Posts Tagged ‘Doug Spowart’
20 October: THE END OF THE ROID
Watch a Video of the momentous occasion – the last Polaroid box opening, loading the Polaroid back, the last Polaroid “Pull”, the last few transfers and lifts ever to be taught to and done by students – teachers – anyone!!
A Gallery of images will be posted soon.
Cheers
Doug
1 October: Picking up some thesis help
At a break during thesis reworking – bringing it up to the penultimate draft we went down to Diggers Beach. The challenge of philosophy is to contemplate the inconceivable: find clarity in the profoundly obscure.
I was faced by the ultimate in natural phenomena – a shadow. My recent readings of Deleuze, Derrida and Bachelard gave me an understanding to perceive and confront the impossible – – – – –
This one's for Bachelard
This one's for Deleuze
This one's for Derrida
Pictures by Victoria Cooper under direction.
September 15, 2011 Visit to Sandy Barrie – Ipswich flood update
Sandy Barrie and a lost treasure
Today we dropped in to see Sandy and to deliver some furniture items that may be useful to him. It has been 9 months since the devastating floods that drowned Sandy’s collection. He is still awaiting the completion of the restoration of his house – the insurance company finally paid up and he did receive funds from the Premiers Flood Relief program to help. The problem is getting tradesmen as they are highly sought after fixing other flooded properties.
Despite loosing nearly everything including his extensive photographica collection, computers, printers, workshop equipment and car he is forging ahead with regaining a scaled back collection of photo items that interest and excite him. He talks enthusiastically about new eBay discoveries and the massive additions he has made to his research on early photographers both here in Australia and the United Kingdom.
He has the mementos of the past still around him as seen in the photo where he holds a decaying 1890s photo reference book, but somehow his vision is to the future. His observant eye is as sharp as ever enabling him to make connections between photographic stuff that others want to get rid of via eBay, auction and car boot sale, and the provenance that makes these things valuable objects of the past.
Our best wishes go to Sandy …
https://wotwedid.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/flood-image-salvage-sandy-barrie-collection/
August 14: QLD COLLEGE of ART – OPEN DAY – Gold Coast
On Sunday we visited the Griffith University’ Open Day at the Gold Coast Campus. Both Vicky and I are QCA Alumni – I go back to 1972 when it was simply the ‘College of Art’ and a sessional teacher from 1977 to 1993. Vicky from 1992 as a student of the Associate Diploma of Photography program. We’ve never visited the Gold Coast campus – it’s a remarkably fresh looking place in a natural bushland environment. Students manned the info tents and displays alongside lecturers and their presentation packages represented quality outcomes for their graduating students. They offer interesting and contemporary programs in photography, ephotojournalism, fine art and commercial photography.
Vicky@QCA Open Day - Gold Coast
While in the studio we met up with photo lecturer Jack Picone. A fellow PhD candidate – exchanged some interesting ideas about the challenges of professional practice, teaching and keeping up with the demands of higher ed academic study. Jack has worked around the world as a photojournalist – he showed us a book of his amazing work.
Visit Jack Picone’s website – http://www.jackpiconeportfolio.com
We also caught up with long term QCA identity Earle Bridger who up until last week was deputy director of the QCA Gold Coast campus. Earle has transferred back to the South Brisbane campus.
Jack Picone, Earle Bridger & Doug
July 23 : BIZOO ZINE BOOK LAUNCH
Launch of the BIZOO Book at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
“Bizoo: The Best, The Worst and The Trash That Never Made It” Bizoo was a street culture zine which gave a voice to the young people of Toowoomba from early in 2000 until 2006.
Its story and success lies in the needs that brought about the fanzine world-wide publishing phenomena over the last 20 years. Essentially it’s a response to the fact that the world is controlled by the media and those who control the media pretty well control everything. To combat the communication gulf those from outside the mainstream formed collectives and groups that collated the stories, prose and poems, lyrics, interviews, gig guides, critiques, rants, rude stuff and commentaries about their end of society.
These self-published newspapers/newsletters featured simple layouts, rough illustration and were usually output by photocopiers. Those making contributions did so under various tags and pseudonyms and distribution was made through coffee shops and venues where like-minded people hung out. Copies of the zine were free.
Ultimately the zine became respectable and these days many resemble ephemeral artists’ book styled products. Real names appear and the practice is studied and commented on by university academics – all a far cry from the anonymous gonzo street journalists of the early days.
Somehow, perhaps, the future of communication that was once carried in print by fanzines like Bizoo is gradually being eroded by Blogs (like this one), Facebook, texting and youTube.
But what is important is that the self-published zine created a voice for the stories that were not able to find a vehicle for communication. Now, with the publishing of BIZOO these chronicles of street-life in Toowoomba in the first half of the 21st century will pass into the history of our times. Something that the zinesters, now that their grown up a little, got or getting reliable work, having kids and getting on with life, will find an important and amusing part of their lives. The publication was supported by a grants from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund and the Queensland Government’s RADF.
