My Final Workshop in Germany

Jasmine & Abel - 6"x6" Black Glass Ambrotype - 7 Nov., 2010It's bitter-sweet. I just finished my last Wet Plate Collodion workshop I'll do in Germany. Two photography teachers from Brussels came down; Erwin and Frederick. We had a good time. It's always fun, and I'll miss it terribly. However, there is a time to call it and this was it. I could be weeks away from being back in the United States and I need time put things away, both literally and psychologically. I need to separate a little bit. Time will do this.

Jeanne asked a friend, Jasmine, to come over so that Erwin and Frederick would have someone to make portraits of - other than each other or me. Although, they made plenty of images of one another. Jasmine brought her boyfriend, Abel. They were patient and kind, I ended up making this portrait for them.

There will be more teaching and more exciting things in the U.S. for me, I know it. I'm already looking forward to it!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes and The 39-89 Project

It’s almost September! Let’s start with the most obvious change; the weather. The weather here has taken a turn for the cool. We must be entering Autumn (fall and winter are very mild here). Highs are 16-18 degrees Celsius (60s F) and lows are 8-10 degrees Celsius (40s F). It’s nice, I like it. It’s still raining a lot, but then again, when isn’t it raining here?

We’re thinking a lot about the big change coming for us and have our eyes and minds set on the northwest. I think that’s where we belong  -but who knows? Right now, it looks like we should be leaving Europe around the first of the year. However, I always say everything, and I mean everything, is subject to change.

The '39-'89 Project & Exhibition: Generating Ideas
I can’t really work on the Wet Collodion part of my project here (I can research and write but I can’t make photographs for it), so I’m experimenting with some paper negatives and setting up to do some Daguerreotype work. I’ve got the Daguerreotype stuff ready to go, but that will have to wait until I’m back in the States. It’s way too much to do here – too much as in expensive/hassle, too much. The Calotypes on the other hand, are very doable here.

My goal is to setup (individual studio/darkroom space) for all three processes in the States; I call it “The 39-89 Project: The First 50 Years of Photography”. 1839 – 1889, the first fifty years of photography; Daguerreotypes, Calotypes and Wet Plate Collodion. Each process has its own aesthetic and special place in history; I’ll offer workshops in each process when I return to America.

I want to write a piece at some point about why Collodion is so popular today and why the other two processes will never gain that kind of popularity. It’s written in history, however, I want to write a contemporary piece about it. I’ve found some interesting correlations to the digital movement and would like to share those ideas in an essay.

My exhibition in 2012 (in Paris at Centre Iris) will be large Wet Plate Collodion pieces, but I’m going to do an ancillary project (technical and historical) about this period in the history of photography. I’ll include Calotypes and Daguerreotypes. It will give context to the main exhibit and it will be educational and interesting (I hope). And, it will be relevant to anyone interested in photography today (that’s kind of the point, yes?). In a way, you could say I’m doing the technical and academic work while I wait to return to the States. This “break” has been a great time to generate ideas and experiment with some things. I needed this.

Across The Pond… And Back Again
We made a trip to the States this month and really enjoyed it. We didn’t enjoy leaving our daughter, Summer, behind (for college), but we enjoyed seeing our family. It was good to see everyone and we’re really happy for Summer. She’s all settled in at Weber State University, my Alma mater, and is doing great. Europe will always be a part of us and we will return often, but I’m ready to go home.

Coming Up: Daguerreotypes & Wet Plate Collodion Performative Lecture
We’ll be going to Belgium for some Daguerreotype work the first weekend in September and then the second week, we’ll be in Dresden for a Wet Plate Collodion Performative Lecture at the City Museum. I’ll be doing some commissioned portrait work there, too.

French 3 Television

France 3 TV's piece about Quinn's exhibition in Paris at Centre Iris Gallery.

France 3 TV just aired this piece this week. The spot is about my exhibiton and work in the Wet Plate Collodion process. They also show a lot of images from my exhibition in Paris at the Centre Iris Gallery. It's a really good piece - very "top shelf". I'm very pleased. Enjoy!

It’s Coming Along Nicely, Thank You - The Paris Exhibit

For the last few weeks, I’ve been able to ignore most of the distractions in my life and concentrate on getting ready for my exhibit. It’s been really nice. We don’t have a television but the other technologies can be a huge distraction. Give up Facebook, email, (fill in the blank) forum(s), for a week and see what happens. Your attitude toward these things change a little bit. (In all honesty, I didn’t give them up completely, but cut way back).

