Sunday, March 24, 2013

Macro March: It's in the details

macro march
detail from carving by Tom Reid

Wikipedia defines macro (photography) as "...extreme close-up photography, usually of very small subjects, in which the size of the subject in the photograph is greater than life size "

With good focus, lighting and framing, macros frequently bring out detail hidden to the naked eye, and I love presenting pieces from the gift shop in this way. It's very difficult to politely scrutinise work intensely when visiting the gift shop (though we do want you to appreciate it fully while here) so I use the macros to get up close and personal with artist's work.

macro march
detail from chainmaille by Luci Gimenes

I don't use a fancy lens or camera, just a point-and-shoot Olympus or my android smartphone - as long as the focus is set to macro and my hand is steady, the pieces usually talk for themselves.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Puzzled for St. Pat's

macro march
photo puzzle by Sarah Ronald
Today is St. Patrick's Day, celebrated across the land with all manner of green items - beer, scones, cupcakes, children ... you get the picture.
Here at the gift shop we're no different. 
And we're also using the green theme to introduce the March Macro series - blog posts celebrating the detail, the tiny, the overlooked - getting up close and personal with our artists' works to the puzzlement of our readers.
Prepare to be mystified!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Vicki Allesia: March's featured artist at Port Moody City Hall

featured artist, Vicki Allesia

This month, Port Moody artist Vicki Allesia's work is on display at City Hall.
I've unofficially tagged her exhibit as 'Paintings You Can Fall Into' such is the richness of her captures.
Why not pay City Hall a visit, take the steps up to the offices, and see what I mean. 
All work is available for sale through the gift shop - phone 604-931-2008 ext. 102 to arrange pick up.

Monday, March 4, 2013

March's featured artist - Sarah Ronald

This month, photographer Sarah Ronald has a display of her work on show on our walls.

featured artists March - Sarah Ronald

Her work features mostly scenes from nature but often drawing the eye to a little quirk or detail which, as a casual observer, you might miss.

featured artists March - Sarah Ronald

Her work is a beautiful complexity of colour and framing, and not what could be called traditional in its setting. Sarah prints up all her own pieces, using a process called dye sublimation that results in a durable surface whatever the medium.

featured artists March - Sarah Ronald

You can find her images on bookmarks, mirror compacts, business card holders and mousepads - a stunning way to lift the ordinary and domestic into an artistic statement for everyday life.