The Beauty of Impermanence Blog

Gumption

2011-09-12T13:17:00.000-04:00

One of my top ten favourite words is gumption. See the definition taken from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, below. I believe that it explains why hearing moving music makes me want to pickup a guitar and play, seeing powerful visual art compels me to work on my photography and reading evocative prose fills me with the urge to write. The act of coming into contact with things of quality inspires us to become active participants as opposed to passive viewers.

Gumption

I like the word "gumption" because it's so homely and so forlorn and so out of style it looks as if it needs a friend and isn't likely to reject anyone who comes along. I like it also because it describes exactly what happens to someone who connects with Quality. He gets filled with gumption.

A person filled with gumption doesn't sit around dissipating and stewing about things. He's at the front of the train of his own awareness, watching to see what's up the track and meeting it when it comes. That's gumption.

If you're going to repair a motorcycle, an adequate supply of gumption is the first and most important tool. If you haven't got that you might as well gather up all the other tools and put them away, because they won't do you any good.

-Robert Pirsig

ArtAnywhere Bring Pop-Up Art Fair to Oxford & Cambridge University Alumni Event

2011-09-08T12:52:00.002-04:00

Five pieces from my portfolio of Irish work and two prints of Julie's work are included in this innovative exhibition.

First annual garden party to feature artwork from Toronto artists

TORONTO, Ontario – September 2, 2011

ArtAnywhere.com, an innovative Web site for buying contemporary art, is expanding into the private event space. Seeing an opportunity to bring beauty and meaning to private gatherings, ArtAnywhere has partnered with alumni from Oxford University and Cambridge University to create a “pop‐up art fair” for their First Annual Joint Garden Party.

ArtAnywhere will be showcasing a variety of contemporary works of art from its online catalog of over one thousand emerging artists. Elham AyoubZadeh, CEO of ArtAnywhere, points to the importance of promoting original art in non-traditional settings. “People are too busy to visit art galleries and they do not have many opportunities to be exposed to contemporary art. Toronto has a thriving artistic community whose work deserves to be seen. We saw an opportunity to bring art to a highly educated and cultured group of individuals,” she said.

Dr. Daniel Kaute, a successful international entrepreneur and Cambridge graduate, is one of the organizers of the event and president of the society. He believes that having artwork at the event will be both fun and a way to show their support for the local arts community. “Many of our members are art collectors,” he said, “and this is an opportunity for them to see artwork they might not have been exposed to before. It’ll be a great conversation starter!”

The event will take place on Thursday, September 8th, from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm at the residence of prominent Mississauga entrepreneur and lawyer, Gary Mooney.

About ArtAnywhere Inc.
ArtAnywhere is a Web site that helps corporations and homeowners to acquire contemporary art in a convenient, cost-effective way. Buyers select from an online catalog of thousands of works of art, and receive artwork for a free 30-day trial. ArtAnywhere’s vast catalog encompasses the best emerging artists from cities around the world, with artwork spanning every medium, size, theme and price.

Contact: Elham AyoubZadeh or 647-500-2755

About the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Toronto
Oxford University and Cambridge University are two of the most distinguished universities in the world with alumni around the world. Toronto-area alumni of Oxford and Cambridge are coming together for their first joint garden party to promote fun, fellowship and networking. The mission of the Oxford and Cambridge Garden Party is networking, inclusion, and giving back. 10% of the proceeds of the day will go towards the new scholarship fund to support Canadian students in Oxford and Cambridge.

Contact: Dr. Daniel Kaute

A Wizard's Touch

2011-06-20T16:02:00.003-04:00

I'm quoted in the following article in The National Post.

If everyone's a critic, we'd better update our résumés, because nowadays everyone's a skeptic, too, especially when it comes to special effects in film. With the rate at which technology is changing, even movies made a year ago can look outdated and clunky, even laughable.

In Toronto, though, Arc Productions (formerly Starz Animation) is making fantasy look easy. Known mostly for its animation work -most recently on display in Gnomeo & Juliet, which was entirely drawn and animated at their downtown Toronto facility -the production company has been making waves in the world of visual effects.

In September, the company's bigticket Camelot will debut on CBC (it is already airing in the United States and United Kingdom). The 10episode series features all the magic, battles and romance you'd expect from an Arthurian world, along with a budget of $70-million, practically unheard of in TV. Arc handled all the effects -everything from removing flies buzzing around in a love scene to making Merlin's magic come alive -effectively making the line between live-action and digital creation smaller than it's ever been.

