Untitled (Entanglement series) 2024 copyright Douglas Stockdale –
As I have for many years, a look back on my accomplishments in 2024. I mentioned that this was a healthy task for creatives in my last end of year update for 2023. Likewise, I will probably post my 2025 goals next week, as I did here for 2024. I think that these time machines also help with creating a positive vibe.
For example, one of my goals for 2024 was to upsize my cyanotype printing process; done! With the slightly larger 16×20″ LED UV printer it’s possible to make some great looking 11 x 14″ cyanotypes. In retrospect, it does not appear that I had blogged about this particular accomplishment, my bad. LoL.
At the end of 2023, I anticipated that after being a Critical Mass Finalist, I would submit again this same project now with hand-sewn prints; done! Except I continued to develop this project and I began to cut and weave (see above) my cyanotype prints in addition to the hand-sewing and even with that process, I started to include some new hand embroidery features, specifically French Knots. Which resulted in being a 2024 Critical Mass Finalist!
Interestingly for me, in 2024 I had intended to come back to my Last Iceberg series but shifted focus on another environment project, Urban Ashes, part of my Anthropogenic trilogy. I had started to blog about the Urban Ashes project at the end of 2023, while still trying to figure out a way to effectively convey the underlying concept. Perhaps I was inspired in the change of artistic direction by the Airport Fire that started about five mile from our home and destroyed 160 structures in Orange and Riverside Counties.
Thus in 2024 I started a series of experiments with the Urban Ashes images, first toning my cyanotype prints with coffee and tea. Very interesting visual results, while I was unsure about the loss of the white values, both within the print as well as the white margins I include. Nevertheless, toning a cyanotype print crossed the Rubicon for me, that if I did not require a Prussian Blue image, what else could I consider?
It did not take long until I considered layering other colors to my cyanotype prints using a gel printing process. First a small 8 x 10″ gel plate and by the end of the 2024, I had acquired a 16 x 20″ gel plate. Likewise I started gel printing with acrylic paint that switched to transparent intaglio liquid inks. Due to the huge variability related to my gel printing process, I realized that I was creating unique prints, a.k.a Monotypes (some call these Mono-prints).
During this period, I also realized that if the Prussian Blue base color was not critical (actually a color management issue with using translucent ink) to my process, then why not experiment with gel printing on top of a pigment (inkjet) print for this same series? This in turn resulted in a long series of experiments as to which papers to print on. Later in 2024, I came up with what I think is a successful combination of paper and inks. Btw, I was recently notified that The Hand magazine will feature at least one of my Intaglio ink multi-media monotypes in their 2025 Winter issue.
Okay, now to summarize other 2024 accomplishments, not in any specific order: juried into (s)Light of Hand, Photographer’s Eye gallery (Escondido, CA) again, featured in two issues of The Hand magazine, including a full page spread of my China urban landscape cyanotypes, with one of my China urban landscape cyanotypes included in a 2024 Member’s Exhibit for the Photographers Exchange at the OC Camera Gallery (Lake Forest, CA), book juror for BlowUpPress (BUP)(Poland) and last, a contributor to the book Both Sides of the Table: Photography Portfolio Reviews Dos and Don’ts, edited by Eric T. Kunsman and Debe Arlook published by RIT Press, Rochester, NY earlier this year.
For the later group exhibit, this leads to another change for 2024, as I am now the Executive Director of the Photographers Exchange, a small group of photographers that meet monthly at the Irvine Fine Arts Center (Irvine, CA) for a print critique. It was in this new role that I organized and juried the 2024 Member’s Exhibit, as well as co-design and production of the exhibition catalog.
Yet another change for 2024 is that I ‘retired’ as the workshop leader for the Photographic Book Development workshops with Medium (San Diego), Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP) and Southeast Center for Photography (SEC4P) as well as not taking on any more book development coaching/mentoring. With other changes in my life, I realized that I was really over-extended, especially with the new Executive Director position. I swapped a paying gig for a volunteer position, not the best cash flow decision, while also realizing that I am an ‘exhibiting artist’, not a ‘selling artist’.
Cash flow is still being provided by the day-job, which also grew in responsibility in 2024. We started a Phase 2a clinical trial for Sickle Cell Disease and working with the FDA to start a Phase 2a in Parkinson’s Disease. Also more pre-clinical work on another new drug product in conjunction with NIH while we have yet another new drug waiting in the wings for pre-clinical work that I discovered in 2024. A scientist work is never done.
Similarly, at the end of 2024 we have a new Associate Editor for PhotoBook Journal, while I am concurrently reducing (eliminating?) the number of photobooks that I review.
Okay, I am sure I missed something (one update already made, might need another) and since this is a blog, I can come back later and add whatever. LoL.
Make every day an Earth Day
Doug
Artist book available:
The Flow of Light Brushes the Shadow, an artist book from Singular Images Press, copyright 2022, $60.00 (CA sales tax for those residing in the USA) plus shipping expenses. Message me douglas.stockdale.artist@gmail.com
Singular Images 