane for now!
Darkroom days are the best days
2 rolls of black and white film developed
3 rolls of C41 film developed
25 proof sheets printed
#stampburners items printed (haven’t been mailed yet, but it is early!)
1 long walk taken with a friend and her puppy
Lego Movie watched with John
I definitely kicked butt on my Made Here Mn project to-do list today!
Here’s to hoping the rest of the week is as productive!
Also finished journal page 1/100 for the #100DaysProject!
Printing and photo walks
One of the things I have planned for the Made Here exhibit is a new compilation image of things photographed close to where my installation would be. Now that I have a location where my work will be displayed, I needed to get started on creating that new piece.
I had been planning a trip out to the site on Sunday for a while. It would be a quiet day, with not too many things planned. The weather was supposed to be decent, and I figured John and I could get out for a walk, and stop for a drink at some near-by place when I was done.
Of course, I didn’t expect myself to be mostly recovered from being sick, but John to be in the middle of a bad cold. He was understandably not up for going on a long walk around the city with me. So, after much hesitation, I went by myself.
You see, I have always enjoyed photo walks with friends. This is something we would do in photo class…or at least we would always have our cameras with us, ready to turn anything into a photo walk. My friend Julie would always be up for walking around the cities at night while I took pictures, usually leading to crazy adventures, and plenty of stories we still laugh about to this day.
Of course, friends get different jobs, and move away, have kids, and many things change, but I have always seemed to have one friend or another that would go with…until recently.
So, I have gone out more often by myself. I always hesitate at first, my brain telling me I hate going out alone, that there will be too many weird people, that they will hate me for whatever reason…hello inner-critic. But I eventually go anyway.
Today, was one of those days. With my brain telling me not to leave, I left John home to rest, grabbed my headphones and camera, and went to work on this project.
I came home happy, relaxed, and with 5 rolls of film from my walk that went for almost 2 hours. I think it is finally time to stop believing my inner-critic, and start admitting that I am perfectly happy to go out by myself when that is the best option.
5 rolls of film to develop Monday, and see how they might work into a new image for this.
After I got back home, I did some more work on one of the other images. I have re-scanned negatives, making the file size big enough to print 4ft square at 300dpi…and you know what? I actually like the bit I printed from the original image, enlarged past what it should be for printing resolution. I need to talk with a few people who know more about printing things large than I do…but perhaps this means a bit less busy work for me.
It was so amazing, seeing where my work will be installed! I still can’t believe I have this opportunity!
Made Here!!
I have been waiting to be able to announce this!
I had a proposal accepted for the Made Here INTERSEC+IONS exhibition taking place this summer in empty store fronts along Hennepin Avenue. Starting later in May, four of my images will be printed (very very large!) and displayed in four of the windows in the second floor of the old National Camera building at 930 Hennepin Avenue.
This is huge! I am beyond thrilled that I get to be part of this, participating with so many other talented artists and groups….I am shocked!
I have sooooooo much work ahead of me this month to prepare… But it will be so amazing and worth it!
Stick around, I will post many in-progress reports of how things are going with preparations, on top of my regular-semi-daily updates.
And save the date! June 3rd, 7-9pm is the big public launch party for the exhibition with a tour of all the installations!
I’m pretty certain this will be one of the images I have in this installation….it is one of my favorites….
Long days
Days stuck at home being sick can get really long. Today, after feeling like I would burst without a bit of creative time, packed up my laptop, notebook, and some sketching tools and headed back to bed. Yes, just like a little kid taking all their toys to bed with them. It helped though. I stayed put for most of the day, and am starting to feel a bit more human. I participated in Wet Paint’s Weekly Work-Outs by making a charcoal sketch of my hand. No, it isn’t great, I haven’t sketched for a very long time. But, I started sketching again today.
I also edited the black and white film photos I took of the swans a couple of weeks ago. I realize that it is not at all easy to photograph swans with black and white film, and that I should have brought color film with me. But I am still enjoying these. I have a 150mm lens for my Hasselblad, which is what I was using for these. Not as much zoom as the lens I had with for my digital. Next time, I think I will bring a different film camera with that has a bit more zoom capabilities. I rather like being able to get in really close to them. But, I do adore the square format and the graininess of these photos! Different mediums…
Hopefully I’ll be back out to photograph these birds again soon. This year has already brought about many changes and challenges and a dose of sorrow. But so every year goes. And perhaps we are wrong to think each year will be different in that respect. When really, the years are the same, with their ups and downs, but each has a different theme. Maybe the theme of this year for me will have something to do with nature. I don’t expect it will take me long to find out!
