How Much Have We Accomplished?

[MartinP]

Work has continued, it has actually even increased due to customers deciding that a shortened supply-chain is good at this time and ordering from a 'local' producer instead of the Far East. Of course we made environmental adjustments throughout the workplace, but that also increased the rate of busy-ness. So far this year, I have taken six days of holiday which might be normal for the USA but in NL it leaves me around eighteen days which I will lose Oh well, at least I have a job.

Photographically, darkroom updates haven't happened (no long-weekends using work holiday-days) but I'm now getting short of 50cm paper so I must have been printing something - just not the projects I have been imagining. I haven't yet finished my foamboard, 10x8", baseboard studio camera either, though I improved my lighting-modifiers and lost the potential subjects. Realistically, we can probably write-off (at least) 2021 as not being 'normal' either, so I'll have to adapt more quickly to the new-normal and plan things nearer home.

Wishing everyone a safe and successful festive season, and a very positive 2021.

[Tin Can]

I was taught the reality of Art submission deadlines 21 years ago in MFA program.

They closed all submissions when the synchronized school clocks hit the deadline to the second, even if you were in line.

Missed the first one by 20 seconds and never again.

No excuse accepted, ever.

[John Kasaian]

Me?
Not much.
My bad

[Andrew O'Neill]

Well, the continuation of my Japan coal mine project was buggered up due to covid. That's a project I've been working on (on when I'm there!) since mid 90's. Probably can't pick it up again until Spring, 2022. In the meantime, I'm maybe out with camera once every couple of weeks...more so with medium format... and in the darkroom puttering around almost daily. Will be glad when we've all got our pokes in the arm, and it's all behind us!!

[Kirk Gittings]

Covid didnt slow me down so much as coincidental health problems. I had some weird virus in August that kicked my butt. I was tested twice for Covid and both were negative. But the virus morphed into double ear infections, then triggered daily migraines for 6 weeks, then I had double eye infection and finally a bulging lumbar disk and stenosis resulting in lower body numbness and muscle weakness. All this slowed down a huge HABS commission I was working on and a WPA documentation commission. Print sales of my landscape work have been ok. But overall it hasn't been a very good time for me.

[Tin Can]

Get well Kirk!

I am NOT moving to NM, so you have that

Gave up on that idea

Staying right here in nowhere

[Kirk Gittings]

Get well Kirk!

I am NOT moving to NM, so you have that

Gave up on that idea

Staying right here in nowhere

Thanks. Nowhere USA is probably the safest place to be right now.

[Mark Sampson]

I've been trying to get out into the landscape this year, with limited success. But I haven't even made a contact proof in a year now (although I have processed most of the negatives I've made). But I'm building a darkroom at home, and am painting it now. Given everything else going on, I hope to be fully operational by year's end... after a gap of nearly two years.
Kirk, hope you're feeling better!

[Alan Klein]

Kirk Sorry you've been going through stuff all that. I'm up there in age, at 75, and suffering bad back pains, scoliosis, and stenosis too which isn't helped by MF and LF equipment weight. WHen I was younger, my Dad used to lament, "Getting old isn't fun."

[Nodda Duma]

I successfully completed the ChromaGraphica Kickstarter campaign, getting everybody’s holders out to them and resolving the occasional issue.

Got the rest of the production shipped here and started building holders for retail sale.

Sourced a US supplier of plate drying rack parts, blank glass, and also sourced smooth black glass for wet plate shooters.

Those are the highlights.