I don’t print for myself often enough—I should, but I don’t. Yesterday, I made the time. Dug out my favorite fine art paper, Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta, and ran some high-end prints. The texture of this paper is something else—not just a print, but a piece of art itself.

I’ve had a box of it sitting for years, waiting for the right subject and time. Vestahorn Mountain in Iceland was it. Spent a full day there in January, watching the light shift 20 times over 12 hours. Picked my favorites, printed them, and made a book calling it ‘Vestrahorn in a Day of Light.’ Love how it turned out. Need to do this more. Just need to find the next subject that deserves it.

Made a quick video of the process (inspired by one I saw by photographer Glyn Dewis)—because watching an image come to life on paper never gets old.

tr/trp

I finished a canvas project for a client today. There are ten canvases altogether, all Medway photos. The above is a favorite series: the four seasons at the Choate Park Dam. Other choices include Sandford Mill Dam, Sanford Mill (not pictured), a sunset, a foliage scene, and, of course, Medway Cows. All will be displayed in the halls of Mahan Circle in town. I even took time to make a quick timelapse of the framing process, printing, and mounting, all done in my studio.

tr/trp

The way to go, I guess.

tr/trp

Vladimir Horik is a talanted artist from Quebec, and sounds like an intresting guy. From his bio: “The harmony of his vibrant colours, spectacular light effects, and bold brushwork is instantly recognizable.” In 1993, Mass Bay Community College had an art exhibit in the library. I was a student, I was asked to put one of my photos – a cool black and white that as actually on the first roll of film shot for the class, I was very proud to have it hanging on display. Mr. Horik had work hanging in the library too. Somehow, a nameplate fell off one of his paintings, and someone placed it on my photo. The newsletter of the school (high-end journalism) – a class I was forced to quit mind you by the professor, a Globe writer at the time who hated me, my writing, I am sure even my face – story for another time), anyway they did an article on the exhibit. In it was mentioned an artistic photo in black and white of streaking lights, by… Vladimir Horik. When the photo was returned to me, his nameplate was on the frame. I kept it. It has been on many of my monitors over the years, not sure why, but now it has found a proper home (see I buried the lead, that Globe writer might have a point, she would hate this blog) I bought a new printer, I have named it Vladimir Horik, even giving it the nameplate I have had for 27 years.

I now have a professional 44″ Canon printer at my disposal. I can print my photos in large format, even canvas. I love canvas prints. It has been here a little over a week, there is a learning curve, it is not your typical quick copy printer. Calibration, learning about papers, finding the right types, lots of YouTube videos, taking me back to my One Hour Photo Shop days, I love printing. Finally felt confident to go biggish. Two Matte Canvas prints, first a 24×36 of one of my favorite shots from Iceland taken inside a glacier in March. The second, a recent dailypic, the sunset over Medway that looks like fire. Again a Matte Canvas print 24×60″, soon to be for sale. Made the frames myself, all the work is done in my studio, the control freak in me is dancing. From my eye, to the camera, to the card, to the computer, to the edit, to the paper, to a wall, all according to my vision. My art in a circle.

This was always in the plan, upgrading the print options. Until now I could do very decent 13×19 in the studio, and still will. I will be selling one of my two Canon 100 printers though with this addition (if interested let me know, it is a great machine). I have a schedule of business additions I am always working towards. COVID changed some timelines, instead of 2 years from now, we bump these print offerings to now. I have time to get it situated, start offering more print options, seems like a good time to dive in and make some art that can be held. Welcome to the family Vlad, we are going to do some great things.

tr/trp