Tag Archives: light sensitive

Mordançage Workshop with Elizabeth Opalenik – July 2022

Over the weekend of July 15-17 Art Intersection hosted a Mordançage workshop instructed by Mordançeuse Elizabeth Opalenik. Students experienced a range of papers, developers, and print making techniques in their exploration of Mordançage.

Take a look at Elizabeth Opalenik’s website to see her creations.

Image Credit: Elizabeth Opalenik

Image Credit: Suzanne Fallender

Image Credit: Suzanne Fallender

Image Credit: Suzanne Fallender

Image Credits: Elizabeth Opalenik (1-5), Suzanne Fallender (4-9)

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Light Sensitive

Art Intersection presents Light Sensitive, our twelfth, international juried exhibition of images created using traditional darkroom, historical, and alternative photographic processes and methods. This year we are honored to have photographer and alternative photography process artisan Elizabeth Opalenik jury the submitted work.

As we have seen technology trends continue to drive digital photography and presentation, Light Sensitive highlights art from artists working in traditional and historical printing processes.

Light Sensitive seeks to celebrate, promote, and reaffirm the art of handcrafted prints that uniquely belong to the tradition of light sensitive creative processes. Each year we are in search for work that represents creativity, passion, and displays the beauty of these light sensitive processes.

Banner images by Randall Tosh, Lynn Bierbaum, Mary Nation


Awards

Choosing awards in the diverse juried selections of this year’s Light Sensitive presents the challenge to weigh qualitative aesthetics of the presentation, with the strength of the image, and technical mastery of the process. From cyanotype to platinum to ambrotype prints, the wide gamut of techniques and presentations made a formidable task to assign awards. Presenting awards acknowledges accomplishment and excellence in presentation, image, and technique, and encourage everyone to continue to push their work through into the next level.

Congratulations to the awardees and everyone juried into Light Sensitive.

First Place – Lou McCorkle
Second Place – Marita Gootee
Third Place – William W. Fuller
Award of Excellence for Collaborative Work – Kenro Izu / Veritas Editions
Honorable Mentions – Gary Baker, Chuck Davis, Sarah S. Curley, Jon Jeffery, Annie Lopez, Marek Matusz, Alyssa McKenna, Mary A.  Nation, Cyd Peroni, Phyllis Schwartz, Fred Ullrich, Angela Franks Wells, Ryan Zoghlin


About the Juror

Elizabeth spun a map on a lazy-susan in 1968 and left home to the sound of peace marches and her mother saying, “I knew you were different from the time you were two.” She discovered photography as a metaphor for life in 1979 at the Maine Photographic Workshops and discovered passion and possibilities in Provence in 1983 where she later began her evolution as a Mordançeuse. Traveling through six continents, camera in hand, she connects life’s possibilities through teaching workshops, humanitarian projects and making art. 

“I am a photographic artist, educator and freelance photographer traveling the world with my camera and I love it. Philanthropic projects keep me grounded and connected universally.

I believe that all good photographs are self portraits and know that my many former lives manifest themselves in my images. My heart is still in my darkroom working in the Mordançage process, but I use today’s technology when appropriate to explore all the creative paths.

My photographs are collected and published internationally and all work is for sale. Mordançage images are unique, others are silver gelatin, platinum, hand painted or digitally printed in very limited editions on beautiful handmade papers.”

– Elizabeth Opalenik


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Elizabeth Opalenik – Considering Possibilities

Exhibition
Considering Possibilities
moves the viewer through the intentional mystical imagery of Elizabeth’s photography that breaks the realism of photography to the moods only available through the magic of experimental and alternative photographic processes.

Ryan Gallery presents a collection of prints by Elizabeth Opalenik with Mordançage work also found in her book Poetic Grace, the never exhibited platinum print series from her personal experiences A Journey Home, and a collection carbon prints created using the same negatives from her Mordançage prints.

Elizabeth will join us for the opening reception on July 16 from 5pm to 8pm, and on Friday July 15 at 7pm she will give a talk about her art and experiences as a photographer. 

About Elizabeth
Elizabeth spun a map on a lazy-susan in 1968 and left home to the sound of peace marches and her mother saying, “I knew you were different from the time you were two.” She discovered photography as a metaphor for life in 1979 at the Maine Photographic Workshops and discovered passion and possibilities in Provence in 1983 where she later began her evolution as a Mordançeuse. Traveling through six continents, camera in hand, she connects life’s possibilities through teaching workshops, humanitarian projects and making art.

“I am a photographic artist, educator and freelance photographer traveling the world with my camera and I love it. Philanthropic projects keep me grounded and connected universally.

I believe that all good photographs are self portraits and know that my many former lives manifest themselves in my images. My heart is still in my darkroom working in the Mordançage process, but I use today’s technology when appropriate to explore all the creative paths.

My photographs are collected and published internationally and all work is for sale. Mordançage images are unique, others are silver gelatin, platinum, hand painted or digitally printed in very limited editions on beautiful handmade papers.”

