Thursday, June 18, 2009

Ya'll...



Let me start out by saying, "I swear I do not make this stuff up." Ok, here it is. I have poison ivy. ON... MY... FACE! I have an art retreat next week and I am going to have to meet over 30 lovely strangers looking like Jo-Jo the Dog Faced Girl. It is swollen and itching and awful. I went to the doctor today and got a steroid shot in my back-side (OUCH!!) and then steroid cream and steroid pills (see photo:) Hopefully, I can keep it out of my eyes. Because that would be bad. It started out as a little bump two days ago and then began to spread all over. I have no idea how I got it. I don't garden. Ya'll know I have a black thumb and can only grow things in the back of my pantry or refrigerator. I was picking up toys in the backyard earlier this week and maybe some was in the grass, but who knows? So bare with me ONCE AGAIN and look for the ambrotype post tomorrow when the steroid cream has kicked in and I don't feel like I want to rip my face off Hannibal Lecter style. Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I am pretty sure I have gotten back to everyone, but if not then let me know.

Love, Jamie

PS-I think I need some of those mittens that you put on newborns so they don't scratch themselves with their finger nails. For Reals.

Quote for Today:

"When the itch is inside the boot, scratching outside provides little consolation."
~Chinese Proverbs

All About Ambrotypes


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Ok...I Think I've Got it!...He Did Not Have a FIT...But, You Can...

My patient husband taught me ONCE again about the new scanning uplink and all is right in the world. (see post below) So, I can be trained. LOL!! Here are the FITs for this week. I included some men folk since Father's Day is coming up and a special cutie pie for you all:) Love, Jamie

Remember that tomorrow will be the next installation of the Photo Identification Series: All About Ambrotypes. Catchy, Right? LOL!! See you then!



Who's Your Daddy?


I have to do some research on this photo because this gentleman is not dressed for the cabinet card period. I think this may be a family copy of an older photo or someone in costume. I am going to ask the awesome Flicker photo collectors for their opinion.



This lovely family seems so close. I love how the baby is holding sister's hand. Perfect portrait!



Just LOOK this Sweet Pixie! She needs some wings for sure:)

Quote for Today:

"Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance."
~Ruth E. Renkel

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Say Hello To My Little Friend...



This my beautiful Sweet James and he is standing in front of the new toy my sweet husband surprised me with this weekend. It is a Dell 2145cn laser printer. I am in love:) The problem is HE is at work. And I am here left to fumble my way through scanning wireless/directly to the PC in my studio. And, it's not going so well Folks. So. When the Computer Genius gets home he can go over the very precise directions he gave me, countless times, over the weekend on how to scan a photo to my computer. He will pat me on my technologically inept head and sigh. And then maybe weep a little. So, what I am really trying say is that I can't get the FIT up until said weeping occurs. Keep him in your thoughts;)

Quote for Today:

"If you don't know jewelry, know the jeweler."
~Warren Buffet




Monday, June 15, 2009

Art Creations Friday Entry...I Would Like a Do-Over for Last Week!...

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." ~John Whitehead


Today is the first chance I have had to sit down and post since last Tuesday! Our Wednesday went like this:

7:30- drop off kids at Mother-in-law's house

8:00- Mammogram (great results)

9:30- pick up kids to go to dentist appointments

10:00/12:00- Dentist

12:00- Go through the drive-thru at McDonalds and throw some Happy Meals into the back seat.

12:10/1:00-Drive to Allergy doctor to get the boy's allergy tested.

1:00/3:00- Boys are given allergy tests and Let The Itching Commence! While waiting for the results, Dr. June examines David and while looking in his ears and discovers that he has a fairly good sized hole in his eardrum.

4:00- Dr. June consults with an ENT in the same building and he sees us right then.

4:30- Dr. Wyatt informs me that the hole in David's ear is from his tube falling out in January and that since it is not closed by now David will need a tympanoplasty because it is not going to close on it's own. Our FORMER ENT told me everything looked great and good to go.

5:00-David gets his hearing checked and I meet with the scheduling nurse to set up David's surgery. July 7th. No swimming, no swim lessons and his Rockin' Robots camp is the week after surgery and he can't go. Great!

6:00- Leave just in time to hit evening traffic.

Allergy Test Results-James is allergic to ANYTHING with fur. And that's it. I was hoping to find a dust trigger or mold trigger in there to explain his asthma. Nope. David is allergic to anything with fur and mold and several grasses. Who knew? Dr. June told me that she felt like James would not outgrow his asthma. So all in all it was a FANTASTIC day for all. Not.

And the rest of the week followed suit.


