This is the 2nd year for the Spark Photography Festival in Peterborough and I am celebrating by having a giveaway.

This is aimed at getting people out to the exhibits and helping introduce them to the work of talented local photographers.

So here is how it will work.
I will randomly pick the comment of one person as the winner. The best comment about one of my blog posts will win the print. You pick the image, and I will get you a high quality print suitable for framing. That's it. Make the comment before the end of April to be eligible.

I also encourage you to go visit as many of the Spark exhibits while you can. It only runs for the month of April, so don't wait too long.


Give me some way of contacting you that you feel okay posting on a blog. You must leave the comment on the blog. Don't email it to me.

Since Spark runs for the entire month, at the end of the month I will randomly choose the winner (or maybe my 4 year old daughter will).


A free print! Sounds awesome right? 
Here's your chance to score some free art.
Make your comment a good one, like a question or a suggestion for the next creative tip.


Thanks for playing along and good luck to all.

It's official. One of my pieces has been accepted for the juried exhibit as part of SPARK photography festival. (not the one above) The show will go up in April at the old YMCA building on George street, in Peterborough.

At this point I don't know which image has been selected. At the Exhibit Opening Reception there will be a Best of Show and other prizes awarded, so I think I should be there for that.  I probably will be volunteering to attend the exhibit as part of my volunteering initiative for SPARK. What days that will be remains to be determined.
Overall, I am glad to be part of Spark. I've never done anything like this before, so I seem to be stepping outside of my comfort zone a bit, and I'm good with it.  At the end of the day, I'm happy how things are going so far this year photography wise.

It's not often that I enter photo competitions, but this is one that I wanted to be part of.
The Spark Photo Festival is very similar to the CONTACT photography festival in Toronto. Both go on for an entire month. CONTACT in May and Spark in April.

I think it is a terrific idea to have such an event, celebrating the beauty that is photography in Peterborough.  SPACE[s] is a Juried Exhibit, and is part of Spark.  
I was intrigued to be part of the festival in any capacity that thought I could be, so the juried exhibit was the perfect fit for me; at least until next year.
If I had a decent body of work, and access to printing facilities in Peterborough where I could control the printing, and display processes I would certainly have entered the Spark gallery display component.

Starting off my involvement in the festival by entering the juried exhibit is the perfect first move.
Today was the last day to enter. Uncharacteristically, I waited until the last day to enter.  That was fine, as it gave me a little bit of pressure to make sure I got the images just so.

I'm still a bit weary about handing over a disk with digital files, as it leaves me no longer in control.  If in fact one or more of my submissions are chosen to be printed and put on display, it will be out of my hands, out of my control.  Maybe that's the control freak in me. I don't think I'm alone in how I feel. 

I made each image to be exactly what they are. Handing them off to a stranger to be printed just feels wrong; and it leaves me feeling uneasy. I don't know what the printer is thinking when they look over the image. I don't know if they will make any adjustments, and if so in what way. 

Printing is an art in itself. Yes, I wish every day that I had a professional quality printer hooked up to my computer. I do not.  My major purchase this year perhaps.  I feel a fund raising campaign coming on.
Wish me luck in the competition, and please come out to see the Spark exhibits in April.

Last week I attended an information session with the organizers of the Spark Photo Festival, and learned a lot about what is involved in putting together show.

This year I'll be spending time getting a body of work put together, in preparation for getting a show together next year.  An offshoot of the Festival is a Juried Exhibit called Spaces.  I can submit up to 3 pieces for this show. I'm working on that now.   A few images in the website gallery will probably go into the Spaces competition.   

I'll have the results of the Spaces competition posted here in the blog, so stay tuned.

A few kind words by artist/organizer Esther Vincent as she explains how the image I created of Scott Delaney of Victory Art Supply was made. The Peterborough Storefront Photography Project is now a reality as the show is up, and showing quite nicely down at 420 George street north, in Peterborough.

The local news channel came to do a piece on the project, and spent a bit of time with the organizer Esther Vincent who took the time to discuss my image for the 5 O'clock Show.  I think she did a terrific job of explaining.  She did a lot of work pulling this together.  Good work Esther. I'm glad to be part of the show.

Today I was further aknowledged as a photographer by reading that the book I had submitted an image to, is even closer to publication.
Artist Jeffrey Macklin is the person responsible for this project. Todays email revealed that the opening party for the anthology project will be held on Sept. 6 at Market Hall in Peterborough.  If you are inspired to support this worthy cause and purchase a book, they will be available at the opening.

They will also be available on Sept. 12 at the Circus Shoppe, 481 Aylmer street during the MAIN EVENT.  The event will include readings from the anthology by local celebrities as well as musical talent entertaining the crowd.

If you are a frequent visitor to the Wed. farmer's market in Peterborough, you are encouraged to visit the table carrying Artsweek materials and of course purchase a copy of the anthology.
Be sure to watch for posters around town with details of the events.

Here is the image that I created that will be included in the Neighbourhood Anthology

Many thanks to Jeffrey Maklin for this opportunity and Claire Hogenkamp for kicking me in the butt.

I'm IN!  I've been accepted by the Peterborough Storefront Portrait Project.
Yaaaay, now I have to come up with a couple kick ass images.   I've been given the go-ahead by two local store owners to do their portraits within their stores.

One is Mike Taveroff, owner of the oldest record store in the country... Moondance Music on George street, Peterborough. The other is Scott Delaney, owner of Victory Art Supply on Rubidge Stret, Peterborough.

I have worked out a plan of attack for the image of Scott, but I need to look over my original proposal for the image of Mike.  I seem to have forgotten what I had planned to do.  It was right about that time that I came down with the cold from hell.  I still feel it a bit today, in my lungs.  Since I've been bombarding my body with vitamin C, I've noticed that this cold has almost but vanished much more quickly that any past cold. Note to self: 4000 mg of C per day is a GOOD thing when a cold has got me by the throat.

As soon as I'm confident I wont comprimise the portrait shoot, I'll go and get the image of Scott done. Mr Taveroff is on vacation until the 16th July, so I'll be in touch the day after he returns to work.  The final images must be submitted no later than 16th August. Lots of time.

Should be a fun experience.