Leith Arts Festival

In among all the mega-busy, it was such a delight to be invited by Alastair Cook to send a few pictures to Leith for the Art Fair at the Festival there. A real honour to be asked! Among the company showing their work is Carl Radford, Deborah Parkin, Alex Boyd (whose work I saw while at Street Level last year), Alison McWhirter, Emily Workman, and the very clever Katie Cooke (who was helping at Carl’s demo last year, so I’ve met her), and I so wish I could get there to see it, but simply don’t have time.

Deborah has just put some of Alastair’s pictures of the Exhibition on Facebook, so you’ll have to follow one of us to see them. My follow button is just over there, top right. This is Deborah’s page, this is Alastair’s.

Of the two pictures above, from the Dene Series, only the upper is left in print form currently, until I can carve out the time to get back into the darkroom. Yes, I’ll have to properly edition them; they’re unique so only 1/1 so far.

Serious darkroom withdrawal symptoms at the moment. There are a few deep grisly pictures that are scanning pretty well, so they should also make good prints. Soft powdery matt finish, low contrast thick fibre paper, again. The depth is amazing: I want to feel as though I might fall right in, just like Alice.

Feedback from my new friend and critic Robert Burns: “Ach, bit o’ this, bit o’ that, Brenda you’re all over the bliddy place!” He’s right, I am. Taking that completely on board, I’m deliberately limiting my tools and scope, focusing right down, and I’m going to concentrate on getting the printing right, or at least better, as soon as I can. Andrew Sanderson has offered to help me, and oh my what an offer that is. The master, and not too far away either, do-able in a day, anyway.

So two rangefinders have already been sold, lots of stuff’s been given away, lenses and so on, so it’s started already, but before the fragmention’s cut completely, I’m awa’ on one of Carl‘s Wet Plate courses at the beginning of July. I was committed before I’d made these promises, and I’m going to enjoy it whatever happens. If I can conquer my fear of the darkslide with a sweet, wet plate, might be exactly what I need.

The Clock Tower, Low Wood, Cumbria. I think there’s one place left, perhaps if you’re really quick….

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