I received the following from Angelnook Gallery in Cranston, an interesting photography exhibit.
Dear Members of PSRI,
I am writing to you from Angelnook Gallery in Cranston. We represent two photographers that may be of interest to your members.
The first is Alexander Caltenco, a photographer from Hawaii that has combined his two passions: travel and photography. He travels the world searching for the perfect shot. Each of his images has a story of an adventure behind it.
The second is Frantisek Strouhal. Frantisek uses a 4×5 camera to photograph is subjects and then prints them using the 19th and early 20th century processes of Bromoil and Oil Printing. These may be of particular interest to your members as there are very few people using this process today.
Just in case you have not heard of these process (as I had not, until meeting Frantisek), it is very involved. After photographing his subjects with his 4×5 camera, he creates a large paper negative, digitally, for contact printing purposes. He sensitizes water color paper and exposes it to UV light. The solution on the paper is hardened based on the proportion of light passing through the negative. The highlights harden, while the shadows do not. Upon washing and drying the print, it is ready to be inked using lithographic ink. The hardened areas reject the ink, while the soft areas absorb. Slowly, layer by layer, the ink is built up. This process can take days, weeks, and months, depending on the size of the print.
Bromoil is a very similar process to the oil print. Instead of sensitizing the paper with a hardening solution, it uses a silver bromide coating for sensitization. The paper is then exposed similarly, but before inking can begin, the print is bleached, fixed, and then soaked in water. The highlights absorb more water than the shadows. Once excess water is removed from the print, the bromoilist may start inking. As with oil printing, the highlights reject the ink, as they are swollen with water and the shadows absorb the ink. The layers of ink must be built up slowly and can also take a significant amount of time.
We are having a two part event on Thursday, November 10 that would be an excellent time to visit the gallery. From 3-5 pm, we will have an event for the elementary age children of the surrounding area. Artist Kim Grenier will be facilitating a drawing class where children will have the opportunity to draw their own interpretation of an angel and discuss it with their classmates. There will be face painting and snacks provided, as well as all who attend will be given a free bookmark.
In the evening, from 5-8 pm, we will be having a reception. We will have a silent auction and portion of the proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots. There will be opportunities to meet with the artists and refreshments will be provided. Any donations that guests bring for Toys for Tots will be greatly appreciated.
If you are unable to attend this event, please feel free to visit us another time. We are open 10-6 Tuesday-Sunday and are located at 1591 Cranston St. Cranston, RI. I look forward to having PSRI at Angelnook Gallery in the near future!
Warm Regards,
Shilah Marshman
Shilah A. Marshman
Assistant Manager
Angelnook Gallery
phone: 401-228-6680
fax: 401-275-6022
www.angelnookgallery.com