CHEMICAL DIMENSIONS

EARLY CHEMIGRAMS (page 1)

Experimentation with chemistry and photographic paper to produce various visual effects and themes describes the direction of this work. These photographs are a combination of cameraless photography and the manipulation of photographic materials by using them as painting media. The images are, literally, chemical paintings that I call chemigrams. With some of these photographs, the juxtaposition of a printed image with chemical painting creates a form of spatial interaction in which the illusion of depth is provided by the printed image. When chemical painting alone is used, black advances and chemical coloration recedes, creating another form of spatial interaction. Both of these effects tend to produce a cool/warm contrast.

It is also important to state that this method of working often produces several levels of meanings brought together to create a sense of connection which is intuitive, unconscious and abstract. The images are more accurately felt than observed.

These prints are made with methods not usually thought of in photographic processing. The chemigram process involves a strong reducing agent such as thiourea and a base such as sodium carbonate. The mixture of the two produces a silver sulfide stain on black and white photographic paper. The resulting stain is then toned in a gold solution to acquire brown, yellow and red; a printed image developed in a conventional developer will tone to a bluish-black cast in conjunction with the sulfide stain. These images are all one-of-a-kind.

CHEMIGRAM HYBRIDS  (page 4)

What is a chemigram hybrid?  Usually they are made of combinations of my photographically derived "analog" photos whether they be scans of chemigrams, Nolangrams or other experimental processes mixed with some kind of representational image. All images used for these combinations are self-made to create a completely new image.  Definition:  The combining of two or more media including digital imaging and transformation, to create a final work of art.

CHEMIGRAMS - A DEFINITION

(pages 2, 3, 4)

A process devised by Pierre Cordier in 1956. His definition: "The chemigram combines the physics of painting (varnish, wax, oil) and the chemistry of photography (photosensitive emulsion, developer, fixer); without the use of a camera, an enlarger, and in full light. In 1958, to describe his technique, Pierre Cordier coined the words, today used worldwide."

My new adaptation of this process involves acrylics painted on the surface of photographic paper and then developed. I have chosen acrylics because of the less toxic nature of the substance. I have shifted to a hybrid by scanning in the resulting chemigram taking it to the digital level. I first called my chemical prints "chemograms" but I am now switching over to the more universal "chemigram."

CLICHE  VERRE

NOLANGRAMS  (pages 6 & 7)

* This unique process takes on a life of it's own. The strange and odd beauty of the Nolangram produces images which can slightly startle the viewer. Extreme detail and sharpness are the exquisite attributes of the image.

* These images are a continuation of a process I discovered and learned to control in 1979. I have done research over the past two decades trying to find a body of work that might have previously been done along these lines, I have been unsuccessful.

* These prints were made on Ilford Multigrade Warmtone Fiber Base photo paper. They were produced using Ilford's recommendations for archival processing. The prints were then split-toned in selenium toner to produce a duo-tone effect. The prints all have a 1" safe edge.

* These prints are matted with acid free museum board. The prints are attached to a 2 ply board with Kozo paper corners and linen tape. The 2 ply board is then hinged to a 4 ply over mat with linen tape. A FoamCore backing is included.

* The prints are signed and dated in pencil on the back of the print and with marker pen in the bottom margin of the print on the front.

* As with all my photographs, the intended edition is 10.

* These prints were made in Virginia City, and Reno NV 2000-2009

CHROMOGENIC PHOTOGRAMS

SIMPLE SYSTEMS  (pages 8 & 9)

Made in a darkroom in total darkness, chromogenic photograms make use of objects placed on the color chromogenic photographic paper and then exposed to a color light source such as a color enlarger.  The prints are then “wet” processed in color chemistry.  These chromogenic photograms were made using Fuji Crystal Archive paper and involve simple shapes such as the circle (enlarger condensers), the rectangle (paper, metal or plastic), the line (spaghetti and weed eater cord) and the square (Post Its and paper towels).  This medium is used because of its rich saturated color difficult to obtain otherwise.

The name “Simple Systems” was derived from Douglas Heubler, a conceptual artist who labeled conceptual art “Simple Dumb-bell Systems.”  He says:  “What a gem! Let's face it, 'Conceptual art' sounds pretty classy (as in 'out of your class, baby ...'); deep, philosophical even.  But it's not - not philosophy, that is. If the thought involved in Conceptual art were a puddle, you couldn't even get your socks wet. Don't get me wrong; I love Conceptual art.  I love all that word and image stuff.  I love the way it gets stuck in your head like a tune.”

NEVADA PHOTOGRAMS  (page 10)

These chromogenic photograms were also made on Fuji Crystal Archive photo paper and “wet” processed.  Titled after cities and places in Nevada, this project provides an intuitive and conceptual visual vocabulary using color, shape and form to symbolically inform the image.

FOUND OBJECTS

CONSTRUCTIONS  (page 11)

Found objects are combined with antique and digital photo processes plus other media such as graphite, ink, paint or are used by themselves to produce layered meanings and rich pictorial effects.

BULLET HOLES  (page 11)

Abstractions of bulletholes suggest a connection between the act of shooting objects with a gun and the act of photographing them. The first being highly aggressive although providing subject matter for a passive documentation with artistic elements using the camera. Text is used to intervene at the connection between the two.  Either found in the wild or photographed in the studio, bullet holes make interesting studies in the nature of man.

INTAGLIO MONOPRINTS

MUTATIONS  (intaglio monoprints with chine colle and water color)  (pages 12)

Copyright free material is scanned and symmetrically reassembled to produce fictitious animal species called "mutations." The idea of pure symmetry as a mutation becomes the concept.

Note: Each section of images represents a body of work of about 20 - 30 pieces. There are approximately 55 new works recently posted.