Sao Paulo Skyline by Nico Oved

Good Day collectors!

It's a cold and snowy one here in Toronto so I'm happy to be able to bring you today's edition which was taken in the much warmer climes of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In case you were wondering it's 26 degrees there today (I checked!). This is our fourth edition from Toronto artist Nico Oved. Nico lived in Sao Paulo for two years while he shot his most recent series Habitat:Brasil. This fantastic shot, taken from the observation deck at the top of the Art Deco Banespa building, looking out over a sea of high rise apartments and offices, really highlights how large and dense this city of 20 million people is.

Due to the special aspect ratio of this image we are starting the edition with the 11" x 14" at $90.00 and going up to the 20" x 30" at $750.00. Please note that there will be a larger than normal white area at the top and bottom of this print. Please also note that as highly detailed images do not always translate well over the internet, the image you recieve will be much clearer than what might be shown on your screen.

In other news, two of our talented artists have had a great year! Andrea Stultiens published three books last year and all are doing well. "Intensive Care" was recently chosen as one of the best designed books of the Netherlands of 2010. And the "Kaddu Wasswa Archive" has been nominated for the Dutch Kees Scherer Award which celebrates the best Dutch photobook of 2009 and 2010. Check out Andrea's website for more info or here to purchase a copy or here for a digital copy.  Congratulations Andrea! You can see Andrea's work on our site here.  And I'm pleased to announce that another of our artists, Melissa Mercier, has been chosen to join the artist roster of The Art Rentals and Sales Program of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Her work will now be on display in the rentals and sales area of the gallery featuring limited editions from two series entitled, "Irrational Fear of Confined Spaces" and "Devour Completely".  Check out the gallery site here or Melissa's website for more information. Congratulations Melissa!

Don’t forget you can follow us on Twitter  or Facebook  to get all the latest updates and news. 

Till next time remember… life is enhanced by art!

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Today's pic of the day is from Nico Oved's "habitat:brasil" series.  I had the pleasure of attending the opening of Nico's exhibition for the series this past August and I can tell you the images are not only fabulous but thought provoking as well. Nico came to know Brasil intimately during the time he lived there & it really shows in the images. For more of Nico's photography you can check out our online store or Nico's site.

NEW RELEASES

                                                                         Fridge by Tracey Fahy

We are now featuring these wonderful new releases by UK artist Tracey Fahy on the site.  Tracey and I have been working on these releases for a while now and I must say it's been a pleasure working with her.  Please read on for my interview with her.

TELL US THE STORY BEHIND EACH OF THE IMAGES?
Both of these images were taken at the same location early in the morning around 5/6am on my first trip to the Mojave Desert in California.  The scene - the surreal desert landscape with the Joshua trees and the abandoned signs and fridge totally captivated me.  The photographs remind me of a quote from ‘On Photography’ by Susan Sontag: ‘America, that surreal country, is full of found objects.  Our junk has become art.  Our junk has become history’

THERE IS A LARGE EXPANSIVE FEEL TO THESE IMAGES.  WAS THIS THE EFFECT YOU WERE GOING FOR?
As I stumbled on the location by accident I photographed the scene in a spontaneous manner but I think the feel you refer to is an inherent sensibility.

                                                                  Road Signs by Tracey Fahy

DO YOU PREFER TO SHOOT ANALOG OR DIGITAL? WHY?
Both these images were shot on film, I prefer to shoot on film as digital (in my opinion) doesn’t have the same feel as film although the quality of digital is pretty good these days - it just lacks something special, unless you do a lot of post production work.  Plus, there’s nothing quite like watching the image appear in front of you in the darkroom.  Having said that, most of my current work is shot on digital as that’s what clients want but I still shoot lots of pinhole images using 120mm film and I am thinking about using either a large or medium format camera to develop a current project I am working on. 

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS IS?  HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THE CONCEPT FOR AN IMAGE OR SERIES?  
I carry a camera with me at all times; if something captures my attention I take a photo.  Certain photos will trigger an idea for a larger project/body of work.  I also travel as much as I possibly can – removing myself from normal day-to-day activities helps stimulate the creative process.

