The Chemistry of Things
1-10-2006
Since last we spoke, I have been very busy trying to meet the deadline for my show. I had hoped to have my work ready to exhibit in January but it looks like I’m going to have to delay the show for a few months due to technical difficulties.
Though the temperature has been far from frigid, the Winter has been most unkind to my process. Iodine requires a nice, comfortable 75-80 degrees (F) in order to work its magic on the silver plate and the outdoor workshop, though heated, is entirely unsuited to that climate. Consequently, I have had to redesign many facets of the sensitization process and, like all things related to the Daguerreotype, there’s no quick resource that I can call on to help me so I’ve had to figure it all out for myself. I have new Iodine crystals and a revised quantity that I’ll be experimenting with this weekend. Hopefully I can produce more images in the coming weeks.
Experimentation is an important part of what I do. If you don’t try new things, you can never realize just what you’re missing. On the other hand, trying new things that go terribly awry can make you dearly appreciate those things that you’ve been doing right all along! I have made a great number of improvements to my workflow in the past three months. Specifically, I’m now buffing my plates using an alternative to red jeweler’s rouge that is drastically less messy. Though the ladies will miss my rouge-related ruddy, handsome complexion, my lungs will not. I have also adapted to working in reduced light and I have been making some good headway in understanding the relationship of exposure to sensitized plate color.
On subject matter, I have decided to pursue a longer course in working on my series of images relating to the future of the human civilization. Astute readers will have surely noticed the irony in that statement. As I grow more experienced in life and my craft, I realize that I cannot impose a deadline on a vision that is not fully thought-out. I will continue my work on the series as inspiration strikes but I cannot resign to dedicating myself to that single subject with such little time as I have to work on my art as I already have.
-Jonathan
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