A Glimmer?

Hi all:

Hope everyone is having a good week thus far. Here in the Northeast, we went from 60-70 degrees to 40's this week - gotta love it! I was in NYC on Monday for some networking and I froze my ass off! Having grown up in Chicago, I always say that it ain't truly spring until May.

Blogging music today is Social Distortion - a live album they recorded at the Roxy in L.A. Great disc - and I've been listening to it a lot the past couple of weeks. Why? Because recently, an American Idol contestant performed a creepy, weird, uncomfortable version of "Ring of Fire" by The Man In Black, and I found myself yearning for the Social D. cover of it (which they still play on tour to this day).

Anyway, most of you know that I have this weird thing when it comes to jinxes. I don't like telling people good news until it's solid for fear that the fate vultures will swoop in and snatch it. But, there have been some positive developments recently, and since this blog is about keeping everyone updated on things, I figure I should just let y'all know what's up. I'm knocking on wood right now, even as we speak.

The big piece of news is that I may be working with a new art dealer. He appears to be exactly the kind of person I've been looking for to push and distribute my work. Seems like he's an art dealer first and a gallery director second - which is just what I need. I'll likely get more personal attention and he already has some great ideas on new venues for showcasing my work. A nice, very well-connected guy with a lot of contacts in NY, the Midwest and CA - and if things work out, this could be a pivotal moment. We're still in the discussion stages - but the possibilities are definitely there.

The other piece of news is that my wife and I are discussing the possibility of finishing off our basement. Included in the plans would be an office/studio space for me - which would really be great. Currently, there isn't a lot of room for me to create work or do "work" and this will definitely help in a major way. A final decision hasn't been made yet, but it is looking quite likely. I expect that we'll decide pretty soon - and I'm guessing if we move forward, work would be begin by May 1st or so.

Everything is tied together - new exhibition/exposure opportunities, a new studio and the fact that right now, I believe I am creating the best work of my entire career. If these new developments do move forward, my hope is that they will feed into my creative process and kick my work up another notch. As an artist it is always important to find ways to get better- and external factors have a lot to do with it, though many would claim otherwise.

The song playing right now through my headphones is "Prison Bound," and I'm smiling because I think that I may actually be "breaking out." Keep knocking on wood folks - keep those fate vultures at bay!

I'll close with a photo for your viewing pleasure - newly discovered daguerrotype dating from 1848, showing a country estate in Manhattan. Thanks to my brother Eric for sending me the link to the story on the NYT: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/25/ny.photograph/index.html

More soon...

-Marc

A Picture-Perfect Moment in the Life Of...

Today's blogging tunes are courtesy of Bloc Party. They're playing Philly tomorrow night, but the show sold out and I didn't get a ticket in advance because I thought I was going to be having out-of-town visitors. Oh well..such is life.

So, I had a moment yesterday - a photographic moment, and as it was occurring I thought to myself "Remember this chain of events - it will be great for the blog." So, here it goes.

I'm standing in my kitchen around 6:00 pm making dinner. The kitchen faces my backyard - and there's a sliding glass door that opens onto our deck. My youngest daughter Lila is already asleep upstairs, but my oldest, Mia, is hangin' out with me, asking to go outside and play. "Sorry sweetie, but I'm making dinner and it's almost ready - maybe tomorrow." While dinner is finishing up, I see that the door from our deck to the yard below is open, so I go outside to put the latch on, and I turn to my left and I see it. A picture-perfect moment in a neighbor's yard. The sky is just that right kind of overcast and the subtle light from the sun is coming through just perfectly. I think to myself immediately: ok, I need to shoot this in color - not good in B/W. Plastic camera or Nikon? Plastic Camera - the shot will be great for the series if it turns out. Ok, where IS my plastic camera? Upstairs - damn, no film in it. Do I have any color film for it?" I run upstairs - I have some old, expired 100 film. DAMN - 400 would be much better right now, but I'll take what I can get. Mia's downstairs playing - so she's good for a moment. MIA - GET YOUR SHOES ON, WE'RE GOING OUTSIDE FOR A FEW MINUTES! But I thought you said...? Don't worry about that- just get your shoes on! I load the film, thinking to myself, I hope the light doesn't die - I've got like 10 minutes to get this or it's over. Expired film - could be a problem, hopefully the colors haven't faded. We'll see I guess. I run downstairs, and check to make sure the baby monitor is on and the volume turned up. Then, we go outside. I begin shooting, Mia is behind me singing at the top of her lungs. Well, it's really more like yelling - why can't she SING now instead? She has a beautiful voice (like her Mother), and singing would keep me focused, where her yelling is distracting. Calm down Mia - relax. "Sorry Dad," she says and I smile at her. She runs around - but miraculously stays behind the camera - she doesn't even try to get in the shot. Very unusual for her - she must know something's up. I shoot the whole roll - various angles, perspectives. I take a breath once it's done - and turn to Mia and say, "Let's go eat sweetheart." "Ok Dad," she says, and she skips up the stairs, takes her shoes off, and I shift my focus to getting dinner on the table.

