Slow Rides and Gray Skies
It seems there have been more rainy, gray days this summer than sunny ones. And many of those days seem to involve torrential downpours. Probably a good thing for me. Left me with time to work on my photo exhibition.
Art Alliance Gallery Downtown with Scooter in the Sticks Photo Exhibition
My show opens today with a reception at 5pm. Everything seems to be ready. I certainly am ready to move forward. I’m hoping to see a lot of friends, riders and new faces today at the opening.
Show Installation
I was grateful to have Stacie Bird and Paul Ruby help install the show in the gallery. Paul’s laser level and their combined experience made pretty quick work of getting things on the wall. Very strange to see months of labor distilled into a collection of images on the walls.
Pictures on a Wall
I’m not sure what possessed me to make 40″ x 60″ prints for the show. The plan was to use them to break up the visual monotony of the pairs of 16×20 prints. They do function in that manner. And I was pleased at the image quality at that size. Particularly for this image from a point and shoot camera.
It’s been instructive to see a body of work in one place. As much work as it’s been I’m glad I took the plunge and did it.
I’ll figure out a way to share the exhibition here on the blog. For now I just want to invite everyone once more to come to the opening or visit the show at some point during August. Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12 to 6pm. Sunday from 12 to 5pm. I’ll be sitting at the gallery during the weekends.
If you’re nearby plan to stop by at the reception that starts today at 5pm. There will be snacks and drinks along with 33 photographs to help remind or inspire what riding can be like.
My very best wish for a successful opening this evening.
One never knows quite how these openings shall go.
Methinks it will be superb.
Good too two experienced individuals who have had
shows or similar prior to assist.
And the 40″ x 60″ enlargement does break up
the sameness of the balance of the photographs.
Have attended similar openings in my far distant past;
looked for price tags on the framed photos.
None opening night however two or three
days later; price tags had appeared discreetly in
the lower right corner.
Perhaps have Paul Ruby do some photography of the
opening; so those of us unable to attend might
be the “fly on the wall” so to speak, and be at the
opening, afterwards…
Thank you Bryce. I’m comfortable with the material I’m presenting and will accept whatever happens now through the end of the show. Paul will be making some photographs at the reception so there will be something to give a sense of what happened.
Pricing prints is most uncomfortable for me. There are conflicting ideas in my head around this stuff. On the one hand is the fine art, gallery tendency to price photography like paintings and other artwork. Expensive. But this only makes sense to me for collectible artists and photographers. I’ve sold expensive, hand crafted gelatin silver prints but not many. Photography is, at least for the color work I’m displaying in this show, a mass producible item. And while the images are unique, the prints are not something that could or should demand high prices. And along with it is a desire on my part to have images live with others rather than at my house. So I’ll price them to make them accessible to people’s wallet.
There won’t be any pricing labels. Just a sign stating the prices for the 16×20 framed prints, and the big prints. And I probably will offer an opportunity for people to order prints in other sizes and configurations through SmugMug. Once I put that site together.
So that’s where things are at the moment. It’s raining outside and I still have some things to attend to before the opening reception. But I just want to go for a ride…
Very good luck to you Steve on the exhibition, though I believe you’ll not need it.
I second the idea of Paul Ruby doing candid photography of the folks who visit the exhibit and of course of you as you wander about, needlessly nervous.
So who do you use to print the pics out to such large size or was it through University facilities provided?
Thanks Dom. I’m hoping people enjoy the time they spend with the photographs.
I’ll have a camera with me but not sure how many pictures I’ll be able to take. Paul will be the documentarian.
Regarding the printing of these particular images at the show… I struggled between printing them myself or contracting the work out. I have a high end inkjet photo printer. Those prints would be expensive in terms of time and materials. On the other hand I could send them to MPIX, my chromogenic printer of choice, to have them made. Those prints would be much less expensive and put them at a price point where more people could, if they desire, purchase one. I chose the second route.
The big prints were made by a friend who has a big printer. The University doesn’t have that capacity, at least not that I’m aware of. When I was working we always contracted for big prints.
Seven hours to the opening. I should probably not go for a ride and get ready instead…
Wihing you only the best!
Thank you!
The large prints look pretty nice and I like the arrangement with the smaller prints. Now that it’s set up and opening, I’m sure that you will have fun and enjoy the experience.
The large prints present a much different experience. They afford an inspection of the scene that you don’t have with the smaller ones. Very strange to see.
The opening was great. Saw a lot of people, sold a lot of prints. Good times.
I would absolutely love to be able to drop by, but for being about a dozen or more hours too far away…..
Hope it all goes well!
I understand Dave. No worries. I’ll provide a look at the show online at some point soon.
So the gallery is closed on Mondays? And Tuesdays..? Can I look through the window?
No worries. I control the hours of the show. I have a key and there will be a special showing just for you!
I am waiting to interview a nice winter photo for the garage. Sure wish I could get up to the show.
Once I get things online you’ll be able to pick what you want for the new garage.
It’s a long ride here from where you are!
At least I got to see a couple of the prints this past June. Would love to see the BIG ones on the wall, but another trip to central PA is not in the books. I look forward to seeing some of the installation here on your blog. Onward.
I understand completely Frank. I’ll try to produce something online that gives a sense of the show. Not sure how with my limited technical web skills, but I’ll figure something out.
I’m so glad it’s finally here! I’ve been thinking of you as your show. As I write this, the opening is history. I hope it went as well as you expected and that lots of people came to see you and your work. I’m really hoping to see the show at some point.
As for the weather… it has been absolutely nuts. Last Monday, I got so wet on a ride back from my Dad’s house in Lancaster County that my bike was sputtering like an outboard motor! Crazy.
Everything went well. I consider the opening reception a great success. There was a torrential downpour that morning and the forecast called for rain all day. But it cleared in the afternoon and the weather was clear until about 9pm. There was live music right outside the gallery and it turned into a fine little event.
Walked through our garden this morning with the dogs. The rain has turned it into a jungle. There is much work to do to return some order. Or at least make the paths accessible again. Work, work, work…
I can imagine riding in the rain Pennsylvania has been having would start to choke a scooter or motorcycle. Glad you made it home!
Had a great time looking over all your pictures. Very nice work. Looks like you had a good turnout.
It was interesting to see what type of hooligans you hang out with, I won’t hold it against you because I’m one of them.
I haven’t seen your wife in over 20 years and she still hugged me in public. It’s nice to be remembered after that many years.
Ps
Thanks for letting me attended,. I swear I’ll pay you the five dollars the next time I see you .
It was good to see you there Billy along with the other hooligans. I suspect there are more in our collective connections.
Kim was happy to see you. It has been a long time. She said you are all grown up now!
Forget about five dollars. The vig has made it 25…
Coming in quite late here, but hoping the opening was a really good one. Sheer distance, along with the usual busy-ness here, precluded my being at the opening, but I hope to see the photos online at some point. The exhibit itself, judging from the photos, looks terrific.
I’ll get something up. Soon I hope. I may activate a SmugMug or Zen Folio account and provide a look at all the images exhibited and the opportunity to purchase something if desired. Would be nice to offset the costs associated with running the Scooter in the Sticks website…
The opening went well and people have been trickling in on subsequent days. Interesting talking to people about what they see.
Cool!!! congrats! hope it goes great.
Thanks!
I am late as always, Steve, but so glad to see a glimpse of the show and hear that the opening went so well!
I really like the interjection of the large prints, by the way, and look forward to seeing the rest of the show online!
The online version… soon. Soon…