The show, which stars Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) and Eva Green (Casino Royale), is suitably impressive, with beautiful period costumes and sets. Particularly striking are the landscape vistas, which feature stretches of rugged sea coast and dense forests that open into idyllic clearings where waterfalls cascade down cliff faces. But don't plan your next trip to the U.K. based on a desire to visit these locales -they don't exist. The visual effects team at Arc created them and then stitched them into the appropriate live-action scenes without a trace.

"That line is becoming extremely blurred," says Terry Dale, vicepresident of operations at Arc. "A lot of the stuff we've done for Camelot, you don't know we've done it and it's all digitally recreated. There's whole sequences and scenes where all the environments that look natural, look real, aren't."

Like an increasing number of production companies that specialize in animation and visual effects, Arc Productions uses Nuke, a compositing and editing software created by English company The Foundry. It's a new kind of platform, and it gives them the freedom to create what they imagine. Nuke allows artists and compositors to build three-dimensional scenes with an awareness of the camera. While this is immediately useful for creating 3-D films, which Arc also does, it is also an invaluable tool for 2-D productions because it means that artists can place their creations into a shot without disrupting the perspective of the scene. It's like creating a 3-D blueprint of the shot, so that if trees are being added to a field three kilometres behind the action, they actually look as though they're three kilometres away from the foreground action.

Work like that, which can take hours to get right, is something no one will even notice when it's done right, says Bret Culp, visual effects supervisor and producer for Arc and the point person for Camelot. What people will notice, though, is the magic.

The Merlin who appears in Camelot is not the same wizard that mentored young Arthur in Disney's The Sword in the Stone. Played by Fiennes, Camelot's Merlin is more temperamental, and his magic is more about harnessing natural elements than making the pots clean themselves. But even when a scene has obvious visual effects, they don't need to be cheesy. Whether it's Merlin freezing a lake so he can walk across it or causing leaves to burn as they fall from a tree, the magic in Camelot is strangely realistic, and almost delicate.
"It was made very clear that the expectation was feature-level on the show," Culp says. "So the trick with these big-budget miniseries is that all the expectation of a feature [film] finish is there, but with the pain of episodic television."

Like a film, the new series tells a story with multiple plot lines and characters, as well as thematic depth. Unlike a film, though, the story is cut into 10 equal parts, and elements need to remain consistent from one episode to another, even if changes are made during the editing process, after the cameras have been put away. It also means that the visual effects team sometimes has to make something non-magical happen digitally that couldn't happen live. These kinds of effects typically occur in scenes where the audience is expecting complete authenticity, like sword battles.

In one such scene, for instance, an actor was stabbed under the armpit instead of through the chest. It didn't look right, and the director wanted it changed. Arc's Joe Raasch managed to recreate the scene, with the actor being stabbed convincingly through the heart, in one day.

"Originally they thought it would take maybe a week to get it done," says Raasch, an artist and compositor. "The tools are evolving so quickly that we're able to do so much more. A few years ago, I wouldn't have been able to do that at all."

It's a difficult task, not only because it was unexpected, but also because it wasn't only the sword that needed to be moved. Raasch had to clean up the original wound and create a new one. He also had to edit the area behind where the original sword had been, which required digitally cleaning and straightening individual blades of grass.
"Visual effects is very guerillastyle filmmaking, really," Culp says of the kinds of surprises that frequently get thrown their way.

Culp has been working in visual effects for more than 20 years -long before there was compositing software like Nuke -and he says the process has changed tremendously. Before coming to Arc last spring, Culp worked at C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, a Toronto special effects company that did work on The Tudors. When C.O.R.E. went out of business in March last year, Culp brought his team to Arc, giving them the special and visual effects background to win the contract for Camelot.

It was good timing, because even though the real visual effects side of Camelot didn't begin until last September (shooting wrapped last May), visual effects are now involved in the production from the very beginning.

"Filmmaking in general has changed substantially and it will continue to change substantially, in that the lines between preproduction, production and postproduction are blurring and even
going away," Culp says. "And we have to embrace that."

Camelot premieres Sept. 13 at 9 p.m. on CBC.
ahickman@nationalpost.com

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH | BRET CULP Evocative Black and White photographs of Mystical Ireland

2011-05-02T00:19:00.005-04:00

May 4 through May 31, 2011

Opening reception May 7 from 4 to 7 pm
Artist Talk Sunday May 29 from 3 to 5 pm

The photos in this collection were made during my extended stays in Ireland over the past six years while filming the mini-series Camelot and The Tudors.

