Muskeg

To quote Mark Twain: "The Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."  Well, I doubt there have been any such dire reports or rumors about me, but I have been terribly absent from deviantArt for far too long.  I see that it's been some two years since my last Journal entry, so I thought I'd take a few minutes to catch up with y'all...

Let's start with what's going on in my personal life.  I lost my father last month, and really have yet to allow myself to deal with the grief of his passing.  I've lost a few people who were important to me over the last couple years since my last journal entry, so I've had plenty to ponder as regards my own mortality and the delicate and short nature of life in general.  On the upside of life's happenings, I've been happily involved with my partner Ellen just about since my last entry.  Just when my own kids grew up and allowed me time to work on my art at all times when I wasn't at work, I took on a girlfriend with two youngun's, and have found most of my spare time happily compromised.  It has been a struggle to find balance between work, home life and art, but I think I'm getting better at it, although it doesn't take any reading between the lines to figure out why it's been two years since I updated my journal.  Being a dad the second time around has been both joyful and trying. 

Photographically...  Well, I've had my work featured as the cover art of a second phonebook since my last entry, and a photo I shot of a yacht that passed through the local waters here ended up as the cover of the yacht owner's annual calendar.  It's kind of fun to know that one of my photos caught the eye of a billionaire. I was also commissioned by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough to document a bunch of their facilities last summer, which was a way cool project.  In May of this year, I received an individual artist's award from the Rasmuson Foundation, along with a $7500 project grant that has allowed me to upgrade from my trusty old Canon 20D to a Canon 5D Mark III and some really nice glass, as well as step up from my dinosaur of a PC with CS4 on it to a super-fast computer with Photoshop CC & Lightroom on it.  Now, I have a whole new camera to learn my way around...  And a new 27" monitor that I have to scare up new calibration tools for.  And, I guess I'd better learn how to use Lightroom, too.  I have no idea where to even start on that, and no real understanding as to where one would use that instead of Photoshop.  I feel like a real newbie these days.

The Borough project taught me how effective a project can be as an artist's tool.  I am determined to start some personal projects, and see how that shapes my work--as opposed to my just stepping out the front door and going out with my camera to see what happens (which is my usual way).  If it interrupts my normal Zen way, I'll have to can that approach, but I'm hopeful that it compliment, rather than detract from, my process.  The Rasmuson award taught me about curating my work, and opened my eyes a bit in terms of my approach to my work as art.  It was my third year applying for the grant, and I changed tack in my application--rather than including beautiful scenery with my application as I had on my first two submissions (after all, I'm sure they see lots of beautiful scenery with photographic grant applications in Alaska), I submitted work that was photographs of buildings, feeling that they comprised more of a narrative about the people and history of my area.

So... to recap:  Life's had its ups and downs over the last two years. I'm happy and healthy, busy and creating new work.  I'm newly inspired by grants and projects, and I'm floundering a bit in all that I have to learn with my new equipment and software.  I have grown a lot since my last journal entry.

I hope you are all well, too.  I'll try to be more active here!

Namaste!

Mike Gates, a.k.a. Muskeg

Hello, All!

Well, my first solo exhibit, heck, the first public showing of any of my work aanywhere, opened last night at Ketchikan, Alaska's Main Street Gallery.  I am amazed, pleased, and humbled to report that it was a resounding success.  Hundreds of people showed up for the event, and a quarter of my framed pieces, plus some unframed prints, sold during the opening.  Darn near every photographer of note in the area stopped in to wish me well and see my work, as well as others in the arts community, and a healthy dose of art appreciators and supporters from the general public.  My employers hosted the hors d'oeuvres (plus other some dishes brought in by friends), so there was a mountain of food.  I had two Triscuits and one of whatever those tasty things were that my coworker and friend Naomi brought in, before the attendees began arriving and I lost sight of the tables until they were empty.  It was a treat for me to see so much of my work actually off the computer, printed, framed and displayed, let alone to be able to share it with my hometown.  I really considered myself an "unkown", but apparently I miscalculated a little .  The success of the evening exceeded my wildest expectations, everything that could go right did go right and I am still floating on a cloud.  Somebody pinch me!

