Photography
Photography
Sawyer, MI
www.localcolorartgallery.com
Artist Bio
Although formally trained at Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana, my favorite form of artistic expression, Hand-altered SX-70 Polaroid’s, has been self-taught.
I start by taking a picture using Polaroid OneStep or SX-70 camera. After an image has emerged, I “smush” the emulsion around by hand using a variety of tools, i.e., my fingernail, the end of a paint brush, a cuticle stick, dental instruments, etc… No computer manipulation or filters are used. I then enlarge the impressionist looking Polaroid and make limited edition photographic prints that are then framed in my husband’s handmade barn wood frames.
As they have stopped making the original Polaroid film, my hand has been forced to try something new. As luck would have it, a group of former Polaroid employees purchased the old Polaroid factory in the Netherlands and started to “develop” their version of the original Polaroid film, thus, the-impossible-project.com was launched. I am currently working with their new Black and White 600 speed film experimenting with what I call “Lift-offs”. I peel apart the film, scrape off the emulsion, float the film in water and lift it onto specialized paper. I Love the dreamy-sepia-nostalgic look that can be achieved from these original, one-of –kind works of art. I am also using the new “Black Frame” Polaroid which I leave alone after it sits in a Dry-Age kit to stabilize the film so the colors won’t shift in the future. And, I am still able to use my husband’s barn wood frames.
My images are usually described as simple, unique, and intimate. The outdoors is most often my studio using only natural light, or at times mixing it with flash. As I prefer to be free to explore all photographic opportunities, I do not limit myself to one subject matter or form of expression.
