Summer's End

Tomorrow is the technical last day of summer.   The official day is not something which normally 'counts' in my opinion, but this year especially it pretty much spot on.  Since returning from the beach house this year the weather has been lousy.  I've not had any nice day to sit in the park with my sketchbook to keep my tan alive, (something this otherwise pasty girl likes to do) and the days have been drab and rainy thanks to residual effects of slow moving tropical storms.  To make it worse, it's been hot and muggy.  At least if it's not going to be sunny, I'd rather it be crisp and chilly, appropriate for a cardigan or sleeves.  Instead, it's a subway rider's nightmare.  Blecch.  

Here's me in happier times.  Though it is summer, and the days are fitting for the beach, new england temperatures can take quite a dip after sundown, especially at the beach (where I am here) when the wind kicks up.

Selfie Collage

I'm not much of a blogger, I think this has been established, but I'll try to post randomly like I do from time to time.  Here's a crop of a self portrait collage I've made using multiple photos, paint, and doodles.

I'm on Instagram!

OK, I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm the rare person who's never been on it (because it was a cellphone app and I'm still old school; I don't have one.)  But now it works on the iPad, which I do have --it doesn't work as well from what I understand, and apparently a lot of the features are not there, like filters, and probably other things I don't know about.  I don't mind, though.  So if anyone is interested, take a visit or a peek, and if you're up to it,  join in!

Two Hands Up!

I had my cast removed and although I really am still only one handed for the most part, I have turned a corner.  Also, it's the time of year for twins to get together and have fun twin time.  At least it is for myself and my sister.  Soon she'll be here and we'll be down in the street having a great time.

Latest in the Redhead Series

I'm finding that it helps to start out in greyscale and then paint over in color.  I have 22 saved iterations of this face, here are step 1, 3, and 22.

I Made the Huffington Post!

In all the excitement, I forgot to mention here that I was featured there on March 10.  The only reason I even found out about it is because the gallery where I'm currently showing this piece sent me the link.  Pretty cool.  Here's a screenshot:

The article starts out... "Technology can only get you so far.  No matter how many clear-as-day DSLR shots you take, no matter how many Valencia filters you lovingly apply to your iPhone photo of brunch, you can't fake pure photographic genius."

Then, there's my cigar box pinhole shot on old Polaroid film of sand paths taken at dusk in the summertime.  I'm so honored!

Thursday's Screenshot

Work on my 'Stepchildren' series continues.  I start with a scanned sketch, paint in Adobe Photoshop, all on separate layers.  When a file gets to be a certain number of layers, say, 15 or so, I save a flattened version, rename it with a numerical suffix, and continue to the next 15 layers, and so on.  The face and features change a lot during this process.   And as you can see, I often have a few windows open at the same time.  The redhead on the left is the preview in Adobe Bridge of another painting I've done.

Krappy Kamera 2016

So I'm in this year's Krappy Kamera show at the Soho Photo Gallery in Tribeca.  Though it's not my first time to be selected,  it's always an honor to take part.  The show opened yesterday, with the reception happening two nights ago.  When I arrived, I was one of three asked to make a speech about my camera and my photography - nerve-wracking, to say the least.  My photo, taken with my Cigar Box Pinhole camera with a Polaroid back, titled "Summer Dusk", took the People's Choice Award!

Afterwards, I went with friends to a nearby local bar/bistro which has been in business since the 1800's.  It's one of those warmly lit places with dark wood interior, and tin walls and ceilings.  They set out crayons on the butcher paper covered tables, and of course, I had to draw my 'Devil Boy' character.  By the end of the night, our table top was covered in art.

Next, we walked home to Soho, (it's right next to Tribeca) and stopped after dining hours at a favorite place of mine.  It wasn't until the next morning that I opened my People's Choice Award.   I still can't believe it, and was thrilled to find a lovely red and white Lomography "Meg" camera with ring flash, a little hardback book about Diana cameras (and Diana clones), as well as three rolls of film.  It will be fun to see what I do with this one.  

'The Stepchildren' Series

I'm currently working on a series of redheads, all painted digitally with my Wacom tablet.  In the end, I'll compile them into a small book or maybe even a 'zine' called "The Stepchildren".  

First Snowstorm of the Winter

I prefer the seasons to behave accordingly.  Winter should be cold, blustery, with lots of snowstorms. I do not like lame winters, so this recent storm gave me joy.  More please.  Here are some pictures from Saturday night on my neighborhood walk.  Soho is generally last on the list of places which get plowed.  But this time, even the Avenues were blocked with snow, and I took a walk over to Holland Tunnel, and it, too, was blocked!

Park benches.

Looks like a little gingerbread house scene!