Such was yesterday evening. I'll keep everyone posted on how it all turns out! Happy weekend!


-Marc

New Pretty, Shiny Things

So, I'm getting a cup of tea at Panera, and there's a guy having a conversation about the Philadelphia Eagles - right in front of the sugar and creamer stand. He sees me there waiting for him to move, and keeps talking. And talking. AND TALKING! I reach behind him to grab some sugar and he doesn't move at all - just stands there. Now, the old me from about 10 years ago would have said "How about having that conversation in a place that isn't in everyone's way?" Or, if I was in a particularly bad mood, it might go something like this:

"Excuse me - how about MOVING THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!"

My, how I've grown. BTW: he continued talking in that same spot for 10 more minutes after I sat down.

Ok, now that I've gotten that out of the way, time to get down to business. I had a dream last night, and though I can't remember what it was, the soundtrack appeared to be The Editors- so I figured I should throw in "An End Has A Start" as the music for today's session.

I got some film back yesterday - not too bad, but not sure how inspiring it is. I shot it of a scene I had passed a zillion times - but this time I waited and took the shot during a snowstorm. Not sure how evident it will be, but we'll see. Gonna wait for Tom A. to finish up the other scans before giving him a new batch I think.

The family and I are going to be in Chicago in April, and I'm thinking about what I want to shoot when I'm there. I find myself constantly heading back to the neighborhood I grew up in for inspiration- there is just something magical about it for me, even though the memories are both positive and negative. There's something about that place- it still looks virtually identical to what it looked like when I was growing up, which to me is special in and of itself - considering how neighborhoods are being destroyed across this country. I don't want to live in the past, but so much of what I do is derived from it - and this area is even more valuable to me now that I no longer live in Chicago. I just have to decide what to shoot- I've got a couple of ideas, but nothing really concrete yet. Usually, I just walk around for a while and ideas come to me when I'm in the moment. I shoot this way a lot in fact, which is interesting because I'm not the spontaneous type. So much of my work relies on the "happy accident" (as one of my old photo professors used to say) and I think that my shooting method has adapted to my work in a way, if that makes sense?

Speaking of inspired, my friend Sylvia gave me some feedback on Image # 6 from my website. Keep 'em coming guys! She also told me that I've inspired her to start doing some of her own work again - which flatters me greatly. That's what it's all about kids!

Sylvia also was gracious enough to mention some galleries for me to check out, which I hugely appreciate. Thanks Sylvia! If anyone else has any suggestions (either for my own work or just for the hell of it), please forward the info along. I'm always looking for new galleries and venues, and on a personal note, with Flatfile closing, I'm on the hunt now more than ever!

Ok, so back to image #6 on the site. Here is a b/w version and a toned version - right next to each other. Let the voting begin!

Starting today, I want to show more images on this blog. Reading nothing but words on these things gets a bit boring, so I'm going to try and post at least one image with every entry. Sometimes it might be my work, but usually it will be somebody else's - and it may or may not be photography and I may or may not even like it. Maybe it will stimulate some conversation though.

The two images above don't really count, since they are tied to my last entry, so, in the spirit of fair play, I've included an image below that I haven't been able to get out of my head. I think it's just beautiful. There is something that is both serene and desolate about it - and the textures and lines in it I think are just great. The photographer is a guy named Rolph Gobits:

Ok, well that's it for now. Hopefully I'll have some new images of my own for the next post. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

-Marc

like so many others...

Spring greetings everyone. Ok, a little optimistic, but why not - especially since my family and I seem to be recovering from the Black Death we all had last week.





Lots to blog about today, so get comfy. I'm getting cozy with a Jones Cream Soda and a little U2 for my listening pleasure. Anyone who's known me for more than 30 seconds knows that I've got a major soft-spot for those Dubliners. Definitely my all-time favs, and I just got their new one, and am letting it soak in. Still not sure yet - but for today's session, I went back to the beginning and have "Boy" piping through my headphones.





First order of business: R.I.P. Flatfile. I guess there was a reason why I hadn't heard about the status of this group show I was supposed to be in. After posting my last blog entry, I went back through my records and noticed the show was supposed to open at the end of February. I assumed they decided to ditch me at the last minute or postpone the show, but as it turns out, the gallery is closing. Apparently, the show is still happening - the director will be curating it as a guest at a different venue (Mars Gallery, from what I understand) and I am apparently still part of it.





I haven't oftentimes referred to Flatfile by name on here, but most of you know that I've had a relationship with them in some way for a very long time. I was one of their first artists to sign on and was represented by them for many years. The relationship devolved since I moved to Pennsylvania and I began working with them on a guest-artist basis since then, but I've had some tie to them during most of my professional career. When it came to Flatfile, I was never pushed in any direction and I knew that generally, if I created it, they would show it. This was the good news and the bad news - I got great experience and a strong exhibition pedigree from them, but there were times where I probably could have used a nudge. But, Flatfile grew to represent almost 70 artists at one point (not an environment in which I thrive), and individual attention simply doesn't work in that equation. But, despite our differences over the years, Flatfile helped put Chicago's West Loop Gallery district on the map, and I have a lot to thank them for. I'll keep everyone posted on the group show when more details become available.