The work focuses on the relationship to the "eternal" residents have had going back to the creation of megalithic monuments during the Neolithic period to the 6th century monastery perched 700 feet atop Skellig Michael Island, described by George Bernard Shaw as being "far out of this time and this world", to the mythic landscape that has inevitably shaped its inhabitants

Evocative and timeless, these lyrical photographs reveal the eternal spirit and beauty of The Island of Saints and Scholars.

Akasha Art | akashaart@rogers.com | 647.348.0104
511 Church St ste 200, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 2C9
Tues-Fri 11-6pm Sat & Sun 11-5pm or by appointment

PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL ARTPeter Adamson, Bret Culp, John Long & Mira Zdjelar

2011-04-07T22:57:00.046-04:00

Leonardo Galleries, Toronto, Canada
April 7 to April 23, 2011

Opening reception and artist talks: Thursday April 7 at 6:30 pm.

Photography and Digital Art

This exhibition is a presentation by four photographers each exploring a different theme.

Adamson’s recent work has focused on the interplay of line, shape, form and colour. While the subjects are secondary and the aesthetics primary, his motive is to pry the viewer away from winter and dream of summer.

Culp's poetic black and white photographs of Italy and Ireland reveal the beauty of impermanence.

Long’s life long passion for photography, both stereo 3D and mono is evident in his work. He is delighted to present this latest exhibition using medium format film with 3D images that possess a sharpness and depth that will captivate the viewer and at the same time his panoramic work exemplifies diversity in many ways.

Zdjelar’s presentation is a collection of urban fragments taken in silent protest against the reductionist spectacle of advertising billboards, hoping to open the doors towards a richer reality that lies beyond.

For media information, artist interviews and images please contact:
Zoya Balija, Owner, Leonardo Galleries

Leonardo Galleries | info@leonardogalleries.com | 416-924-7296
133 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5R 2H7
Wed-Sat: 10am-5pm or by appointment

8TH TORONTO TIMERAISER

2011-02-22T18:55:00.007-05:00

The Fermenting Cellar in the DISTILLERY DISTRICT, Toronto, Canada
Saturday March 19, 2011

Doors open at 7 pm.

My photograph, Mists in Idleness, has been purchased for the 8th Toronto Timeraiser event!

Timeraiser was conceptualized in 2002 in response to a group of friends wondering how it could be easier to find meaningful, relevant volunteer opportunities.

The Timeraiser works like this:
The agenda for the Timeraiser is (6:30 start in Vancouver):
07:00 pm – Doors Open
08:00 pm – Welcoming Remarks, MC
08:30 pm – Silent Art Auction Begins
09:30 pm – Silent Art Auction Ends
10:00 pm – Winners Announced

The Pledge:
We suggest that everyone who attends the Timeraiser make a pledge to volunteer a certain number of hours in the community, we recommend 20 hours . Even if you don’t want to bid on artwork, if everyone who attends pledges to do 20 hours, we’d raise 8,000 hours.

When you arrive:
-Your name will be on our list if you register online
-Just visit the Registration Desk to pick up your personalized “Welcome Kit"
-Meet with agencies, discuss if their is a match between your skills/their needs
-On your Welcome Card check off the agencies you are interested in connecting with
-Return your Welcome Card to the front desk, this is a must if you want to bid on artwork
-See FAQs for complete art bidding rules and what happens if you have a winning bid.

Agency Connections:
It is up to you and the agency to determine if there is a volunteer fit in the days, weeks, months after the Timeraiser. Go to the FAQ section to see more details about agency matching.

After the Timeraiser:
Create a plan and track hours at civicfootprint.ca

Contact:

Nicole McPhail. Events Coordinator
nmcphail [at] timeraiser.ca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/timeraiser

Twitter: www.twitter.com/timeraiser

LinkedIn

Developing Your Photographic Voice

2011-01-18T13:27:00.027-05:00

I'm going to be speaking about developing your photographic voice at the St. Catharines Photography Club this Saturday January 22 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Additionally, I'll explore the motivations and development of my personal work, discuss techniques and workflow, and share my thoughts and experiences on photography as art.

Here is an excerpt from the presentation.