Pictures Waiting to be Hung

A wonderful capper, I must say, to what has been a couple of really busy weeks.  I had ordered my prints in through my website from MpixPro, and was amazed at the quality and the speed with which the order arrived.  I ordered them about 10 pm on a Wednesday night, and they arrived at my work Friday of the same week during my lunch hour.  Pretty impressive service all the way to Alaska, where an additional day or two is the norm.  My frames were ordered through Amazon to be sent to a barge lines in Seattle, and arrived right on time and undamaged.  The pieces that needed unique mats cut, plus one piece that needed mats and framing beyond my skills, were done locally by Starboard Frames and gifts, with plenty of time for hanging in the show.  In the midst of hanging the show, I fit in a short visit to the local public radio station (KRBD) for a couple of words during their weekly Arts Report (link here if you're interested--I enter the show at about 10 minutes into the report), and a little longer interview on our AM station KTKN's First City Forum talk show (sorry--no link!).  The Ketchikan Daily News staff photographer, Hall Anderson, stopped by during the show hanging to photograph me at work on the show, and I understand I'll be interviewed and featured in the next Ketchikan Daily News Weekend Edition's Art Scene insert.

I've Been Framed

On April 17th, I'll be setting up my home PC plus a large monitor or projector from work, and giving a free and open to the public demonstration at the gallery of my workflow.  There have been numerous questions as to what HDR is, how stitching works, and other technical stuff, that it only seemed appropriate that I go through my workflow and stick around for Q&A from the community that has done so well for me.

Many thanks to all those here on deviantArt who have been so kind with their comments and support while I've worked on my craft, and also many thanks to the well-wishers who've encouraged me during my preparations for this first exhibit of my work.   Though I doubt they'll see this journal on deviantArt, I like to take every opportunity to thank Kathleen, Anita and especially Fawn, of the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council for their support, encouragement, and hours of work making my humble little snapshots look their very best.

I will update this journal with a link to photos of the event when KAAHC posts them to their website.  I'd post them here, but I'm unfamiliar with proper protocol and contractual obligations while my show is hanging on their walls.  I've also turned off all my print sales, and put a note on my website that all print sales through April 27 will be made through the Ketchikan Area Arts & Humanities Council's Main Street Gallery.

It's a gorgeous afternoon here in southeast Alaska, and if I don't get out now and go shoot some photos, I'll kick myself all next week.  Take care, All, and go create some art!

All the best,


Mike Gates, a.k.a. "Muskeg"
My Website, MikeGatesPhotography.com

Hi all!

How would you describe my work?  I am not fishing for compliments--just maybe an idea as to what kind of work I present...  I'm working up an "Artist's Statement" and bio for a local arts registry, and describing what I do is always a challenge for me.  I do want to promote my work, but humility and an overly generous helping of self-criticism really gets in my way sometimes.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!


Mike Gates a.k.a. Muskeg

Oh, and if you haven't been there yet, my website is at MikeGatesPhotography.Com

Just a quick note to say that my new website is up...  Stop by www.mikegatesphotography.com, poke around and drop a "hello" in the guestbook.  

I'll still be posting here, but I wanted to put up a professional-looking site where others outside the deviantArt community might better browse my work and maybe even buy some prints (what a concept).   My work seems to be getting more and more local notice, and with a solo exhibit coming up this spring, I just felt it was time to start promoting my work a little more aggressively.  Last year's calendar, available here on dA, turned out really lovely, but only sold a couple dozen copies.  I'm about to send this year's off to a print house for a couple hundred copies to make available through my website, at local retail outlets, and at our local winter arts fair...  Wish me luck!  I don't want to be sitting on dozens of unsold calendars when 2012 arrives...

In other news, I'm rehearsing for a local production of "Anything Goes" and have never done so much dancing.  I'm even tap dancing, fer cryin' outloud!  I'm also playing music with engineermk2004 whenever we have enough fellow musicians to flesh out the band.  It's surprising to discover just how hard it is to keep a band together.  It's like herding cats, but what do I know--I'm only the bass player.  

Well, I'll let you move onto the next journal that needs reading, and try to post another journal soon---hey, maybe with some features for a change!  Do try to stop by and say "howdy" at my website--I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, though I'm still fiddling with it and tweaking it a little...

Until next time, ABC--Always Be Composing!


Mike a.k.a. "Muskeg"

Hi all!

I have until Tuesday to submit my agreement for my solo exhibit at Ketchikan's Main Street Gallery, and I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with a title for the show.

Please take a look at my gallery here on deviantArt, and let me know if there's a name or short phrase that sums up either my style or my subject matter, or if my work brings something else to mind...  I am just terrible at titles.

If this helps at all with a possible name--nearly all of my images were shot a stone's throw from my front porch.  That is to say, they are nearly all in Ketchikan, Alaska, or elsewhere on  Revillagigedo Island.  All shot along the shores, trails, lakes and streets of my little piece of heaven in the lush rain forest that is the Tongass National Forest.

I'll be away at a remote cabin for the Memorial Day weekend (yes, with camera in hand...and a fishing pole), but will check my messages when I get back to see if any of you wonderfully creative friends of mine have suggestions that will help me title my exhibit.

Have an awesome weekend, and ABC (Always Be Composing)!