Under the Darkroom Lights Part II

Paper negatives of pinhole images

            Round two of the pinhole photography workshop. Thanks again to the Youth Arts Alliance for bringing this fun activity to The Art Lab. Hooray for easy access to creative happenings!

            A vintage piece of luggage and some leftover foam padding made a great case for Granny. I felt quite stylish toting it around.

All tucked in!

           Here are my digital renderings of those paper negatives:

The first one is always a little wonky.

I rushed this composition and left out my lil' balloon dog.

That's better. Hello, lil' balloon dog!

Seems I captured a ghost! Is this typer haunted?!

             Overall, I am happiest with two of the pinhole images. So, I framed them together and gave them as a gift to my brother for Christmas.

Make and give gifts!

            The other two were made in a rush. (I was excited, ok?!) I'm learning that I need to slow down, take my time, and not get impatient with myself. 

            I had a great time meeting some new people who had a variety of experience levels. Some were trying out this process for the first time. Nice to see a heathy interest in pinhole imagery, and darkroom work experience.

            Granny made a gracious model for this photo shoot. I knew she would! Go ahead and take a bow, old girl!

That's all, folks! Have a happy New Year!! See you again sometime in 2022!!!

Under the Darkroom Lights

Paper Negatives made by pinhole camera

        I went to a pinhole photography workshop at the MSU Broad Art Museum recently and really enjoyed learning about this fascinating process. Getting images was an exciting and stimulating experience. Thank you, to the Youth Arts Alliance for bringing this workshop to The Art Lab.

        I brought the images home and began working out how to invert the images. I downloaded a photo editing program and figured it out fairly easily. A little bit of tweaking and here's what I came up with. 

        If I get a chance to do this again I would like to bring a prop. I'm thinking typewriter, perhaps Granny, after I blow the dust out of her first, of course.

        Did you know there is a Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day? The next one will be on April 24, 2022. Add that event to your calendar and while you wait, check out some images from the gallery of the last Pinhole Day.

        And now I will leave you with some advice that has clearly withstood the test of time!

Newspaper clipping found in dictionary purchased at an estate sale

Under the Radar

Lately I've been enjoying limiting the amount that I share... until I didn't have a phone for three weeks (going on four) and sharing anything became much more difficult.

No phone calls, no texts, no pictures--ack!

My old phone died unexpectedly. I know I should have upgraded earlier. That would have saved a great hassle. But that's all that it's been, a trouble, a nuisance. I realize problems could be much worse.

Normally I'm fine setting the phone aside. For most of the day it sits on the counter practically untouched. However, since this was not a willing choice, I've been feeling a little dysfunctional without it.

I'm not sure when 'll have a phone again. Hopefully soon because I have not been without a phone for this long in my adult life. For now I will be keeping a low profile, reluctantly.

Nevertheless, I did the writing prompt for the most recent episode of Typewriter Club LIVE!  Thought I might share it this way and see what happens. Thanks to all those fun folks that make the show a delight to watch; you know who you are!

So, here it is, my short essay for the writing prompt: "If typewriters could talk mine would say..."

I'm really hoping to get to my first segment flush sometime soon. I think I'm ready for the challenge. Lord knows this swell gal will really enjoy the spa works! (And now I feel a little silly for thinking of it as a challenge considering those who might happen to read this post, but hey! It's my first time!) 

Take care, y'all! And reach out to someone you care about today because you never know when someone is struggling with feelings of isolation. Let's keep lifting each other up!

Under the Microscope

A microscope attachment for my phone? Yes, please!

I really enjoy making these little image collages out of the snapshots that can be captured so easily!

I can get lost in this microscopic new world! Perhaps that's where I've been for the last two months? What is time?

I am a believer in the "use what you have" mentality; at the time we had snow, so, yeah, snowflakes.

Small and insignificant but ubiquitous, the secret code of the industrial printing machines.

More to come in some future post because I am fond of this tiny (pun intended!) gadget!

Under the Table

            My kids can read me under the table. They zip through chapter books at a rate that astounds me. I wish I could keep up with them. Maybe someday.

            For now, I feel pretty good about the books I was able to finish in 2020. The stack includes Standing at Water's Edge by Anne Paris,  100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write by Sarah Ruhl,  When Strangers Meet by Kio Stark,  In His Image by Jen Wilkin,  Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris,  and The Once and Future King by T. H. White.

            Here's my 2020 Reading List reviews in a nutshell.  Firstly, I did not realize White's novel about King Arthur would take me a year to read, but am glad to have taken the time to do so. It's definitely a book I would consider re-reading (right now if it weren't for all the other books I'm anxious to get to-- again, maybe someday!). I now understand that I need to read more books by Sedaris, a hilariously entertaining storyteller. Paris's and Wilkin's books were helpful. I found Stark's book insightful. Finally, Ruhl's delightful book reminded me to do more writing of my own.

            On to accumulating titles for 2021's reading list! I hope you found something good to read in the past year!