The Daguerreotype: Contemporary work by Jonathan Danforth

Thank you to everyone that has e-mailed with questions, comments, etc. over the past year.  I love hearing from you and answering you questions.  A few weeks ago I met with a local student who is making daguerreotypes.  She and I practiced copper polishing and shared some tips.  This is exactly the kind of interaction that I thrive on.  My friend Kaden calls it “spreading your knowledge” and encourages me to do so whenever he can.

This year has been a good one for spreading my knowledge and for learning new information.  I have had daguerreotype students, been an adviser on two college papers, and taught the finer points of destroying daguerreotypes to my own teacher.  I can’t count the number of e-mails I’ve answered regarding the daguerreotype process… I’m overjoyed that some of those people have even made their own daguerreotypes too.

The highlight of my year was returning to London to attend the opening of Mat Collishaw’s “Shooting Stars” at Haunch of Venison London.  Mat is an artist with acute talent and it has been and remains an honour (that spelling’s for you, Mat!) collaborating with him on his two projects: “Shooting Stars” and “Deliverance“.

While in London I was able also to share a few pints with Brenton West, “Dr. Dag.”  We had a great time at his gallery opening despite the torrential rain and I enjoyed benefiting from his tremendous knowledge on silversmithing and daguerreotypie alike.

Another London artist taught me some valuable lessons this year.  Tom Leighton and I worked on some daguerreotypes of his images but my poor planning really made the project fall apart.  I thank Tom for his patience and understanding.  The images that did come out looked very good and I’m honored to have worked with him.

I was very privileged to work with an artist for whom I’m not sure I’m allowed to name on some unique square-format daguerreotypes for his “Old Haunts” series.  This was a delightful process and I hope to continue the relationship in 2009!

The inimitable Dean Snyder and I collaborated on a daguerreotype for his “Almost Blue” project at the Tang Museum.  What a joy that was!

I made daguerreotypes this year for half a dozen newlyweds.  These are my favorites… keep ‘em coming, they make great gifts!

For the first time I attended the Daguerreian Society Symposium.  This event was a tremendous pleasure.  I was privileged to meet about two dozen people that I have collaborated with, taught, advised, and begged advice of over the past five years.  Washington, DC was close enough that I was able to drive and, therefore, bring my wife and son for a little vacation.  I will definitely attend next year’s symposium if only to visit with my charished daguerreian friends.

Speaking of daguerreian friends, 2008 saw the opening of several brand new resources for daguerreotypists and collectors both.  Back in June I declared 2008 to be “The Year of the Daguerreotype.”  The chatter on daguerreotypes escalated this year to a point that I doubt the subject has seen since 1840.  Alan Bekhuis created a terrific resource on artists, equipment, process, etc. and Jon Lewis created a fantastic discussion forum.

We saw the launch of a new blog by the upcoming daguerreotypist Andy Stockton.  The Daguerreotypist blog is a well-written account of one man’s determination (and suffering!) in the process of becoming a daguerreotypist.  His writing has been a tremendous boon to the online daguerreotypist culture.

The show at Through This Lens in Durham, NC was well received and I’m encouraged.

I look forward to an exciting 2009 full of new art and new challenges.

-Jonathan