ART AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER

   •   Art is the manifestation of your reinterpretation of something based on your history, emotions experiences, and sensibilities – through who you are. 
   •   When you learn to embrace your individuality you begin the process of finding your style.
   •   Therefore art photography should speak of and for the photographer (you).

THE ARTIFACT AND THE CONTENT

Art is comprised of two distinct and necessary parts, the artifact and the content.

The Artifact…

• Is the physical object.
• It speaks of craftsmanship, materials, and the senses.

The Content…

• Concerns concepts and story.  
• Is what gives meaning and depth to work.

A mix of both the artifact and the content is required because...

• Skill and craftsmanship enables a stronger, clearer message.
• Without depth and meaning the object is merely decorative.

St. Catherines Photographic Club
Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church
469 Grantham Avenue St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
www.stcphotoclub.com

WHODUNIT? – OCAD MYSTERY ART SALE 2010

2010-11-12T12:41:00.006-05:00

Mystery Art by the Famous and Soon-to-be-famous

I’m thrilled that my work has again been chosen for inclusion in the Ontario College of Art and Design Whodunit? Mystery Art Sale Gala Preview and Silent Auction.

Gala Preview
Come celebrate art, artists and friends at a fabulous party unlike any other!

Savour cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while mingling and meeting with Canada’s emerging art and design stars and famous and soon-to-be-famous mystery artists.

The Whodunit? OCAD Mystery Art Sale is OCAD's signature fundraising event. It's an exhibition and sale of pieces of original art by well-known and celebrity artists, OCAD faculty, alumni and students. Gaining in popularity year after year, the Whodunit? OCAD Mystery Art Sale offers hundreds of original pieces of art donated by artists who are famous and not-yet-famous. Every piece measures 5.5 x 7.5 inches and each piece is $75. Like it - buy it - turn it over and see Whodunit!

Gala Preview
NOVEMBER 17
Tickets $150

Public Art Sale
NOV 20 – 10am to 4pm
Free Admission

Public Preview
Online
NOVEMBER 17 to 20
Onsite at OCADU
NOVEMBER 17 - Noon to 6pm
NOVEMBER18 & 19 – Noon to 8pm
Free admission

heARTS for Pakistan - An Evening of Art & Jazz

2010-10-18T12:47:00.007-04:00

My photography Michael's Dragon is one of the pieces in the heARTS for Pakistan silent art auction taking place at Gladstone Hotel in Toronto this evening.

HEARTS FOR PAKISTAN - AN EVENING OF ART & JAZZ
Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, Canada
October 18, 2010
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

The Petrified Dragon of Skellig Michael, Skellig Michael, Kerry, Ireland, 2010
archival pigment on photo rag

heARTS for Pakistan is a silent art auction and fundraiser for survivors of the Pakistan floods. The event will take place on October 18, 2010 at the fabulous Gladstone Hotel in Toronto and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Humanitarian Coalition's flood relief efforts in Pakistan. The young and independent volunteer organizing committee along with well known and emerging Canadian artists, bring you a fabulous evening of art and jazz for a worthy cause!

Tickets Available Online at www.hearts4pakistan.com

For more information phone 647-895-2932

Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Map to this event

Public transit directions
#501 Queen Streetcar
TTC Trip Planner

www.hearts4pakistan.com

July 2010 update of The Beauty of Impermanence

2010-07-16T08:00:00.011-04:00

Hello all,

There is a July 2010 revised and updated edition of my book, The Beauty of Impermanence. I invite you to take a look and let me know what you think.

If you are inclined, kindly vote for my book for the People's Choice Award in The Photography Book Now Contest.

All best, always,
bret

Five Photography Questions and Answers

2010-06-28T11:48:00.017-04:00

I thought the following Q&A that I did for Glasgow photography student James Murray may be of interest to readers of this blog. Please let me know if you have any additional thoughts or opinions on the questions or answers.

Regards,
bret

James Murray wrote:
Dear Mr Culp

I am a student photographer from Glasgow Scotland, currently undertaking a project in ‘Urban Photography’, my studies apply to still photography and I have been most impressed with the style and diversity in your imaging, none more so than your collection of urbanscapes.

I am also in no doubts that as a successful director you will be an extremely busy person, but I was wondering/hoping? That you may find the time to answer some questions as part of an interview for my research book. This doesn’t need to be an audible recording, just a print of your responses that I can copy from an email from yourself.

James Murray
www.jamesmurrayphotography.com

1 – When did you first take up photography and what was it that attracted you to it?

