For the opening of the new Ancient Art of the Mediterranean gallery, I completed a couple of conservation treatments on objects that haven’t been on view in a long, long time.  One of the objects is this Canosan vase which is from the 3^rd or 2^nd century B.C.E.  Here’s a video of the IMA’s Director and CEO talking about the vessel and the new gallery he curated:

Before this more than 2,000 year old artwork came into my Objects and Variable Art conservation lab, it was safely stored in two separate boxes—one box contained the ceramic vessel, the other contained the 9 pieces that were detached from it.  There’s a photograph in the historical files dating to the early part of the 20^th century showing how the vase was assembled when it was acquired in 1928.

My job was to carefully re-assemble these pieces and fill the missing areas to make the joints appear more seamless.  Finally, I inpainted my fills to make them less visible (if you get up really close to the case, you can see my work).

Aaron Steele, the IMA’s Digital Assets Specialist & Associate Photographer, photographed this object before and after my conservation treatment up in his photo studio.  Have a look:

Before treatment photographs

After treatment photographs

Filed under: Art, Conservation, IMA TV

Rarely does anyone visit our office at the back of the Stout Library without saying “Wow, what an amazing view”.  And rightfully so.  It’s an amazingly beautiful look out into the south side of the Oldfields gardens.  With out a doubt a wonderful source of inspiration and natural beauty.

So back in March as the snow began to recede I would regularly peer out into the drab naked trees with great anticipation of watching them green up and return  to the former glory of last summer.  As luck would have it someone shared this link with me around the same time.  It’s the Timelapse group on vimeo and there are some breathtaking videos created via time lapse photography

Here is one example that blew my mind.

This all got me thinking.  What if I stuck a camera facing out of our window for a month and took a photo every half hour?   Well, sounded like there was only one way to find out.   So here is 1 month of spring as taken every half hour, condensed into 23 seconds.

Watch as the gardens go green.

Filed under: New Media, Technology

Spring at the IMA has always provided one of the most spectacular opportunities for photographers to capture the natural beauty of our grounds and gardens, a respite for leisure, family activities, and the chance to supplement your portfolio to attract would be business prospects in a sagging economy.

The welcome mat is always out for all to participate in this annual rite of spring and fall, but if you have ever been a guest at a private wedding in the gardens, attended an event in the Nourish Café or Deer Zink Pavilion during peak shutterbug activity, you may not appreciate the migratory habits of local photographers during your special occasion.

Although the plumage and ritualistic mannerisms are interesting to witness, these moments cannot adequately compare to the swallows of San Juan Capistrano, or the great migrations of wildebeest and zebras of the Serengeti Plains.

A component of our mission is to serve the creative interests of our communities by fostering exploration of art, design and the natural environment, and that certainly implies photography, so the question remains: How do we welcome photographers, both amateur and professional to our horticultural oasis, and still maintain the decorum necessary for all to flourish without resorting to complete banishment of photographic exploration? Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Art, Art and Nature Park, Local, New Media

The Pharmacy prescribes the following links to combat Monday online anemia.

The Selby

Blog: The Selby

The Selby is full of uber-cool photographs of creative people in their living spaces, taken by photographer Todd Selby. (via timesonline.co.uk)

ArtBabble Video: Director’s Journal: 100 Acres Visitor’s Pavilion

Filed under: Art, Art and Nature Park, Current Events, Design, Local, New Media

The Pharmacy prescribes the following links to combat Monday online anemia.

racked.com

Blog: Racked

Yes it’s NY Fashion Week, but don’t settle for the same old fashion bloggers. Introducing Katie, the pint-sized five-year blogging sensation. She may be petite, but don’t be fooled—she’s got a knack for accessorizing, a bold eye for color, and an avant-garde edge (check out those tights!). And she’ll be coming at you every day during New York Fashion Week on Racked National. (via racked.com)

ArtBabble Video: Catherine Opie: American Photographer

Filed under: Art, Current Events, New Media