100 Strangers Project #69 Matty P Sunshine

100 Strangers Project #69 Matty P Sunshine, originally uploaded by BunnySafari.

I now realize that by taking photos of strangers while wearing a big old camera, makes one rather conspicuous. In addition, I have a bit of a reputation for taking these portraits. So it was almost too easy to get Matty to pose for me because he knows some of my ‘strangers’. Turns out Matt was also volunteering at the ball hockey tournament and is a long time Hillside Festival summer volunteer. Seven years with the summer festival and four years with the Hillside Inside.

I asked him if I would have seen him around the summer festival and he mentioned that it was him who always wears the paper mache sun head. That makes sense now! I had always wondered who that was…..this is Matty P Sunshine!!! It’s nice to know that even though 1,000’s of people attend the Hillside Festival, there are lots and lots of lovely, fun people who make it such a treat.

This picture is #69 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at www.100Strangers.com

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Now for the scissors….

Now for the scissors…., originally uploaded by BunnySafari.

I shot a whole roll of film, just cause I can. I think this is morphing into a series. Who knows when the time will come when my son tells me not to bring the damn camera with me anymore.

This one will be a challenge to print in the darkroom. Lots of those hotspots. I will have to wait to January to find out.

Til then, I have been happily very busy throwing pots for the crazy buzy season that is already upon us.

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Post Art On The Street

 

Holy schmokes! I won something! Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had won the ‘People’s Choice Award’ at this years show. You may be reading this thinking, ‘hang on, Bunny made sure I filled out one of those ballots before I left her booth.’ Just to be clear, I didn’t force anybody or twist their arms or pinch them. Thank YOU for taking the time to fill those out, I really do appreciate it.

The show was so well organized. Lynn and Sonya and the gang of Art Angels did a fantastic job. Big kudos for coming around with the water mister to make sure we were able to get a splash of relief from the humidity. The businesses in downtown Guelph did a great job of making the participants feel special. A loot bag of free art supplies from Wyndham Art, was like getting candy!!!!

It was great to see all of the familiar faces from the market and the community. Meeting so many new people was the highlight of my day. I am sure that my pots are now enjoying their new homes and don’t miss me at all. The best part was watching people’s faces as they got my wacky sense of humor depicted on many of my pots. My “mug shots” were a big hit and I need to make more. People were somewhat confused when they saw my display of reused record covers, they assumed I was selling records…….I was using them to display my necklaces. Interestingly, the one of Barry Manilow kept getting brought to the front, but his doey eyes kept following me around my booth and I had to hide him away. FYI, none of the records were from my personal collection…honest!

 

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Art On the Street

Have you wondered where I went? Did I melt in the last heat wave? Did I jump in the pond and get devoured by the goldfish? No way people. I have been back full time in the studio throwing, trimming, glazing and firing the kiln, all in preparation for the 10th year of The Art On the Street show downtown Guelph. I know Allan will shake his head at the mention that this show has been on for ten years, cause like me, he remembers the old days. Back in the day, the very first show was held in the same square as all of the city buses who would flow in and out every half hour and not only blast you with exhaust but bring ‘tire-kickers’ who were exhausting us while waiting for the next bus. We were the shock troops, the bait, to get people out and visit their downtown. I can happily report that many years later, this show is fabulous and is one of the best advertised juried art shows I have been in. If you live in this city and aren’t aware that it is coming this Saturday, why then you should check your pulse, because you are dead. So many people come to see this show and sale that there isn’t any room for the tire-kickers, they get moved on by those who fully appreciate what we get up to hidden away in our studios.

I will not only have a fabulous selection of pottery on hand, but I will also be showing some of my film photography (yikes!). I have some pieces that I am rather proud of and chuffed to show off. Heck, you may even be the one who buys one to add to your collection! Now don’t be put off by the weather forecast threatening high heat and humidity, there is a beer garden to help!!

My kiln is on its last firing to put some final details on some new work. I can show you a photograph of what they looked like before their bisque firing…….trust me, you will want to see this in person. Oh yes before I forget, I will have some of my film cameras loaded with film all ready to capture some more people for the 100 Strangers project. I only need about 50 more.

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Think Cool Thoughts

Think Cool Thoughts, originally uploaded by BunnySafari.

We are having a heat wave!!! What a great way to celebrate the Solstice, don’t you think? My son has been asking ‘when does summer start’ for weeks. On the way to school this morning he mentioned how hot it was. I laughed and said ‘who couldn’t wait for summer?’ “Welcome to summer!” His reply? “Maybe I like winter best”…..