– Elizabeth Opalenik

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Mordançage Workshop with Elizabeth Opalenik

3-day Mordançage Workshop with Elizabeth Opalenik, July 15, 16, 17, 2022, from 9am to 5pm each day with lunch included.

I vividly remember that first Provence meeting in 1983 when I heard Jean-Pierre Sudre say, “In mordançage you have the possibility….” For the next 30 summers I visited his studio and work discovering them all while learning the process in 1991 directly from this master. In this workshop we shall begin with a brief history of the mordançage process, looking at original work as we gather valuable insight into directions for making it your own creative voice.

Together we mix the chemistry and begin with an instructor demonstration on understanding the test strips to discover proper exposures for negatives and working with photograms, which is the best way to learn the possibilities. Mordançage takes time to master when working with intent and begins with a darkroom print. Information on making negatives, film or digital, and materials to bring shall be sent prior to the workshop. You will discover, when the silver print is put through the mordançage solution, the silver gelatin in the densest areas of the photographic print swell and can be removed with the pressure of a jet of water or cotton ball. Darkroom days will be spent testing various paper and redeveloper combinations, experimenting with oxidation, toners and hand painting to alter color, and deciding to save or not to save the veils. Often, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Papers, chemicals and notebooks with formulas will be supplied. 

After more than 30 years of committing to the mordançage process, Elizabeth has many possibilities, pitfalls and discoveries to share. Working collectively with a group of photographic peers, students can combine information on papers available today to further enhance their creativity. Experimenting is highly encouraged. A working knowledge of the darkroom is essential.

As artists, we much each find our way and hope to leave something of value behind. The “draped spidery veils” in the images are my contribution to this process, accomplished by using my breathe or drops of water to preserve and alter the delicate floating silver skin. As such, each piece is unique and truly made by hand even when created using the same negative.

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Light Sensitive

To celebrate the art of handcrafted prints, Art Intersection presents Light Sensitive, our eleventh-annual, international juried exhibition of images created using traditional darkroom, historical, and alternative photographic processes and methods.

In the current takeover of imagery presented on computer screens and the overwhelming volume of digitally printed pictures, the purpose of our Light Sensitive exhibition is to celebrate, promote, and reaffirm the art of handcrafted prints that uniquely belong to the tradition of light sensitive creative processes. Each year we search for work representing creativity, passion, and display of the beauty these light sensitive processes bring.

Banner image by Rebecca Zeiss


Awards
Special thank you to Brian Taylor for his insightful vision as our juror. Choosing awards in an exhibition of highly amazing works proved to very challenging and much consideration (and pacing through the galleries) was given to all of the darkroom creative art in the galleries. Congratulations to the awardees and everyone juried into Light Sensitive.

First Place – Rebecca Zeiss
Second Place – Richard Hricko
Third Place – Sara Silks
Award of Excellence – Diana Bloomfield
Honorable Mentions – Allan Barnes – Matt Connors – Wendy Constantine – Susan Elizabeth de Witt – Elizabeth Davis – Anne Eder – Jeannie Hutchins – Jen Leahy – Maureen Mulhern-White – Emily Penrod – Gerado Stübing – Vaune Trachtman


Juror
Art Intersection is honored to have Brian Taylor jury this year’s Light Sensitive exhibition. He is known for his innovative explorations of alternative photographic processes including historic 19th Century printing techniques, mixed media, and hand made books. His work has been exhibited nationally and abroad in numerous solo and group shows and is included in the permanent collections of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House, Rochester, NY.

Brian served as the Executive Director of the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, CA for 4 1/2 years, retiring in 2019 to return to his art practice in the studio. He received his B.A. Degree in Visual Arts from the University of California at San Diego, an M.A. from Stanford University, and his M.F.A. from the University of New Mexico and served as a Professor of Photography for over 35 years, and Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at San Jose State University.

 


Exhibition Images and Titles


Video Walkthrough of the Exhibition


 

Photogravure 2-Day Workshop with Karen Hymer

This workshop is full. Please email or call if you wish to be placed on a wait list.

In this two-day workshop students will learn the art of photopolymer gravure printing. Using light-sensitive steel-backed Solarplates, participants will create 4″ x 5″ and 6″ x 8″ gravure etching prints from their photographs. This environmentally friendly process translates photographic detail into ink on paper with unparalleled beauty.

No prior experience with printmaking is required. All necessary aspects of printmaking will be discussed including choosing inks, papers, and wiping material. Wiping and inking techniques will be covered. Be prepared to marvel at the way your photograph is transformed through ink on paper.

The making of digital positives will be discussed, but for the workshop itself, you will send color or black and white image files (300 dpi at 10” on the long side) to be made into a digital positive prior to the workshop. An email with details will be provided once you are registered. Please submit a WORKSHOP SIGN UP FORM located below so we are able to contact you!