I'm also in a new group exhibition at the gallery in Easton, PA I mentioned before - but this time, my experience was a little different than the last time I showed there. Not walking in with expectations I'm sure helped the first go-around, because this time, I was a little disappointed. The work in the show overall is fine (though I've liked others of theirs a lot better), but I'm not pleased with the way my work is being shown this time. I gave them 4 pieces to chose from, and they picked the two subtlest. But, they proceeded to hang them in an area in with absolutely abysmal lighting. There were a lot of pieces in the show that were bolder and that would have looked fine in that type of light, but mine CLEARLY don't. As soon as I saw them there, I said to myself - "I guess I'm not selling anything from this show." I've been wrong before, but this time, I wouldn't bet against me. But, as a professional artist, this is the kind of thing you have to be prepared for and let slide off your back (but it's nice to be able to bitch about it a little too). The work being shown is two older pieces - both on my website (http://www.sirinsky.com/). For those that care, they are #11 and 12 from the site.





Quick survey: I'm having some difficulty with deciding what to do with one of the images on the site. #6 - the shot of the wave crashing. I still like it, but not as much as I did before - and I'm thinking I might like it better as a pure b/w rather than a toned image. But, I'm not sure if I want to keep it on the site at all at this point - it's been naggin' me. Whadaya guys think? Keep it, tweak it or ditch it? I have a b/w version of it on my other comp - so I'll post it up here so you guys can see it and look at both versions next to each other.





In other news, I think I'm going to start submitting this blog to some directories. We'll see- but what harm could it do, right?





Still waiting for some scans back from Tom A. - might have end of this week, but I don't see myself touching anything for another week at least - I need to recover before working on anything, unless you want to be subjected to total crap - which I'm guessing you don't.





Also have another roll out for processing - shot it during the recent snowstorm. I'm thinking the whole roll could potentially suck, but then again, that's a possibility every time I pick up my camera.





I'll close with a drawing by one of my current favorites - Josh Cochran, which I think sums up how most of us are feeling these days.












Happy Hump Day!


-Marc

Happy Accident?

Hi all:

Well, it certainly has been a while! I didn't realize how long it had been until I logged on and saw that my last post was at the beginning of February! Sorry for the delay guys - things got really busy all of sudden, which I suppose beats the alternative!

A little Social D. for my blogging pleasure today. Not necessarily because I had a craving for it, but mainly because the headphones I had in my computer case are crap and I needed something loud enough to register on these things!

So, in my last post I talked about shooting a roll of film per month. Since then, I've actually shot 3! How's that for exceeding one's goal? They've already been processed and it looks like there's some good stuff there - I've got the images with super-scanner/imaging guru Tom A., and I'll probably have 'em back in a week or two.

Funny story though - the film I shot was from a batch of expired stuff my friend Brian sent me. Brian was an independent producer until recently (he just got a new gig) and I served on the PACA panel with him this past fall. While at the conference he mentioned that he had a bunch of old film in various formats, and asked if I would like it. Free film? You don't have to ask me twice!

Well, the film showed up a couple of weeks ago, and when he said expired, he wasn't kidding. I'm guessing some of it was 10 years old - I didn't even recognize some of the packaging, which leads me to the funny part of the story. I saw he included some 35 mm. T-MAX film in there, which I was excited about - so I shot a roll of it, but after rewinding it (which I have to do by hand in a darkroom, since my antique plastic camera has no rewind mechanism), I pulled it out of the camera and noticed it was not Kodak T-MAX, but rather Kodak COLOR-MAX! For the first time in my career, I didn't know what was in my camera.

More importantly, this was the first time I shot color film through this particular camera. But, as I said earlier, it processed fine despite the age, and some of the images looked good, so we'll see what happens. Up until now, beginning with b/w film has been a crucial part of my latest body of work, but who knows where this little wrench in the plan will take me? Worst comes to worst, I can always convert them to grayscale if need be.

On the gallery side, I dropped off some older work for a new show at the gallery in Easton, PA I mentioned in my earlier post. Who knows - maybe they can do something with them. I still like all of them, which for me, is a rarity with my older work. I also broke my rule and approached a new gallery in Miami about my latest body of work. They're not actively seeking new artists, but the director liked what she saw and she wants a price list and some JPEG's, so I'll probably oblige. Things like that have a habit of coming full circle eventually. Still no news from Chi-town on the group show this month that I was supposed to be in. I'll probably need to bag it if I ever do actually hear from them.

In other news, I was in NYC this past Tuesday to do some networking, and spent some time with my pal Kim - a talented photo editor, photographer and all-around cool chick. She just started a blog too, so check it out: http://putitonyourkite.blogspot.com/

Other than that, just trying to stay sane with all these strange weather swings and a house full of sick people. Happy March and more to come soon!


-Marc