I am always tempted to dip my toes in this pond. Then I spotted a huge goldfish and quickly changed my mind. I would miss a toe or two.

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Buzzzzz

Buzzzzz, originally uploaded by BunnySafari.

The ritual haircut for the boy. I take him to where men know how to cut men’s hair (and wee men too). As the ‘Mum’, I always feel as though I have entered into a sanctuary of sorts. Similar to entering the wrong locker room. Men talking about men things. I always feel as though I am an intruder. I get over that pretty quickly once we are settled and start to read the same kids books supplied on the nearby shelf. There is always a lot of talk about sports, especially hockey.

This day in particular I happened to bring my Yashica A, twin lens camera. I think it is important to document these places as there aren’t many around anymore. Luckily, all the guys nodded in agreement that it was okay for me to use my “new/old” camera. Sure enough, I realized that the place was packed with lots of menfolk waiting. I don’t really like an audience when I am shooting. The age of the camera had a few of them commenting that they remembered what film was.

An advantage of the twin lens, is that I am looking down into the camera and it doesn’t obscure my face so people aren’t quite sure when I am taking the photo. I still find a camera held up to someone’s eye unnerving. One would think that I would be fine with that, but no.

I shot half a roll of film in Franco’s. I should have finished the roll there, because once I developed the roll, I realized that I got some cracker shots! Then again if I had I would have missed out talking to a chap who used to have a barber shop near the old correctional institute for 37 years. I did take his photo. I forgot to ask his name or tell him about the 100 Strangers project!!!

When I look at this photo, I really like the expression on the barber’s face and the sharpness of his clippers. You can almost smell the pomade don’t you think?

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100 Strangers Project #30

100 Strangers Project #30, originally uploaded by claygrl.

Okay, this is embarrassing. I forgot his name. This was taken way back in April. He is was visiting a friend of mine and he was from Ottawa. He was great to talk to and a great sport to participate in the slowly evolving 100 Strangers. I have misplaced my wee notebook with my cheat sheets (I have a few of them kicking about). I think his profession has something to do with water……a scientist? A researcher? Anyone?

Have you seen my notebook?

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Vintage Hawkeye Brownie Camera 1966?

Here is the camera box that contained the Brownie with the filmed dated 1966.  I have also included Dorothy’s signature (I think) to refresh any memories for people.  I did some sleuthing back at the shop where I bought the camera.  According to Ray, (the owner of Dis-A-Ray’s) he emptied out Dorothy’s house and this is how he came to be selling her camera.  He said that she was quite involved in the local Scouting movement.

Regardless, it would be fun to find out who the young married couple were way back when.  Maybe their kids would like to see the photos….or not.

I has been fun peeking into your life Dorothy.  Did you have fun at the zoo in Detroit?

 

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Ice Cream Man

Ice Cream Man, originally uploaded by claygrl.

Every year at the Hillside Festival, there are a few ‘must do’ items always on the list…..eating organic ice-cream from Mapleton’s is one of them. It is one line I never complain about standing in. This year, because I had a booth (selling pottery) I very nearly missed the ice cream – talk about “I scream for ice cream”……. This is our lovely assistant Jan, who made many instant friends while walking through the music crowds holding three cones. We could have made a mint selling those!!!

Notice how great the quality of my photograph is? Colour film baby!

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Urban Farm-er

Here I am again, on a coldish June day, procrastinating before I start to trim a load of large bowls.  I realized that I haven’t updated the activities in the “Urban Farm”.  New ideas seeded themselves in the mind of the “farmer” over the very early spring.  Plans for a greenhouse and plotting how to prevent the tomatoes from succumbing to the dreaded blight were at the top of the list.  We also welcomed a new gardener to share the patch.  I love the idea of sharing our small plot of land with others in the community who fancy a bit of soil.

Even though spring crashed into summer this year (technically it isn’t summer yet, BUT) we did have a few chilly nights where seedlings had to be wrapped in blankets, heaters installed and bleary nights spent checking temperatures inside the greenhouse.  Farmer Mark really does have a green thumb and a real talent for hard core vegetable gardening (who knew?).  He has even managed to convince one of our friendly neigbours to give his lawn over to tomato plants!

Now that our son is older he can participate in the gardening experience.  I have fond memories of ‘helping’ my parents in the digging of a garden.  I can still taste the sweet of the peas that I picked early one morning all by myself much to the dismay of my Mum.  That was when I think I grasped the concept of the ‘early bird gets the worm’, err, peas!

Notice the ever helpful hen?  We kept the girls over the winter…..why pop them into the soup pot when they continued to lay eggs all winter?

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