No Holland Tunnel traffic!

Loved all the whites at this loading dock area.

The landlord of this building had a snowblower.  Saw the owner of this car digging out the next day. 

See, no plowing in Soho!  It was a total fairyland!

Reflected light from all the snow showcased this graffiti nicely.

A Soho snowman.  I called him Smiley.  :)

Variations

Test prints of some illustrations.  It's snowing outside, and warm inside.  Hope all who are dealing with the blizzard are safe and sound.  I'm going out in it in a while, and from the looks of it out my window, I'd benefit from some goggles.  There's a little bit of a windy sidewards snow thing going on.  But that won't deter me.  Tonight, I'll go out as well, late.  For adventures.

Two Devils (with sons)

Two Kitty Cats

Two Puppies

Three in a Row

I currently have some photos in a small group show at Lightbox Gallery, which is located in Astoria, Oregon.  I've never exhibited on the west coast, so it makes me happy.  Check them out if you are in the area.

Urban Christmas Tree Lots

It's amazing how many Christmas tree lots sprout up during the holidays here in Manhattan.  Most people I know don't get one, and I don't either, but would love to if I had more time to spend with it, along with more space so it could breathe and not suffer with the radiator air which dries them out very quickly.  Walking near or through one of these lots, however, does conjure up all sorts of childhood memories, the pine-y smells reminding me of the magical time.  I don't think that will ever go away.  May the season be bright and merry, any way you celebrate it.

 

Driving in NYC

It's not necessary.  You certainly don't need a car here, and I've never missed owning one ever.  Nonetheless, there are people who cannot live with out them.  They are a part of the landscape, as no street is complete without them lining the sides.  Here are a few from my normal neighborhood night walks.

The Blues

Not the sad kind.  Just some instances of this wonderful color in my life....

Some street art.....

A hot summer night rooftop cocktail...

An old building in lower Manhattan shot with a plastic Diana camera...

Other people's art I've collected....

New England tufts captured on expired Polaroid film....

First Week Of Summer

The year is moving rapidly, or slowly, depending on your viewpoint.  I can see it both ways, and I have, but Summer tends to fly for me.  Certainly taking a vacation during this season, which I like to do, causes time to move at warp speed; just like they say, "time flies..." (you know the rest).  But then I find the remainder of the year tends to barrel ahead after that.  It's as if I'm still recuperating from the sadness of the end of vacation, getting back into the swing of city life, and shaking sand out of my ears and clothes, when suddenly there is a countdown to Christmas, and I'll realize everyone is in the midst of Holiday planning, and many who do are thinking about potential New Year's resolutions.  Whoa Nelly, stop the presses!!  Let's just enjoy this day, and this week.  See if we can stretch it out a bit, shall we?  Life is happening every day, so, join me in enjoying that.  Happy First Week of Summer!

The Armory: I Wear What I Make

In fact, I made them for myself only, originally.  I couldn't find what I 'wanted' out there, so made these.  I wear them stacked up, like so, and love all the little colors together, like a handful of candies; candied religious medals, only with my quirky illustrations.  :P

People started complimenting me on them, so I started selling them offline.  They do much  better in person.  I've had them listed online before and don't do so well.  I think they have to be seen to be appreciated, and that's fine with me.

This photo of course, does not show off their colorful beauty.  I have another post here, and here, and here where  you can see that.  My sister took this up at the beach house by the ocean one morning a couple of weeks ago.... it's black and white Polaroid film (very expired, note the high contrast, blown out teeth and chin? And it's very schmootzy, see the speckles and stuff?)

My 450 and Me

Both photos taken by my sister earlier this month.

You Can't Go Back

Where the heck...where the heck did the year go? In fact, where did the time go....all the time...I'm thinking fifteen years ago, more- - it flew. My childhood, well, that doesn't feel recent. It doesn't even feel like it was me. But I have pictures. I saw them. It was me alright. Maybe everyone feels that way. We change so much from childhood to adult that really, no, you aren't the same person, so that 'child' from so long ago, feels more like the star of some television movie you remember (in snippets, but not in full) from seeing many, many moons ago. And I don't want to go back, (there's too much I would never want to relive) but if it could just slow down a little bit. It's December. It's really December.

Crop Top

Crop Top, originally uploaded by sMacshot.

I am finally getting a start on the summer photos... scanning and potential post-processing takes so long, it's the part I dread. I shoot with so many lo-fi cameras that the majority of what I shoot never get seen by others, (still, I feel compelled to go through the steps to process and store them) and of the rest I actually do show, a certain kind of appreciation will be necessary if one is to see the beauty. They aren't everybody's cup of tea. You can click on the photo to read the humorous caption which explains this self portrait.