HOW MUCH OF YOUR WORK IS SPONTANEOUS AS OPPOSED TO CAREFULLY PLANNED OUT SHOTS?  
Up until quite recently most of my personal work was quite spontaneous sometimes I have an image in my head and I go chase that visual but on the whole I like to see what happens and not plan too much.  The exception, of course, is professional jobs, which need to be planned, but I do try to go with the flow as much as I possibly can although I am trying to discipline myself to plan personal projects much more meticulously to see how this effects or changes my work.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON LOCATIONS OR SUBJECT MATTER?  
I like photos that are surreal, bizarre or humorous in some way so I seek out places where I might find these elements from attending bizarre events or traveling to unusual places.  I went to Iceland last year as I’ve always been fascinated by surreal volcanic landscapes - the extremes of geological action have left their mark on the surface of the landscape.   I’d love to go back and spend a substantial amount of time there, discovering more remote places in the country.  Look at all those sublime photos of the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull.  I’m also hoping to go to Argentina at some point in the near future  - Patagonia in particular…I image the landscape to be pretty surreal there.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR ART?
When I shoot personal projects I don’t usually give a thought to what people take away from the end result.  It’s more an organic response to a situation or subject matter.  There’s a chance that if a subject has caught my attention then it might resonate with others – I hope this is the case.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW? TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT?
I’m working on 3 projects at the moment one is a project called What is England?  This is a nationwide project curated by Stuart Pilkington.  He’s selected 50 photographers to photograph a particular county in England.  I am representing Bedfordshire, which is the county I spent my formative years in; there are 6 assignments to complete by Jan 2011.  What is England? is a sister project with 50 States Project which some people might be familiar with.  You can read more about the project here http://www.whatisengland.co.uk/

The other 2 projects I’m working on, I won’t say too much about yet other than, one is a landscape project about green spaces and the other is a portrait project; particularly a study on age which I hope to complete by the end of next year.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

                                                          Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

Today's photo is by our next photographer, Tracey Fahy.  Bondi Beach is from her series "A Message to You".  I love the cool hues in this image, the expansive view and the skateboarder caught in motion. While it looks like Tracey just happened to be at the right place at the right time, I know that's rarely the case with a great image and that a lot of planning probably went into getting this shot. We'll soon be releasing 2 more of Tracey's images from this series and I can tell you that they're just as great as this one.  Can't wait to show you!

AN INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST ELISA SCHWALM

If you're a subscriber to our newsletter or have checked out our website or the blog recently you've probably fallen in love with Elisa Schwalm's  images from her constructed landscape projects. Here Elisa tells us a little more about those images & her work.

                                                                                                Threshold 01

TELL US THE STORY BEHIND EACH OF THE IMAGES?
    Threshold 01 was actually shot on my first visit to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (BBG). At the time, I had been living in New York City for about 3 months and was having a really hard time adjusting. I had always loved spending time in nature and found it very calming. I thought why not try checking out the BBG. It was a quiet day, actually a Jewish holiday so there were a lot of large Jewish families roaming around the garden. At one particular point I was enjoying being engulfed by green trees and I looked over and a bunch of siblings were playing on this rock. I instinctively turned my camera on them and snapped. What I photographed has been one of the most profound images I have taken since I arrived in New York City. With the Between Here and There series, I want to keep them more of a mystery at the moment.

                                                                    Between Here and There 01

THERE IS A FANTASY ELEMENT TO THESE IMAGES.  THEY’RE ALMOST MAGICAL… LIKE YOU CAN JUST WALK INTO THEM.  WAS THIS THE EFFECT YOU WERE GOING FOR?
    I would say yes I was going for that effect. A lot of my photography is very experiential, for me as I’m taking the photograph and for the viewer seeing through my eyes. I want the viewer to feel they can step right into the photograph where they can see and feel exactly as I did when I was there. I have always had a very romantic notion of the landscape, which doesn’t necessarily fit into the views of today. I try to bring some of that romantic, serene emotions I feel back to the viewer.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS IS?  HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THE CONCEPT FOR AN IMAGE OR SERIES?
    I come from a very analytical background, having a degree in Psychology. I am a researcher at heart. A lot of the time an idea will pop into my head and I will begin to research online or by going to specific locations. If I feel a connection to it all then I generally will delve a little deeper by beginning to photograph. For me, the conceptual aspect is a little harder and usual comes once I have amassed a collection of photographs.