Make your own zine today ….
Cheers, Doug
SEE the following for more ….
The best place around to find zines – ElouiseQ at http://smellslikezines.com/
JOHN ELLIOTT’s YouTube video and interviews http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZV5Mg16vQ
THE CHRONICLE Newspaper’s story http://www.thechronicle.com.au/
WHAT’S HAPPENING – Workshops, events, gigs etc. www.bizoo.com.au
July 1 – Diggers Rest for Lunch
Doing lots of thesis writing right now – can’t you see?
Vicky - looking for a suitable reference
A working lunch under the pandanus
Other research work were Doug almost looses it: See the YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo1IiDDVcoc
ODE TO A PENULTIMATE DRAFT
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but it’s a beautiful day at the beach!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but the washing machine needs fixing!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I have a review to write!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I think I need a little midday nap!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but’s lunch time!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I should check if the shop has fresh oysters!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but the waves are telling me – – – – something!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I still need to read last weekends newspapers!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . again writing my to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING
. . . writing my to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING
. . . my to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO MY
. . . to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO
. . . back get must I
I MUST GET BACK
. . . get must I
I MUST GET
. . . must I
I MUST . . . I
June 24 – Visit to Barratt Galleries, Alstonville
On the way south through northern New South Wales we called in on Julie Barratt at Barrett Galleries @ Altsonville. Julie’s current show is by photographer Mike Greenslade and is called Beneath the Surface.
SEE: http://www.barrattgalleries.com.au
Julie spoke of the challenges of operating a regional gallery and her current honours studies at Southern Cross University. She excitedly told us about the Hankie Project being shown in a Melbourne Gallery soon. The Hankie project incorporated handkerchiefs from over one hundred artists that commented on the loss of a loved one – their response as artists was represented on a handkerchief.
SEE: http://objectsofthedead.blogspot.com/2010/06/media-release-from-opening-at-barratt.html
We photographed Julie in the gallery in a moment of exhilaration – A flying Julie!!
Julie Barratt flying
June – SQIT Photo Student mosaic for Empire Theatre’s 100th
Students help celebrate the Empire’s 100th Anniversary
Students from my Commercial Photography class recently spent a couple of hours documenting Toowoomba’s Empire Theatre. The images were integrated by me into a 2.1 metre-long trans-luminated mosaic image. The work was integrated into the exhibition ‘100 years Empire Theatre: Historical items from the Theatre’s collection‘ at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.
The Empire Theatre is well-known for the Art Deco architectural structure and decorative elements that were part of its 1930s reconstruction. The building is a photographer’s delight as at every turn there are new views and design elements that can create great abstract forms.
After photography the images were optimised by students and passed over for integration into the triptich’s 70 x 210cm design.
The EMPIRE image mosaic by SQIT students
SEE the Toowoomba Chronicle details http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/05/17/evolution-empire-toowoomba/
The exhibition @ the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
The exhibition at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery includes a photographic exhibition of the reconstruction of the Empire that was undertaken in 1996-7. The photographer was Lucy Robertson-Cuninghame and the images were completed at the time as part of her Associate Diploma of Photography work.
SEE the Chronicle story for details http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/05/23/theatres-rich-history-on-show/
May 17 – NEW VIDEOs – QCP ALT & Japanese Pinhole Opening
Uploaded two Video presentations from the Queensland Centre for Photography shows – ALT and Seven Japanese Pinhole Photographers.
THE ALT + PINHOLE OPENING
SEE THE OPENING VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYAY3zXQrfI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
SEE THE JAPANESE PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHERS VIDEO (Note: Mainly in Japanese language)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewUTYY2enKc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL.
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WORLD PINHOLE DAY: April 24, 2011
‘Round the [w]hole world today pinholers were out having fun – Making their images for the 2011 WPD.
We have just purchased an OLYMPUS EPL1 a Micro Four Thirds digital camera. It features interchangeable lenses, 12 megapixel capture and HD Video – It’s not the latest and greatest but it is very reasonably priced @ around $450 at JB-HiFi or Harvey Norman.
What is exciting is we drilled out the body cover – put about a 10mm hole in the middle and stuck an old home-made pinhole into it and made pictures. In ‘LiveView’ mode you can even see what you are shooting and, better still, we are shooting pinhole movies!!! In fact out 2011 WPD offering will feature a ‘stilled’ image (SEE Below) with a link to a YouTube video.
Still from the Pinhole Movie: "Being There . . ."
HERE IS THE LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk4vnbzTqOU
Vist the WPD Site for other contributors: http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2011/
Our WPD images:
2011 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2011/index.php?id=924
2010 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2010/index.php?id=2464&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
2006 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2006/index.php?id=1636&Country=Australia&searchStr=cooper
2004 Vicky http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2004/index.php?id=1553&Country=Australia&searchStr=cooper
2004 Doug http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2004/index.php?id=1552&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
2003 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2003/index.php?id=615&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
2002 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2002/index.php?id=826&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
wotwedid 
