Wolf Moon over Downtown Red Wing
Capturing the Wolf Moon: A Yearly Tradition
This is a photo I try to capture every year. It is the largest and brightest full moon of the year and is called the Wolf Moon.
Last year I missed the opportunity, but in 2009, I managed to capture it about 5 minutes after it was at its most dramatic (Full Moon over Barn Bluff).
This year, I suddenly remembered it was Wolf Moon time and jumped in my car, driving all over town to find an interesting perspective. I pretty much ended up where I shot this moon two years ago. You have to be quick because this moon rises very quickly.
Shot in RAW, 47mm, 1/200 second at f/2.8, handheld.
Please keep arms and legs in the vehicle
Looking Forward: Lessons and Excitement for 2011
Back in July of this year, there was a blog posting that discussed the first half of the year and what the second half of the year looked like (1st Cutting...).
Now, at the end of the year, it seems overwhelming to look back. That being said, the point of this entry will be all about looking forward.
If there's one lesson learned in this business, it's to trust your gut. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. And if it does feel right, it probably is. 2011 feels very right.
The new website is close (and late) to being rolled out. Products are being refined, and some new projects are already in the queue. It will be very busy and a lot of work.
But it is still a labor of love, and that is what really matters.
Thank you for your support. We are very grateful for our customers.
Cartooning…
Exciting Upcoming Art Exhibit: Contemporary Cartoon Artists
We are thrilled to announce tentative arrangements for an art exhibit later this year featuring the work of contemporary cartoon artists. Our friend Britt Aamodt will be releasing her book around the same time, driving this exhibit forward. Her book will be available at the Minnesota Historical Society Press.
The plan is to invite several talented artists, showcase large format cartoons, hold a cartooning Q&A session, and host a book signing event spread across three venues: Best of Times Bookstore, The Sheldon Theatre mezzanine gallery, and our gallery.
You might wonder if cartooning is a legitimate art medium. It absolutely is! And I would suggest keeping any doubts to yourself, lest you become the target of a parodied cartoon.
The beauty of cartooning lies in its versatility. It can lampoon or glamorize its subjects, be humorous or brutally frank, address real life or create an entirely new universe with its own rules. In other words, cartoon art defies definition.
This exhibit promises to be a lot of fun. I grew up reading the comics, and I still enjoy them today. I love the comics.
This event aligns perfectly with our past exhibits, including the Brown & Bigelow Pin-up exhibit in 2007, the Cream of Wheat original advertising art in 2008, and the original pulp magazine cover art in 2009. Stay tuned for more details as they unfold.
Going ultra-wide
Understanding the Field of View Crop Factor in Digital SLR Cameras
Because the sensor in a digital SLR camera is typically smaller than the 35 mm film it replaced, the physics of the lens's focal point changes. This phenomenon is known as the "Field of View Crop Factor" or "Focal Length Multiplier." The result is that your long lens becomes longer, and your wide lens becomes narrower.
Wildlife photographers appreciate the Focal Length Multiplier because their 200 mm telephoto lens effectively becomes a 320 mm lens. However, creative photographers find it frustrating because a 24 mm lens becomes a 38 mm lens, making it challenging to achieve a truly wide angle.
My personal lens investment dates back to the pre-digital era, so I never had the chance to compensate for this effect. Consequently, all my lenses became too long for many of my purposes. To satisfy my need for wide shots, I occasionally rent a 14 mm ultra-wide lens (with an effective focal length of 22 mm), which reminds me of the good old days when a wide lens was truly a wide lens.
Wide-angle photography is a lot of fun and allows me to keep the social media header imagery fresh.
The story arc of the Marc Chagall project
Rescuing a Marc Chagall Linoleum Lithograph
Just to refresh... a customer had rescued this original Marc Chagall linoleum lithograph from slowly being destroyed by the mounting and the framing (please see: "How to commit art murder," or, "I ruined a masterpiece, but saved on the framing"...). The mats were leeching acid into the art paper, the non-UV glass was allowing the sun to fade the art, and the MDF frame was slowly dissolving the art with formaldehyde out-gassing.
The rescued piece will be picked up by the customer today, and a ceremony will take place to present the art back to the public library. I thought I would share the design details of this project:
It features a double rag mat design (100% acid-free) with a filet. The bottom mat has a 1" reveal (this is a museum standard for a design with a filet) and the top mat has a 3.25" reveal. The art paper had some waviness, and it is loosely held in place with archival corners on the backside. This allows the art to breathe and respond to the ambient temperature. The outside moulding is called an Amante design, which is a classic moulding style. The glazing is a museum-quality UV glass, which is almost imperceptible. It was decided not to conceal the staining from the previous mats and to incorporate the flawed feature into the overall design.
It looks very classy and is totally reversible for future framers in the event of a re-design.
Respect the art. Protect, preserve, and present the art.
Red Wing Central Park Band Shell: A Follow-Up
Does this guy ever stop talking about the new bandshell?
Apparently not.
It's time for an update on the Red Wing Central Park Band Shell.
This time last year, the park was a mess. Frozen and snow-covered dirt piles were scattered all over the site, making it look like a project that was going to miss the July 4th deadline. However, Red Wing Construction is a very professional company, proud of the product they deliver. They met the July 4th deadline with days to spare.
After the project was completed, Red Wing Construction presented The Jones Family Foundation (the benefactors of the band shell to the City) with a beautifully framed memento. It is a 36"x32" multi-opening custom framed piece showcasing the band shell from different angles and during the very first performance. It also includes a custom embossed mat of the Red Wing Construction logo.
We were proud to provide all of the photographs, the printing, and the framing, and we have since created a few more of these pieces for Red Wing Construction.
How to commit art murder, or, "I ruined a masterpiece, but saved on the framing"
A Close Call for a Marc Chagall Masterpiece
This is a tragic tale, but thank goodness a good samaritan rescued the art.
An original Marc Chagall lithograph had been donated to the local library. Many years ago, someone decided to frame this irreplaceable piece using the cheapest solution available. This included a low-quality MDF frame with standard glass and paper mats. To further insult the art, it was glued to the back of the mat.
Let's summarize how this art was nearly ruined:
The frame was made from a cheap MDF material that out-gasses formaldehyde, effectively dissolving the art over time.
The glass provided no UV protection, making fading inevitable.
The mat was a cheap paper mat with acids that leeched into the art, and foxing (bacteria) was growing on the paper.
The glue—oh, the glue. Don't even get me started on the glue.
A biological, chemical, and radioactive attack on the art—a true WMD from an art standpoint.
Friends don't let friends frame drunk.
Despite all this, the artwork itself is a stunning piece of creativity. Chagall, a Jewish Russian-French artist who lived from 1887 to 1985, was a giant in the art world and an early innovator of Modernism. His work is truly inspiring to examine.
We are now working on a new and completely archival frame design for this piece. I will post updates when the project is finished.