From: Dave Rose (cactuscowboy@bresnan.net)
Date: 07/27/03-10:02:17 PM Z
Dear Dick:
"hostility"? If my opinions and direct writing style offend you, then so be
it. I'm not a politically-correct butt kisser. I harbor no hostility
towards Stuart Melvin. In my opinion, your promotion of Melvin's work e.g.
"gum printing will never be the same" is ridiculous overblown hype.
Prior to living in Wyoming, I resided in northern New Jersey for 14 years.
During that time I visited many museums and galleries in the tri-state area.
I've seen many gum prints ranging from atrocious to excellent. I haven't
been to France, so I guess you win the 'pissing contest' over who's seen
more gum prints. Aside from the article in the July/August 2001 issue of
View Camera, I have not seen Stuart Melvin's work. I know that excellent
gum printing was being done 100 years ago, as it is today.
On the history of photography, here's Keith's recent posting:
********
I did a Google search on Puyo, Demachy, etc. Maybe some will find this
useful:
http://adm2.free.fr/sitegir/etapes/presence/pages/lectimag/puyo.htm
http://classes.bnf.fr/portrait/grande/aj56.htm
http://www.museeniepce.com/coll/pictorialisme_coll_62fr.html
http://www.foto-sapiens.com/Helios/gomme.html
http://home.pi.be/~jlepage/others/gommes_2/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smgraphic/jmdugas/auv.html
http://www.guma.powernet.pl/historia/muza.htm
http://www.fotocultura.com/noticias/imagenes/demachy.jpg
http://www.histoire-image.org/site/rech/theme.php?theme_id=352
plenty more where those came from. Certainly tiny online images don't do
them justice...
********
Very useful indeed! I agree that online images are limited. However, I've
seen some of the actual prints depicted in the above links. The quality is
awesome. Given the history of gum printing, Dick's hype comes off as
superficial and self-promoting. I understand that he did need to generate
excitement and ticket sales for APIS.
I'm happy that APIS was well attended and a success. I wanted to be there
but it wasn't possible. To the smart-ass (forgot your name) who snidely
suggested that I was inept for having failed to plan my vacation two years
in advance around APIS..... please consider that my precious vacation time
is better spent visiting my elderly mother in Oregon. Call me a heretic,
but attending APIS was not tops on my 'must do list'.
How many other people (besides Mr. Melvin) have "spent a great deal of time
improving the gum process" during the past few years? Plenty. I can think
of many individuals who've freely and generously contributed their opinions
and ideas to this internet list, while Mr. Melvin has been completely
silent.
Yes Dick, gum printing should be as quick and easy as possible, while
maintaining the highest standards of course. Your patronizing suggestion
that I try ink jet printing is an insult. I've probably spent more time and
energy gum printing than you ever did or could ever imagine. I have to work
a day job so I naturally I've had to learn faster, more efficient and better
ways to print gum. Don't be offended that I should question the efficiency
of Stuart's "dry dichro" and "filtering the emulsion" procedures. I'm very
skeptical of "new processes" that are apparently more time consuming and
laborious.
As far as I can tell Dick, your biggest problem with me is that I have the
freedom to be the alt-photo 'list gadfly'. How can I get away with it?
Simple. I don't work as an academician teaching commercial/fine art
photography. I don't rely on print sales to earn my living. I don't
sell/conduct private workshops. Therefore I don't have to kiss butt or
curry favor with you, arts council power brokers, gallery owners or museum
curators. I make a nice living in retail sales. I have enough spare time
to do my own fine art photography, exhibit locally and sell a few prints.
If I offend you or anyone else on the alt-photo list, that's OK, it's not
going to hurt my career. I like the freedom of being able to play devil's
advocate and occasionally proclaim that "The emperor has no clothes".
Best regards,
Dave Rose
Big Wonderful Wyoming
(snip)
Why all the hostility about one person who has spent a great deal of
time improving the gum process and then having the grace to show us how he
does it. I can't count the number of times folks at APIS came up and
commented on how everyone was sharing their "secrets." No one is forcing
you to do anything different in your printing, least of all Stuart.
Cheers.
--Dick Sullivan
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