I’m on track and feeling good about most everything. There is still a little bit of anxiety – I want it perfect, or as close as possible to perfect as I can get it.   Framed work waiting to be wrapped, packed and sent to Paris.

I’ve been framing and varnishing images for the last few days. Two coats of varnish per image and several days of drying – it’s process but they look outstanding! The plates look wonderful matted and framed, too. I get a rush seeing all of this – I can’t believe that I made all of this work (sounds ego-oriented, but true)! Where in the hell did I find the time to do all of this and sleep? There are 70 pieces, almost 100 images! Keep in mind, this is Wet Plate Collodion work!

It looks like we are going to rent a VW Transporter and keep it in Paris while we’re there. We had originally thought to rent a van, drive it over to Paris, unload it and turn it in there in Paris. Then we would take the train back home after the first week (opening, lectures, demos, workshops, etc.). I think I’d be “stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime” doing it that way not to mention the hassles and headaches. We’ll pay the fees and keep the van and drive it back. By the time we pay for a taxi, train, we’ll pay about the same (which is a lot).I hanged and varnished 10 large ink jet prints for the show. They turned out very nice.

From what it sounds like, I’ll be making a lot of portraits there. I have five days and one night of making portraits. Standing room only, 20 minutes per session – really? There are that many people interested in having their portrait made? Maybe I can pay for the van for the week (grin). I think I’ll do okay on that front. 

The gallery has pulled out the big guns – they’ve got some great press on the event. I’m going to have a journalist from Réponses Photo (French magazine) in the first workshop. I should have the cover and a portfolio spread from it. That won’t be too bad, eh? There are a lot more doing pieces on the event, too. Yummy! 

I’ll post more as things unfold. So far, so good.

Vernon Trent, from Düsseldorf came down yesterday for a Wet Plate Collodion "refresher" and to make some images for a piece for stern.de. I think there was a totally of nine images. He made a couple of really nice ones. Here's a couple of snaps from the day. We capped it off with me making a portrait of him with his new camera.

The models: Christian and Carina. 
Whole Plate Alumitype
Vernon - photo by Quinn Jacobson - Whole Plate Alumitype
Wet Plate Collodion images – Viernheim, Germany 13 February, 2010

My Paris Show Part One: Preparing

This isn't the first time you've heard me talk about (or read me write about) my show in Paris. And I can assure you, it won't be the last.

I'm excited beyond words. I'm completely focused on making this the best it possibly can be. So, if I seem aloof, slow to respond or appear to be dropped-out, you know what I'm doing and where my head is!

The Centre-Iris Gallery has started to publicize the events. There will be a few highlights; first, the exhibition (of course!). I will be showing both of my projects; work that I made in the United States and my current European project. I'll have about 50 images from the project, "Portraits from Madison Avenue". I will also have several pieces, I'm not exactly sure how many,  of my new project, "Vergangenheitsbewältigung" (loose translation: "struggling to come to terms with the past"). I'm still working on this project, but I hope to have quite a few pieces in this show.

The content and Collodion variants will span the gamut. There will be portraits, landscapes, still lifes, etc. There will be Black Glass Ambrotypes, Clear Glass Ambrotypes, Albumen prints, Salt Prints, Alumitypes, and Ferrotypes (Tintypes). I'm going to offer sell the work, too. This is a big deal for me and it's very important that I do this right!

Quinn making Pierre's portraits in Paris - June 2009
Secondly, I will be doing a public demonstration (performative lecture) the afternoon of the opening (March 9). I'll also be teaching two workshops during the week. If you're in, or near Paris, drop Centre-Iris Gallery an email and have them hold a spot for you!

And last, but not least, the gallery has asked me to do a "Portrait Day". This will be on March 10. People can come by the gallery and I will make a portrait for them (for a fee, of course). It was a hit in Paris last June. I would expect the same here, maybe even more people Oy! We'll see.

This is a gigantic logistical challenge. I'm going to rent a Volkswagon Van. I need to pack all of my artwork (huge space and very delicate items), Collodion equipment (dark-box, camera, lenses), chemistry and substrate, and luggage. And then we have to fit in it, too! I'm hoping this works! It's a four and a half hour drive to Paris. Have you ever driven in the city of Paris? Oy!

There will be more to follow... I promise.