Kickstarter

THANKS!!!  To all the backers who enabled this project to reach its goal.  Any and all pledges are much appreciated since the project budget is beyond my Kickstarter goal.  It will cost almost $6000 to mount this exhibition.  If pledges skyrocket in the last days, all backers will be showered with an extra reward.

OVERVIEW:

For my kickstarter, I am asking for pledges to fund the scanning of my negatives and printing of large 40 x 50 inch digital c-prints for my upcoming exhibition at the Bernice Steinbaum Gallery in Miami.  The exhibition will be on sheep farming.  The images are not on my website yet, but are part of a larger project called "Bare Handed."

I have flowed a few of the images into my kickstarter video so you can see how they are developing.  The sheep photographs are evolving organically by exploring all aspects of sustainable sheep farming.  Visiting local farms and agricultural fairs, I observe, and gain ideas.  As with all my work, some photos have been made in an instant on the spot, and others after researching the right farm, farmer, and sheep to photograph, and then working with them to make a collaborative image.

BUDGET:

Scans:  There are many different ways to scan negatives, but getting a great large scale color print from a negative requires an amazing scan.  I work one on one with a printer who knows how to scan a negative and retain the qualities of film.  There are two different methods, the best method is $240 per scan.  The total cost of scanning for the exhibition is $2160.

Prints:  Each print costs $400 with this particular lab, which is one of the few remaining labs that allow the artist to come in and spend the day and adjust color, contrast, tonal balance while printing. This guarantees that I get the print exactly right. In essence, I can make the perfect print.  The total cost for prints for the exhibition is $3600.

This brings my total costs to $5760.

Thus far I have received a $500 grant for this project from SOS GUILDS, and if I reach my pledge goal I will be nearly there for the scanning and printing costs.

If pledges exceed the funding goal, they would cover all of my expenses for this exhibition and allow me to pay for other regular expenses such as portfolio prints, my film and processing, and all the test prints that are generated as part of figuring out which images are keepers.

PLEDGE REWARDS:

For this kickstarter, I have chosen to create two images of mine in three sizes to give as rewards in exchange for pledges.  Both of these images have been exhibited in group exhibitions, but are not part of an existing body of work, nor can they be found on my website.

The first, "Drew Gardens," was photographed in a little bit of paradise in the heart of the Bronx, NY, specifically for an exhibition titled "Surprisingly Natural," which was at the Bronx River Art Center and two other venues.  It will be available as a 8 x 10, 11 x 14, and 24 x 30 inch c-print.

The second, "The Red Coats," will be available as a 8 x 10, 11 x 14 and 20 x 24 inch c-print.  It was exhibited this past winter at Wall Space Gallery in Santa Barbara and Seattle as part of the exhibition New Directions, curated by David Bram.

Lastly, here are a few drawings by my daughter, who has generously offered to collaborate with me on this project.  She's been featured in my art and is a budding artist herself.  Seriously, (as she would say), she's much better at drawing than I am!  For just $25 you can have one of her drawings, which I think is a bargain.

STATEMENT ABOUT MY WORK IN GENERAL:

I make large-scale, color photographs that address how disconnected we are from the natural world, and express my longing to be more connected through fantasies where a balance has been struck. Sometimes, I respond spontaneously to an event.  Other times, I recreate one.

Recently, I left New York for Massachusetts' farm country where I'm working on a series of photographs entitled Bare Handed. These images depict wildlife biologists and farmers who work in tandem with nature. The individuals include wolf trainers, beekeepers, small-scale turkey farmers, sheep farmers, and vegetable farms run by horsepower. They allow themselves to be vulnerable in the face of nature and accept the associated risks. This notion of facing risks is particularly immediate for a beekeeper who wears no protective clothing and catfish-noodlers that fish for seventy-pound catfish with bare hands. The mighty catfish has the power to drown a human, yet it often submits within seconds when caught. A creature need not be perceived as dangerous to exert its power.A crowd of mayflies can swarm, inducing a feeling of suffocation. A turkey's wing has the strength to leave a red mark across the neck before it submits to a farmer's gentle words and embrace. With a nod of her head, that farmer transforms into a rendition of the Virgin Mary. I am interested in the subtle line between power and surrender in these interactions.

In each photograph, I want to convey the mythical transformation these individuals undergo, and the meditative manner and reverence they exhibit. In my community, the "locavore" life is like a new religion in line with Massachusetts’ agricultural history.I celebrate the conviction for this way of life, particularly the balance maintained with nature and how they only leave the least mark. This celebration is in counterpoint to the scary and pervasive documentation of big agriculture.

Rather than use a photo-documentary approach, I limit the visual information in my photographs and remove the original context to highlight the fantastical aspect of the scene.

MORE ABOUT ME:

Please visit my website! http://www.hollylynton.com

Thanks to kickstarter and all the people supporting it!  A great way for people to buy real art in an affordable way and support the making of more art while doing it!

MY PRINTER:

Ben Diep of Color Space Imaging is featured in the video and my fabulous printer.  If you google him on the web you'll find many others who say so too.  If you are in NY and can work with him, you'll be thrilled with the outcome.