'Back to Black'

A combination entry to both Throwback Thursday and Roy G Biv Day. Nothing seems so black as the black in these pinhole photographs. I explored art making with pinhole cameras several years ago. I had access to tech support at our local college which allowed me to have fun with the whole exploration. The painted 'red' oatmeal box was my camera and the 'black' is represented by these pinhole images scattered about. Later in that year of exploration I had a small show combining my poetry with these strange dark images. I'm anxious to see other 'black' representations over at Jennifer Coyne Qudeen

Days of the Pin Hole Camera

I love art making and especially using new techniques (to me) and interesting even odd materials. I was the kid late summer handling the erasers, pencils and purchasing my large box of crayons. I had an easel (my father built for me) and a couple of tins of colors. I loved it all and still do...a thrill for me is to walk the aisles of a good art store and sometimes even a craft store, looking for the perfect something, stones and stuff! If I collect anything it's art supplies.

This pinhole camera was my adventure into early photography. Out of a child's science book...I found instructions on creating the camera. The red oatmeal box was one of my favorites until Quaker Oats replaced the paper lid with plastic. I had all sorts and sizes of containers (I painted the outside (not necessary only the inside need be painted solid black) and attached a piece of tin (pie plate) with a needle hole for the view finder. I took my cameras to Yosemite, Hawaii and my backyard. I would expose the film and count Mississippi 1, Mississippi 2 (tourists shook their heads?) and then take my one hope per box home for processing. I turned my laundry room into a part time dark room and had mixed results but I loved every minute of the adventure. Mostly dreamlike images of trees, rocks and water. I had several shows and attached my poems to each image. Entered juried shows and did very well on awards....it was great fun and once again doing what I love, making art with a new or odd techniques in new or unusual ways. I was able to take advantage of the technician at the local college for help in processing and probably could have taken it further but gave it up when I moved to the beach. The framed piece is a pinhole image of my backyard...we lived on a waterway and had a big old oak tree....the oatmeal box created a fishbowl effect.