Alternative Process Conference in Jalapa, Mexico

[sanking]

This is a short announcement from Byron Brauchli, who is the organizer of an international confernce on alternative processes to be held in Jalapa, Mexico in May of this year.

"I understand that there has been much "alternative" dissemination of our upcoming International Alternative Photographic Processes Conference scheduled this coming May in Xalapa, Veracruz, and I am now pleased to announce (at last) the official web page. http://www.EncuentroProcesosAlternativos.com>www.EncuentroProcesosAlternativos.com

The event is of course in Spanish, but there will be many bilingual folks on hand, so please, if you know a bit of Spanish, and feel an inclination to travel South in May, consider us in your plans--it promises to be a culturally rich photo event. If you know of others would might also be interested in this event please pass along the information.

Best regards,

byron"

You can contact Byron at,


Byron Brauchli
José Clemente Orozco No. 28
Col. Coapexpan C.P. 91070
Xalapa, Veracruz
México
+(52) 228-8-13-20-07
http://www.byronbrauchli.com>www.byronbrauchli.com

As you can see from the web page, I will be conducting a workshop on carbon printing in Spanish at the event, and also have an exhibition of recent carbon transfer prints.

BTW, If you are interested in attending be aware that Jalapa is a cultural university city far removed from the kind of drug cartel wars seen in other parts of Mexico.

Sandy King

[Jim Graves]

Sandy ... any suggestion on best travel (from U.S.) and lodging there?

[sanking]

Jim,

Contact Byron about lodging.

Although there is an airport in Xalapa I think the least expensive travel option would be to fly to Vera Cruz and take a cab or van to Xalapa.

Sandy

QUOTE=Jim Graves;454712]Sandy ... any suggestion on best travel (from U.S.) and lodging there?[/QUOTE]

[claudiocambon]

I did a photogravure workshop with Byron last May, and it was a blast. I had originally planned to be in Mexico at this time to take the conference in order to take Sandy's carbon workshop, but unfortunately I can't swing it this year.

Xalapa is a lively city, and even if it can be a bit rainy, it won't be so hot. We stayed at the Posada del Cafeto downtown, about a half hour walk to Byron's house/studio, but there are other options. I remember the Lonely Planet guide having a good long list.

You can either fly to Veracruz and take a bus to Xalapa, as Sandy says, or you can fly to Mexico City and take an ADO bus I believe directly from the Mexico City airport to Xalapa, which may work out to be the same in terms of time.

If you can go through Veracruz, I highly recommend that. It feels halfway to Havana. Will be steaming hot, though.

I also recommend the outskirts of Xalapa if you have extra time. I am particularly fond of Xico, where you will eat so well it's not funny. Stay at the Posada Dos Vistas with Don Franco and Doña Consuelo Virues, who are good friends of ours if you do go.

[sanking]

I just returned to the US from Mexico after a visit of approximately two weeks in Xalapa, Mexico. The major purpose of my visit was to conduct a three-day workshop on carbon transfer printing as part of an international conference on alternative printing, the “Encuentro internacional de procesos fotográficos alternativos.” The conference was originally scheduled for May of this year but was delayed due to the swine flu outbreak. I took advantage of my time there to do some personal work in the city of Xalapa and in excursions to nearby sites such as Xico, Coatepec, and Naolingo.

This conference was for its breadth and depth without question the best one I have ever attended on alternative printmaking processes. It included discussions on the importance of alternative printmaking, excellent exhibitions of several processes, including my own carbon transfer work and that of Dick Sullivan, ambrotypes by Lucy and Waldemaro Concha, pt/pd prints by Julio Galindo, and photogravures by Jon Goodman, and three and four day workshops on carbon transfer printing by me, gum bichromate by Arturo Hernández, Ambrotypes by Lucy and Waldemaro Concha, photogravure by Jon Goodman and digital manipulation by Antonio Turok.

My carbon workshop was four days, including one day of preparation and three days of working with students. I was especially delighted with the mix of younger art students and more mature professionals working from art institutes and photo conservation centers. Working conditions were tight as the 11 participants in the workshop and several observers who were often on hand tested the limits of the working space, but everyone got along well and most of the participants ended up making a few nice carbon prints. We worked with both digital negatives and in-camera negatives, depending on the preference of the participants.

Byron Brauchli, an American who works as in Investigator at the Instituto de Artes Plásticas of the Universidad Veracruzana, was the primary organizer of the “Encuentro” and deserves much commendation for making this event happen. In a conversation I had with Byron after the end of the event he indicated that plans were to make this a bi-annual affair. If that is so I would encourage anyone interested in meeting and working with world class alternative printmakers to put this event on your radar screen.

I was also very pleased with the reaction to my own work and to the numerous new contacts I made. Several people who saw my carbon gtransfer prints at the exhibition in the Holos Galeria described the work as simply stunning, and at least two groups are already working on plans to have me return to Mexico to do carbon workshops in other cities, including Mexico City. Another highlight of the event for me was getting to know Jon Goodman, master photogravure printer (http://jgoodgravure.com/) who as chance has it comes to my area of the country frequently because of family ties.


Sandy King

[bob carnie]

I was at Photostock 09 late June and had the pleasure of taking a workshop with Sandy and seeing a selection of recent Carbon Prints.
Sandy is a wonderful teacher and his prints are truly outstanding , you need to see them in your hand to appreciate them fully.
I have never seen prints that handle shadow, midtone detail as well as these prints, simply amazing.

[sanking]

I was at Photostock 09 late June and had the pleasure of taking a workshop with Sandy and seeing a selection of recent Carbon Prints.
Sandy is a wonderful teacher and his prints are truly outstanding , you need to see them in your hand to appreciate them fully.
I have never seen prints that handle shadow, midtone detail as well as these prints, simply amazing.

Bob,

You are a pretty amazing professional printer, both analogue and digital, so I really appreciate your generous comments about my work.

Sandy

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Sandy, it sounds like a very productive event. I am glad that the event was delayed and not canceled due to the flu. Dick Sullivan had posted s few pics from the trip and I am happy for you in that all was well received.

Sandy is an amazing carbon printer and has been a big influence and of great help to me in my carbon work. I know one day I will see some of his work but what I have seen posted before on the net just blows me away. I hope to be able to attend some of these events in the future.

Jim

[claudiocambon]

Sandy,

Luck would have it that I could not come to Xalapa this time, but please keep us all posted on your next workshops this fall and winter. I am determined to take one with you somewhere sometime! I hope you liked Xico.

Cheers from Paris!

Claudio