So forgive the lack of commenting and the missing next installment of the photo series. I will be around to see you all! And we will be learning about ambrotypes on Thursday:) Love, Jamie



Quotes for Today:

"When tempest tossed, embrace chaos."
~Dean Koontz

"Chaos in the world brings uneasiness, but it allows the opportunity for creativity and growth."
~ Tom Barret

"Our real discoveries come from chaos, from going to the place that looks wrong and stupid and foolish."
~Chuck Palahniuk

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

FITS...Have We Had Some FITS?!!

Botanical Print from 1822


Oh Boy! Yes we have!! I am in the process of uploading all the FITS (Free Image Tuesdays) to Flicker. It will make it easier for everyone to keep track of them, download them, etc. I LOVE Flicker. I don't know why it took me so long to jump on board. There are so many photo enthusiasts out there! I love connecting with them and all of your wonderful artwork and the wonderful new artists I am finding:) So here are the FITS for today:)

These Sisters seem so close. I love the looks in their eyes and the pose that they took in this photo. I would love to see what you make with this image.


This beauty is full of promise and all of her future endeavors. I cleaned her up quite a bit for you. She had lots of water damage. Bless Photo Shop and it's ability to erase the marks of time:) Now if they only made one for my face. LOL!!!

I would like to thank all of the ladies at The Three Muses! We had an overwhelmingly fantastic first challenge and I can't wait to share more with you!!!! All the ladies who participated made such wonderful Mona art. I am getting back to everyone who left such sweet comments. You guys are awesome!

Quote for Today:

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
~unknown

http://ilkasattic.blogspot.com/

Monday, June 08, 2009

Three Muses Challenge...Summer Break...


Three Muses, originally uploaded by art-e-ology.

This is my entry to The Three Muses Challenge. The theme was Mona Lisa and you can choose any type of art medium to create the challenge piece. I used digital art today:) Thank you for a wonderful new challenge Ladies!!

Summer break has started and I may lose my mind!! The boys can't seem to keep their hands off of each other!! And the boy noises are so loud and constant.

To start it all off, on Thursday, the last day of school, James fell asleep in the car on the way home. I carried him inside and he slept for 3 hours. When he woke up he thought it was the morning and he asked for breakfast and then announced loudly that it was, "The first day of summer!!!!!!". David then said, "No James, you slept through summer and today is the first day of First Grade." James then began to cry. Help Me!!


Quote for Today:

"Also, since art

is a vehicle for the transmission of ideas through form, the reproduction of the form only reinforces the concept. It is the idea that is being reproduced. Anyone who understands the work of art owns it. We all own the Mona Lisa.

~Sol LeWitt

Saturday, June 06, 2009

The Botanist...Art Creations Friday Entry...


The Botanist, originally uploaded by art-e-ology.

I finally got around to scanning in some of my botanical prints this weekend. This grouping includes prints from 1790, 1812 and 1820. It just amazes me that I have these wonderful pieces of history in my hands. The paper is thick, strong and the strokes and indents of the engravings are deep. Spectacular. So I had to use them with this sweet cutie:) Thank you for a wonderful image once again Ladies!! Love, Jamie


Quote for Day:

"I wandered away on a glorious botanical and geological excursion, which has lasted nearly fifty years and is not yet completed, always happy and free, poor and rich, without thought of a diploma or of making a name, urged on and on through endless, inspiring Godful beauty."

~John Muir


Art Creations Friday Entry...

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Photo Identification Series: Part One...Daguerreotypes: Who, What, When and How...

Daguerreotypes

These two are my only daguerreotypes and I love them. The beauty that shows through after all these years is still life-like and breathtaking to me. Daguerreotypes are the oldest form of practical and popular portrait photography.

The process for creating daguerreotypes was invented by a French artist named Louis-Jacques-Mand'e Daguerre. The country of France made his process a gift to the world and distributed a manual in 1839 that gave instructions on performing the process. The popularity of this new art form quickly spread and there were 100's of daguerreotype photographers in America by the early 1840's.

Inventive photographers refined Daguerre's process to less than 30 minutes per sitting for personal portraits. This allowed the popularity of the daguerreotype to grow and the industry to blossom. It reigned the most practical form of portrait photography until the 1860's when Ambrotypes and Tintypes came into favor.

Unidentified Male, scanned daguerreotype from personal collection, dated approximately early to middle 1850's.


Close-up of scanned image

I believe that this gentleman dates from the early 1850's to middle 1850's. I can only base this on the clothing he is wearing. His white, crisp, starched collar is turned up and extends to his jawbone. His kercheif is tied asymmetrically which was the style in the late 1840's into the 1850's. His vest appears to to be a black wool matching his jacket. His face is clean shaven which was the style in the early 1850's. I love his piercing eyes and his haphazard hairstyle.

Unidentified female, scanned daguerreotype from personal collection, dated approximately middle to late 1850's.