Here is a brief outline of the process that will be presented in this workshop:

  • A transparency positive will be made from your photograph
  • The positive is then placed on top of the light sensitive polymer plate and exposed to UV light
  • Washing the plate in water etches the image onto the plate
  • Once hardened, the plate is hand inked using water-soluble intaglio inks
  • The inked plate is then run through an etching press onto dampened paper
KHymer_Remnants 202

Remnants #202, Karen Hymer

About Karen Hymer
Karen Hymer
is an artist and educator based out of Silver City, New Mexico. For the past seven years she has ventured into the world of printmaking – exploring imagery in the form of photopolymer gravures. Her current work explores the effects of time on the human body and various plant life. Hymer’s richly detailed photogravures emphasize the interplay of texture, pattern, light and shadow in muted earth tones. The decontextualized close-ups of the body and decaying plants reveal a poetic beauty in these often over-looked subjects.

Watch The Beauty of Ink on Paper: Photopolymer Gravure printing from Karen Hymer to get a preview of Karen’s process!

KHymer_Inking Plate 1

Photo by CL Burns

KHymer_Pulling a print off the press

Photo by CL Burns

Workshop

Please complete this workshop sign up form before payment! This helps us stay in contact with you as well as update you with any information you may need before the workshop.

Light Sensitive Artist Reception

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Light Sensitive artist reception! We enjoyed seeing many familiar faces, as well as many brand new ones sharing their work in our galleries for the first time.


It was a night filled with many exciting conversations discussing the variety of alternative processes used to create the work in this exhibition!


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Call for Work – Light Sensitive

Submission Deadline Extended to January 23

Art Intersection presents Light Sensitive, our ninth-annual, international juried exhibition of images created using traditional darkroom and historical and alternative photographic processes and methods. In the current trend of imagery presented on computer screens and the overwhelming volume of digitally printed pictures, Light Sensitive reaffirms and promotes the art of handcrafted prints that uniquely belong to the tradition of light sensitive creative processes.

As our juror this year we are honored to have Christopher James, University Professor and Director of the MFA program in Photography and Integrated Media at Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Awards for Light Sensitive 

First place $350
Second palce $250
Third place $150
Three honorable mentions

Art Intersection will pay return postage for individuals receiving one of the above awards and honorable mentions.

Acceptable Processes

Process  include, but are not limited, to the following: silver gelatin prints, albumen, anthotype, argyrotype, athenatype, Bayard direct positive, calotype, carbon, casein, chrysotype, cyanotype, dusting-on process, gum bichromate, gumoil, Herschel’s breath printing, photopolymer gravure, Ivorytype, kallitype, mordançage, platinum/palladium, printing-out-paper, solarplate intaglio, van dyke brown, wet plate collodion, whey process, Ziatype, combinations of any of these processes, and all photographically based image-making techniques that incorporate traditional studio-based mediums such as printmaking, ceramics, or painting. 

Both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional work may be submitted.

Conventional, unmodified digital inkjet prints are not acceptable for entry; however, the use of digital negatives, created for printing any of the above processes is acceptable.


Important 2019 Dates

  • January 23 – Submit online with JPEG files and paid fee by midnight MT (GMT-7)
  • January 30 – You will receive an email notification of selected Work
  • February 27 – Due Date for selected Work to be received and ready to install at Art Intersection
  • March 9 – Light Sensitive seven-week exhibition opens for viewing
  • March 16 Light Sensitive Reception from 5 – 7pm, please join us!
  • April 27 Light Sensitive closes at 6pm
  • April 25 – Local Work pick-up
  • May 2 – Return shipping of Work will begin
  • May 23 – Last Date to pick up or arrange shipment, after this date Work is considered abandoned

About the Juror

Christopher James is an internationally known artist and photographer whose photographs, paintings, and alternative process printmaking have been exhibited in galleries and museums in this country and abroad. His work has been published and shown extensively, including exhibitions in the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, George Eastman House, Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Institute of Contemporary Art-Boston. Represented by the Lee Witkin Gallery in New York City for over two decades he has also shown at Pace-McGill (NYC), Contrasts Gallery (London), Michelle Chomette (Paris), Hartje Gallery (Berlin), and Photokina (Germany). He has published extensively including Aperture, Camera (Switzerland), American Photographer, Solstice (for short fiction), and Interview magazine and in books such as The Antiquarian Avant Garde, á Prova de Aguà: Waterproof, Human Documents, and Handcrafted: The Art and Practice of the Handmade Print (China).

All three editions of his book, The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, have received international critical acclaim and are universally recognized by artists, curators, historians, and educators as the definitive text in the genre of alternative process photography and photographically integrated media. A significantly expanded 900 page / 700 image, 3rd edition was published in 2015.

Christopher, after 13 years at Harvard University, is presently University Professor and Director of the MFA in Photography and Integrated Media program at Lesley University College of Art and Design in Cambridge, MA. He received his undergraduate degree from Massachusetts College of Art and his masters from the Rhode Island School of Design. He is also a painter, graphic designer, author, and a professional scuba diver. Christopher offers individually customized alternative process workshops and portfolio consultations in his Dublin, NH studio. Christopher’s web site is www.christopherjames-studio.com

 


 

You can view images from Light Sensitive 2018 by clicking here.