As some of you know, I've been a longtime, if small-scale importer of unique and beautiful artisanal works from Mexico. It's a place that I love, and while there I explore, take photos, and buy many items that catch my eye along the way. I'm drawn to tin work, jewelry, purses, hand-painted decorative sculptures, Oaxacan black pottery, Frida Kahlo imagery and Dia de los Muertos and lucha libre objects in many forms. The list goes on. Since 2005, I've sold these pieces at open studio events in addition to my photography. I've decided to move to an online forum for offering these beautiful finds. During my recent trip to the Oaxacan coast of Mexico, I unfortunately broke my wrist, which prevented me from visiting some of my favorite art markets. Happily, I found new and wonderful items closer to Mazunte, where I was living. I suppose I needed in a dose of retail therapy, and am glad to report that finding colorful, handmade and heartfelt items did the trick! I'm still photographing many more fun and colorful items, and In the next few weeks I'll be posting this artwork for sale on my website, under the new category: ARTEMUNDO. Due to an inability to carry heavy loads on this journey, quantities are limited. Be amongst the first to view and/or buy these finds by subscribing to my mailing list. Check out the ArteMundo link here: ARTEMUNDO: ART, CRAFT AND STYLE THAT'S OUT OF THIS WORLD! Last month I installed a floor-to-ceiling, backlit image into the light box built by my landlord (the wonderful woodworker Robert Kroll) in the hallway next to my photo studio in Berkeley. The vertical panorama was taken at Chapin Forest in Kirtland, Ohio while visiting my family last winter. It's one of many panoramic images I've taken lately. I'm intrigued by the way that time and motion are implied by irregularities that occur during the shooting process. The panoramic application attempts to unite the lines of a scene seamlessly but motion and parallax work against it, leaving an almost ghostly imprint of the process.
I'm really happy with the way that the added elements of large scale and back lighting contribute to the experience of viewing this image. At this size one feels an invitation to enter into the space and the backlighting recreates the snowy, overcast glow of that cold February afternoon. |