Closeup of scanned image

I believe that this daguerreotype dates from the middle to late 1850's based on the lady's outfit and hairstyle. Her hair has a beautifully set coronet braid. This is wrapped around the entire crown of her head rather than rolled into a bun or knot. This was the style in the later 1850's. Her black silk dress could mean she is in mourning. But because of the presence of the white lace collar and white lace under sleeves it would not be her first year of mourning. The large sleeve openings and lace under sleeves help to date the clothes to the late 1850's also. Earlier styles favored tight sleeve openings and no undersleeves.

How Daguerreotypes Are Created


Creating a daguerreotype was dangerous work. The daguerreotype image is exposed onto a sheet of silver plated copper. This sheet was dipped in an acid bath and then put into a closed box and covered with iodine vapor. This process made the sheet ready to be exposed to light for the portrait. Once the exposure was completed the sheet was fumed with heated mercury which developed the image. Soaking the plate in hyposulfate of soda made the portrait permanent.

The plates were sized before development and came in these approximate measurements:

Whole plate : 6.5 " x 8.5"
Half-plate : 4.25" x 5.5"
Quarter-plate : 3.25" x 4.25"
Sixth-plate (My dags are this size) : 2.75 " x 3.25"
Ninth-plate : 2" x 2.5"
Sixteenth-plate : 1 3/8" x 1 5/8"


Daguerreotype portraits are reversed left to right images and each one is unique with no negative created. The silver plated sheet was highly polished before processing and is what gives the daguerreotype it's mirror-like surface. You must look at these photos at the correct angle to see the image clearly. As you can see from the photo above if the angle is wrong you will only see a silver negative. This is also how you can tell a daguerreotype from a cased ambrotype or tintype image. The mirror quality is a true test of a dag's authenticity.

You should never try to clean or touch the actual surface of the photo plate. They are easily destroyed and any scratch is permanent. There are people who restore daguerreotypes, but it is a pricey undertaking.


Daguerreotype images are very fragile and are usually taped to a cover glass with a brass mat sandwiched between them. You can still see the original tape wrapped around the back of my female portrait. The entire packet was then placed in a protective case that could close and keep it safe. The cases that my images are housed in are separated from their covers. They are still residing in their original bottoms. Cases could be made of wood covered with leather or paper and they could be made of thermoplastic (a mixture of sawdust and varnish) referred to as Union Cases. My cases are wooden cases. The designs on the back are beautiful also.
I hope this has helped you and answered some of the questions you have about dags. I am certainly no expert, but it is so much fun learning about the history of our treasures:) Love, Jamie



This last photo is just plain ole' bad photography, but I like how grainy and dark it turned out. And none of these pictures where manipulated in Photoshop. No matter HOW badly I wanted to do that. LOL!!!



Quotes for Today:


"In after ages, when these images on the silver plate have become an olden theme like the sublime creations of the painters' skill of a former age, then indeed their true value will be known and appreciated."
~N.G. Burgess, daguerreotypist from the 1850's


"All of the people who stare back at us from the old daguerreotypes, so direct and so dignified, are now dust. Dead and gone for generations. But somehow the brilliance, clarity, and depth of their surviving daguerreotypes, unmatched by even the most modern of photographs, almost brings them back to life."
~ Kenneth E. Nelson from his article, "A Thumbnail History of the Daguerreotype"




Reference Sources:

"Collectors Guide to Early Photographs" by O. Henry Mace

"Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans & Fashion, 1840-1900" by Joan Severa

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

What Are You Looking At?! FIT...


What Are You Looking At?, originally uploaded by art-e-ology.

Oh, how I love the look on this little girl's face!! She has the sweetest little pouty lips too. It is most likely a girl because her hair is parted down the middle, which was reserved for little girl hairstyles. Boy's hair was historically parted on the side:) Sorry I was late getting the FIT up today. It's the last week of school and we had awards ceremonies today and will have some tomorrow.

The boys are so excited for summer to start! We are going to have so much fun. Friday is our official first day and we have a new slip and slide to try out in the back yard:) I'll take pictures of my sweeties and share with you. Thanks for the continued concern for James. He is still needing asthma treatments every few days, but we get our big allergy testing done next week. So, cross your fingers that it can be of some help to us:)

Tomorrow starts the photo identification series. I am so excited that so many of you are interested! We will have lots of fun and hopefully help you know more about your treasures:) Love, Jamie


Quote of the Day:

"To take a photograph is to participate in another person's mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time's relentless melt. "

~Susan Sontag


Monday, June 01, 2009

Their Roots Run Deep


Their Roots Run Deep, originally uploaded by art-e-ology.

This is my Art Creations Friday entry. I LOVE the background for this week and had so much fun playing with it to make this collage. Thank you Gals!!! Love, Jamie


Daily Quote:

"We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies."

~Shirley Abbott

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