Another weekend
The reception at Konawerks Saturday night was lovely. It was very encouraging to me – that everything I am trying to do and juggle is worth it, and there are people who notice.
I love the snow we have been getting – the soft flakes, the not terribly cold weather. I love this season.
Recently, I have spent some time printing again, working on my little press down by the fire place, getting reacquainted with my studio. That is one of many things making me happy.
And my Christmas Cactus is blooming!
Little updates
It has been a little quiet around my blog since I finished the last major run of printing on my book. It has been nice to have just a short break.
Of course I have been working on other little things after the printing was complete on my book. I am in a great workshop at MCBA, learning about photopolymer photograveur from Paulette Meyers Rich – an amazing artist and person. The class is full of great, creative people, and I am so excited to learn more about this medium and technique. I would really like to create more of my work in this way. And considering that my new job will allow me some extra funds to pay for the supplies needed for this medium, I’m certain I will continue with it in some form.
Yes, I said that. I have a new job. I start in just under 1 week as one of the studio managers at Anoka Ramsey Community College. It will be great!
Of course this means a lot of changes in my life in the upcoming years…as if there haven’t been many changes already. I think the hardest so far is having to step back from all the free-lance jobs I usually take on without really thinking. Time will be much more precious now.
And of course I will still be trying to finish this little book! I spent a lot of time at MCBA yesterday, and managed to get the pages organized, sorted, and the edges trimmed.
I still plan on working on this book as often as I can. Though my progress on it will slow down considerably. The work I completed yesterday was amazing to finish. Those steps were the last that needed to be completed at MCBA, and represent one more massive step complete in this book’s process. The rest I can complete on my own, wherever I need to be.
Today is the first Wednesday this summer that I haven’t been volunteering at the library. First up today is working on pottery with my dad. There is also a photo job scheduled later today, other little errands, and some work on weekend plans. But the sun is out, and I think today will be a good day.
Prints 16 & 17
On Friday I printed the map.
The map shows up on every page of this little book.
I somehow managed to mix the perfect shade of light grey ink.
Today I printed the title page and colophon. That took four runs, and four shades of blue ink. Somehow I only managed to photograph three, but you get the idea.
This little book is far from done. Next comes binding and making covers. But I am so excited to be this far, to do my last press run today.
Mississippi Mornings
I wish I could put into words how is feels to be where I am in this moment, in my living room, music blasting (Kathleen Edwards station on Rdio), windows wide open with the breeze and the smell of the oncoming storm blowing through. My journal is open to the page where I scribbled down my latest great idea for an artist statement (this one might actually stick).
This past weekend included my cousin’s wedding, staying out late to see Northern Spark events with John until we were exhausted, visiting the Stone Arch Bridge festival with my parents, and walking with them for the longest outing we have had together in years. Enjoying one more holiday I didn’t have to waitress….
I finally came up with a solid idea for the next art show I am included in (this one is truly an honor!) and I spent a lot of time this weekend day dreaming about it, anxious to get started on the work for it. Yes, it will include another book. Yes, I may have a problem starting editions and not finishing them before starting another one. This will be the last…promise.
This morning started as rocky as most of my mornings do (I’m just not a morning person) but once the coffee hit I have worked non-stop on artwork prep, Etsy listings, and printing book pages.
I have been hard at work printing pages for my #MorningMississippi book. 
That stack of paper is the pages for 10 copies of this tiny book. My goal is to get close to 40.
I completed one last prototype for the Guided Book Projects class that got this little book started. There are still a few issues to work out, but I’m pretty excited with how it is going. 
There are many parts to print for each book, so the progress is very slow. But I am so very glad to have one copy put together. It keeps me motivated to work through the edition!
I’m taking a break to go to yoga today. Every Monday at 3:30 is a session of Yin Yoga at Nordeast Yoga Studio. It has quickly become my favorite, and one of the few things recently that has been able to quiet down my mind for a bit. It is very meditative, and I am very glad I found this yoga studio and this practice this year.
Tonight I’m heading back to the MCBA Visual Journaling Collective monthly meeting. I went for the first time last month. The group of people that come to the meetings are inspiring, and it has motivated me to hang out with my journal more. I still don’t know if this is a permanent place for me, but it is a good place for the moment. The present moment is what I need to focus on.
Update: June 27th the Rare and Antiquarian Book Fair is happening at the MN State Fair Grounds in the Progress building. I’ll be there selling work at the MCBA Co-op table!