Retirement?!!

 

Vancouver Island First?

 

Boxes for Ambrotypes

After my recent plea for ways to store my Ambrotypes from the project AMBROTOS KANATA. I received the following. I think I can make some of these with my new woodworking tools.

DW - My suggestion would be to go out to your woodworking shop and make cases sized to fit. A box is a relatively easy thing to make, with the only consideration is to weight: the heavier the plate totals the sturdier the box needs to be. To give a really rustic look, butterboxes can be found at any antique store, just fabricate the slots to hold the plates in the vertical position. This apothecary style cabinet holds 26 glass plates per drawer, or back-to back 52 aluminum per drawer.

Meanwhile this 5x7 road case uses 3D printed slots and holds 18 plates. I no longer use the 3D slots as they make more noise than wood grooves as the glass rattles when "driving down the road."

BR-big boxes for the 20x24 need the plates spaced out better. I alternated the grove is the bottom so every other plate is higher in the box makes it easier to grab hold of.

DW-Here is your guide to making the "racks" for inside the box.  I use low grade poplar available at any building store. You want on the sides AND bottom. The trick here is cutting the slots with a 60 degree bit on the router table. If you look long and hard, Craftsman used to make a moulding blade for table saw, one of the blade was a 45 degree bit, and that works.  If you have a sled made for your table saw, it would be the easiest and fastest. (You should have a sled - it will make all your crosscuts so much easier and far more accurate)

DW boxes

BR boxes

Ambrotype Storage Plea

Sent this out to my Facebook friends

Hey good folks, some suggestions please. 

As my long term Ambrotype project of Canada progresses (AMBROTOS KANATA) I am collecting more and more larger plates. I have spent the last several days varnishing 12x20 and 11x14 inch glass plates. I will be shooting 24x24 inch plates this summer. Eventually I might have over 1000 ULF Ambrotypes.

Here is the question. 

What is the best way to safe guard and protect the plates? How and in what way should I store them? 

My hope is to shoot over the next 15 years and them donate it all to somewhere that cares. Before that happens I need to protect the plates from damage.

Photographing the Coliseum

I have a bit more time to make my ambrotypes of the old Northlands Coliseum before it’s gone. Part of the AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate project. Hopefully next summer. 

The demolition will cost 35 million and is at least 2 years away. It is such a historic building for Edmonton, where Gretz and the boys won their cups! I just gotta shoot it!

Retirment Fast Approaching

Note* My security license expires March 27, 2024. That might be my last day of work.

The Grand Canadian Landscape

I am thinking more and more about “The Grand Canadian Landscape”. The Arctic, the coasts, the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and the plains. With my ultra large 24x24 inch Ambrotype plates, diptychs and triptychs would sing telling the landscape story of Canada, They could then be displayed in my beautiful handmade frames, at galleries across the country.

More thought needed.

Made Two Submissions

I just made 2 gallery submissions to the main gallery at CASA in Lethbridge, Alberta. It is a nice facility with an CARFAC artist fee of $1500+. I submitted THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and AMNBROTOS KAANATA. Families would be printed in 11x14 P.latinum-Palladium with wooden frames and AMBROTOS would be Ambrotype of various sizes, also in my handmade wooden frames.

Pretty tough to get into a place like this, and they favour local folks, making it even harder, but thought I would give it a go. I really need to start exhibiting AMBROTOS KANATA. The problem is all the time required to make up all these submission. I basically spent the best part of 3 days working on these 2 submissions. I hope in that I can use some of the same material for future submissions to other galleries, saving on submission work time.

CASA Art Gallery in Lethbridge, Alberta, photographer unknown

Photo Idea: Multiple Ambrotypes to Tell One Story

This is today’s work. A 14x14 inch Diptych frame from pine wood. I just applied the 3rd coat of charcoal stain, might do a 4th. We shall see how it looks after drying. Then I need to add a coat of semi gloss.

As I was working on this frame tonight, I had an idea. What if I found a worthy subject then photographed it from multiple angles or lens, then made a Triptych frame like this to tell a more complete story. Heck I could even place 4 or 5 ultra large Ambrotypes in one very long and large frame. That type of art work would be unique and beautiful. Now that I am making my own frames, the creative possibilities seem to be expanding.

What would they be called? Diptych, Triptych, then? Quadtych? Pentatych? 

I have at least 3, possibly 4-14x14 plates of this Saskatchewan Church that might work. Still need to finish them up (varnish). Might make a frame for that. If I ever get an exhibition for the Ambrotypes AMBROTOS KANATA project, a large artwork like that should command the wall.

This idea might work best with the immense Canadian landscape, large forests, flowing plains, mountain passes, and huge churning ocean quadtychs!!!

Or even larger. What if I had 5-24x24 inch Ambrotypes in one long Pentatych (5 image) frame. One huge work with a grand theme.

Something like that would be extremely challenging and damanding to make. Might be worth a try thou. What the heck else is life for? You need to chase difficult, near impossible dreams.

After the 3rd coat of charcoal stain

Saskatchewan church

Why Rough Frames?

 

I had a person on Facebook ask me why I am using cheap pine wood, why not use a more expensive, better quality wood? Here is my answer. 

“ JS- I am a beginner at this, started making frames 1 month ago. On this frame, I made 2 measurement errors! Might go to more expensive woods later when I feel more confident. Or might stay with the cheap stuff. 

I kinda like the rougher look of this wood. It fits my rougher looking Ambrotypes. I am even working with FREE pallet wood I got out of the garbage. See sample. 

I feel that the frame and ambrotype can tell a story together, if done right. Am searching for that creative connection of two hand made things, working in unison, to tell a common story. 

At least that’s the hope 🙂”

Note* I am also limited by my lack of woodworking skills!