HOW MUCH OF YOUR WORK IS SPONTANEOUS AS OPPOSED TO CAREFULLY PLANNED OUT SHOTS?
    Almost 100% of my work is spontaneous. The extent of planning is just choosing which locations I would like to photograph and then planning which day to go. Otherwise, everything else is left to chance. Currently, most of my work has taken place in parks and gardens where day-to-day things change. I like not knowing what I will get each time I go out.

                                                               Between Here and There 02

HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON LOCATIONS OR SUBJECT MATTER?
    Again this comes from the research I do once I have decided on a project or a basic idea. For me it is important that I connect with the idea and the locations/subject matters that I choose to photograph.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR ART?
    I really love what I do and I hope the viewer can see that. The landscape is a very therapeutic place for me, which is why I believe that I consistently choose it as a subject matter. Much of my work feeds off my own emotions and I hope that comes through in the work.
  
UNLIKE A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHERS THESE DAYS YOU MOSTLY SHOOT WITH FILM.  WHY?
    I grew up in the film generation. It’s how I learned and a lot of my creative process has been centered on it. For me, it is also about the tangible object. I like being able to hold the negative in my hand and having it as a permanent record of what I did. It doesn’t feel the same with digital. I can’t hold that digital file of 1s and 0s. I am a firm believer that in order to fully understand the history of photography and colour theory you need to learn how film works. I am open to the digital process and have begun to integrate it into my own practice but for now I’m still happy shooting film.

YOU CHOOSE TO GO DIGITAL FOR THE “BETWEEN HERE AND THERE” IMAGES.  WHY?
    When I started photographing for this series, I decided to play around with digital mostly because I could see what I was doing right on the spot. At the time, I also became interested in playing with focus and shallow depths of field. It was easier for me to gain a better understanding of what I liked and what was working by having instant access to viewing. This is also the first time I have solely used digital on a project. So far, so good.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW? TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT?
    I am continuing to look at constructed landscapes in different forms/constructions. What is natural can be unnatural and vice versa. Construction of the landscape allows us to be in and experience “nature” while still being a part of the urban structure. I am looking for moments that allow me to forget where I am physically and immerse myself in the “natural” land.  So I will be doing more shooting in parks, gardens, and museums in various locations. Plus, I’ve always got a lot of other things up my sleeve.

Thanks Elisa! We look forward to seeing what is "up your sleeve' in the future!

NEW RELEASES

                                                                  Between Here and There 01

Happy Tuesday Collectors!

I must say I do prefer Tuesdays over Mondays, especially when I get to bring you fabulous new releases.  Today's editions are by a Canadian artist who is currently living in New York studying for her Masters of Fine Art  in Photography.  Her fourth such educational endeavor!  Elisa Schwalm currently has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photographic Studies. Oh, and did I mention that she also studied photography at the Speos Photographic Institue in Paris?  If I sound amazed it's because I'm always in awe of those who are committed to pursuing the benefits of higher education.  In fact, on a recent visit home to Toronto, Elisa and I had a delightful discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of being a professional student.  I also got to hear firsthand the story behind today's images and I must say, it intrigued me even more.  Elisa and I have emailed back and forth for a while now but when she sent me these images I knew instantly that I had to bring them to you.  At first glance they might seem like ordinary landscape scenes.  However, there is a whimsical, almost magical quality about these images that is very intriguing.  I think Elisa described it best when she said she wanted the viewer to feel like that could "step into them".


                                                                       Threshold 01

I won't tell you much more about them as I want you to experience the images from your own point of view and let you see what you want in them.  I will, however, leave you with one last instruction.  Look closely.  Look very, very closely!

                                                                Between Here and There 02

I also want to share with you that we are now on Tumblr so feel free to drop by and check us out.  Don't forget you can also follow us on Twitter or Facebook to get all the latest updates and news.

Until next time, remember life is enhance by art!

PHOTO OF THE DAY

We're working hard to get ready for our next release but in the meantime I thought it would be fun to tease you with one of the artist's images for our pic of Photo of the Day. 

Elisa Schwalm is a Canadian artist currently living in New York where she's pursuing her masters in Photography.  This image is from her most recent series title, Here and There.  It's just a small taste of what we have coming up when we release 3 of Elisa's images from the same series next week. Enjoy!