Why don't you take a picture? It will last longer.
Capturing Moments Before They Disappear
For the humor-deprived, the title might seem borderline inappropriate, but it's actually quite fitting.
Photographers have a duty to document the world as it is. Many iconic pieces of our existence are vanishing, and once they're gone, they're gone forever. A drive-in movie theater, for example, lasts only as long as the economics of local development allow. Once the land becomes more valuable for another purpose, adios drive-in movie theater.
Pay attention to everything and take nothing for granted. Don't tell yourself that you'll take a certain photo someday. Take it today.
AmericanPoverty.org
AmericanPoverty.org Exhibit Kicks Off at Catholic Charities USA Annual Conference
Last week, Catholic Charities USA kicked off their annual conference in Portland, Oregon, with the large format photojournalism exhibit produced by the In Our Own Backyard photojournalism team. Entitled AmericanPoverty.org, this exhibit aims to raise awareness of people living in poverty in the United States. Catholic Charities has set an ambitious goal to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent by the year 2020. They understand that the only way to meet such an aggressive goal is to set the bar very high.
In Our Own Backyard is a team of skilled and seasoned photojournalists who have witnessed firsthand the struggles of extreme poverty in the United States. This team includes talented photojournalists such as Steve Liss, Jon Lowenstein, Brenda Ann Kenneally, and Eli Reed. They have crisscrossed the United States, capturing exactly what it means to be poor.
It has been a delight to be involved in this project. The deadlines were tight, and God bless overnight delivery. There are at least six more cities that will be hosting this exhibit over the next year, so we look forward to future involvement. Learn more about this large format photojournalism project at AmericanPoverty.org.
New Red Wing Shoe Store and Museum
Red Wing Shoe Company: A Pillar of the Community
Red Wing is a company town, and the name of that company is the Red Wing Shoe Company.
Red Wing Shoe (or 'The Shoe' to the locals) has been manufacturing shoes and boots in Red Wing for over 100 years. The company manufactures and sells purpose-built footwear. Some of their target markets include oil and gas, construction, iron workers, agriculture, hunting, and hiking. Their largest manufacturing plant is in Red Wing, Minnesota. Almost all other footwear today is manufactured and imported from low-cost countries, so a work boot made in the USA is unique.
The Shoe is paternal about the City of Red Wing. When The Shoe announced last year that they were going to purchase a blighted downtown building and create a flagship shoe store and museum, it was a major announcement, especially locally.
This past week, The Shoe moved their World's Largest Boot (20x a normal boot) from a warehouse to the new store. It was an exciting event that garnered a lot of attention. As exciting as that was, the energy level is even higher inside the store as employees scramble to meet an aggressive deadline in opening the new store.
Red Wing Shoe understands the value of visuals and is an image-oriented company. We are proud to have provided the graphics and framing for this exciting new venue. The store opens August 3rd, and the museum later this month.
Jon Hassler paintings
Remembering Jon Hassler: A Multi-Talented Artist and Novelist
It's been 18 months since Jon Hassler passed away. While Jon was well known for his literary prowess, many people are not aware that he was an artist before he became a novelist. He spent his school years teaching English at high schools and colleges, and during the summers, he was a regular on the art fair circuit. He began writing relatively late in life—his first novel, Staggerford, was published when he was 44—but he always enjoyed painting whenever he had the chance.
Much like his books, Jon's paintings exhibit recurring themes: rural landscapes, long light, complex skies, and almost always a strong vanishing point element. In fact, they are almost exactly what you would expect if you've read any of his novels or short stories.
We came to know Jon five years before he succumbed to complications from progressive supranuclear palsy. Jon and his wife, Gretchen, entrusted us with 22 of his original paintings (pictured above left, 'Snowfall', 20"x16", oil on canvas; pictured above right, 'Road to Johnson's Farm I', 16"x12", oil on canvas), all of which were painted in the late 1980s. These remarkable originals are now available for sale, with a portion of each sale being donated to CurePSP (www.psp.org).
The tale of the table under the tent
The Picnic Table: Social Networking 1.0
Think of the picnic table under the canopy tent in the parking lot as Social Networking 1.0. It is the most fundamental device for creating community networks.
World problems have been solved, and judgment passed on every local politician at this very table.
Just last month, under this tent, Leah Nesbitt was declared the 2009 Downtown Red Wing Macaroni and Cheese Smackdown Champion (she used all Wisconsin natural ingredients).
At night, the little Japanese lanterns are lit up, and the table becomes more of a 'night spot' where topics are dissected, examined, and reassembled, often over fermented nectar and usually in hushed voices. In the mornings, it is a destination for coffee and a newspaper.
Warren Buffet would appreciate how effective this $70 picnic table is as a marketing tool.
Panorama-rama
The Beauty of Panorama Photography
This time of year creates beautiful opportunities for panorama photography. The light is becoming longer, and the trees are just beginning to turn color. The Mississippi River, in particular, is a good panorama subject in this area because there are plenty of river bluffs to capture the wide expanse of the river.
The photo above was captured at Buena Vista Park above Alma, Wisconsin. It is a spectacular overlook. The weather was borderline inclement, which creates wonderful atmospheres for the camera lens.
This is a 4:1 print. Large format printing is ideal for a very narrow print like this. To really appreciate a print like this, it requires some height to the image, which means it will grow very wide, very fast. A 12" high print becomes a 48" wide print. Add some mat (typically 3" all around) and some moulding, and the overall image is nearly 5 feet wide. This is a 'high drama' image that demands attention as soon as you walk into the room.
Flyway Film Festival sponsorship
Exciting News: Red Carpet Sponsorship of Flyway Film Festival
We are super excited to announce that Red Wing Framing & Fine Art Printing will be a 'Red Carpet Sponsor' of the 2nd annual Flyway Film Festival in Pepin, Wisconsin, taking place from October 22 to 25, 2009. The primary venue will be the Lake Pepin Art & Design Center. In addition to supporting the entire event, we will be the presenting sponsor for the opening night events on Friday, October 23rd at 7 pm.
This is a significant investment for our modest operation, but it makes sense for several reasons:
We admire what this group is trying to accomplish and their ambitious approach.
We love films, which should be evident from our past entries about the Chief Theater in Red Wing.
We believe it's essential to contribute to the community, and we appreciate art venues that strive to be all-inclusive.
We'll share more details as the festival date approaches.