Saturday 23 July 2011

Picture this.....

This week we have been mainly "doing" pictures - cataloguing, printing, collecting, sending off and viewing our own and other people's images.


Steve has been collating and printing out the thumbnails which we use to catalogue our photographs.  Between us, we have taken over 2000 shots since the end of April, including trips to Venice, Bilbao, London, Edinburgh and Manchester.  Thank goodness for digital cameras - it would have cost a small fortune, had we been buying film.


The horti-CULTURE exhibition at the O3 Gallery finished last Sunday, so we went back on Monday to collect prints minus four which had been sold, including The Allotment Watering Can which was bought by the gallery to add to its permanent collection!  






Tuesday morning I posted a print to the Association of Photographers (AOP) which will go on show in October at the AOP Open Awards 2011 exhibition and be included in the book of the exhibition.  Tuesday afternoon and evening was spent in London, enjoying other people's art at Tate Modern. 


On Wednesday I was taken back in time by an e-mail from the chap who runs the Urban Photographer of the Year Competition, to say that they were producing a coffee table book of all the finalists from 2008, 2009 and 2010. He wanted a high res version of an image which had been selected for the 2008 competition and more information about it to put in the book.  The picture in question had been taken in October 2007 on a trip to Glasgow, so I had to dig deep into the archives to find it - highlighting the importance of good cataloging (and how much my photography has improved since then!)






On Thursday, Steve responded to a call for entries from the local hospital to submit applications for an Art on the Wards project.  We already have pictures on semi-permanent loan at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, but it would be good to have more at the NOC! 


Friday, we worked on prints for a photographic portrait competition organised by the National Portrait Gallery.  We rarely photograph people, but I thought I would give it a go this year just for the experience.  We were back enjoying other people's art which had selected for 5th Annual Exhibition at the 03 Gallery in the evening.


So here we are on Saturday.  I have finally got round to sending off my Art on the Wards application.  We have enjoyed looking at the catalogue for the RPS 2011 International Print Exhibition which arrived this morning and have started thinking about our entries for this year's International Projected Image Exhibition.  Steve remarked that we will have to up our game this year if we are to stand a chance of being selected, and I think he's right. But we will try anyway!


There will be more looking at pictures next week, but before then it's a big birthday weekend - many happy returns Mary, Jon and Stella who all have birthdays on Sunday.  Have a great day!


A good productive week for us has been saddened by the news that another meso warrior in Australia has lost his battle with this awful disease. For a while, things looked very promising.  Back in November last year, Farid had encouraging results as a result of taking part in a clinical trial called FAK which until then had only been used to treat other types of cancers.  Sadly the initial tumour reduction was not sustained.  Still, it bought him and his family more time together which they might not have had otherwise.  


We have also had news from my cousin that in spite of chemotherapy, her husband's cancer has continued to grow and prognosis is poor. Faced with that news, they have decided that they are going to enjoy and proceed with all the things they planned for the next couple of months.  We look forward to seeing you both in September and will be thinking of you.


Our thoughts are also with Mavis, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma around the same time as Steve.  Her latest scan showed tumour growth and, not surprisingly, she is feeling low - but still determined to fight back.  If you have ever dipped into her blog (link top right under We are not alone) you will know that her "Mr Nasty" as she calls it, will be in for a tough time. We are rooting for you Mavis. Pack him a punch from us!


Another meso friend, Jan, is also having to face the fact that her mesothelioma "friend" isn't willing to give up the fight in her left lung and has made a claim on her right lung. Whatever you decide to do Jan, stay strong and positive. The decision you make will be right one for you.



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