I received a Kodak Ektralite 10 instamatic for Christmas when I was ten but didn't become serious about it until taking film and photography at Ryerson University in Toronto years later. I became committed to art photography in the late 90's and have been exhibiting since 2001.

There are two main aspects of photography that I was first, and continue to be, attracted to. The first is concerned with the initial capture of the image – the discovery of something new and evocative through exploration. I believe that there is an explorer instinct inside all of us. It is a forward leaning survival instinct that speaks to that part of us concerned with progress, hope and possibility.

The second is in the processing of the capture to create an artifact that is my reinterpretation of the subject based on my personal history, emotions, experiences, and sensibilities. Art is concerned with personal expression, not creating a perfect copy of the world. Therefore art photography should speak of and for the photographer. The personal discoveries made through this process inform my thoughts and feelings about the subject and therefore help me work though the bigger issues associated with it. Ultimately, I hope that if my photographs can reveal something to or about me they might for others as well.

2 – Are there other photographers work or style you admire, and if so who and why?

Initially I was drawn to Ansel Adams, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and others from Group f64, as well as Alfred Stieglitz, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and many more. What I liked most about Ansel's work is that it was his reinterpretation of what his subjects looked like. His photo of Monolith, The Face of Half Dome, 1927 was his interpretation of how it made him feel when he looked at it, not a direct representation. I also really enjoy Robert Adams' writings on photography, even more than I like his photographs. In contemporary terms, I like Steve McCurry, Simon Norfolk, Edward Burtynsky, to name just a few. I like them because they have created bodies of work with a personal vision full of depth and meaning and employing impeccable craftsmanship. Without depth and meaning the end result is merely decorative. Craftsmanship enables a stronger, clearer message.

There are many other photographers that I admire for one reason or another, but I am equally and sometimes more inspired by music, painting, writing, and other art forms. It's important to lean as much about other art as possible. In order for photography to be regarded as an artistic pursuit it must deal with the same kinds of personal expression and working though of issues and ideas as other art forms.

3 – What camera equipment do you feel best suits urban photography, in particular street life and urban landscapes?

It depends on what kind of urban photography you are interested in making. For street life I’d suggest something small, quick and unobtrusive. For urban landscapes it could be something more substantial as it doesn't require the same necessity to shoot from the hip. However, no matter what you shoot you should get a camera that has a manual override for everything. Give yourself the task of shooting completely manually for a predetermined period of time. There is no way to better learn your equipment and the way it responds to an environment, light, exposure, focusing etc., faster or more thoroughly than shooting manually.

While I believe that the significance of a photograph comes from the photographer’s vision I also believe that your work is only as good as its weakest link, so it makes sense to have decent equipment. You can't (easily or at all) fix what a poor lens does to an image once the shutter is pressed.

4 – Can you tell me a little of what environments inspire you the most, and how you approach photographing them?

I am drawn to hidden gems that the general public might pass by every day but not notice or recognize its significance. I like the surprise of turning a corner and experiencing something unexpected, visually rich, and amazing. I like the feeling of being lost in depths of a location that is out-of-the-ordinary. What is most important is that it has an emotional effect on me – it makes me feel something.

In order to photograph this kind of subject it's important to first understand what it is that the place is saying to you – how it makes you feel. You then need to assess what is causing these feelings, consider the sun, shadows, atmosphere, colours, textures, structures, etc, and then find a framing and camera settings that maximizes these feelings. This can happen nearly instantaneously or could take a lot of effort and time exploring the space.

You may be interested to know that my capture is only the very first part of the work for me. I will spend days and sometimes weeks on post processing: finding the best way to convert a particular photography to black and white, where to push and pull the tones, etc, all in the name of maximizing the emotions that I feel for the subject.

5 – Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to a beginner exploring the subject of urban photography what would it be?

Photograph what interests you. You need to have passion about your subject matter. Don’t just show what the subject is; show what it isn’t, why it is, when it is, and what it means. How does your subject react to light, move, change, make you feel? That is the subject. Continue to investigate new ways of expressing by exploring, failing, learning, and trying again.

Write an artist’s statement, even if you don’t think you need to. The self-examination that comes from writing a statement leads to a better understanding of what motivates your work, resulting in a focusing of subject matter.

Bret Culp Photography – Winter 2010 eNewsletter

2010-02-21T12:27:00.008-05:00

I've completed my Winter 2010 photography newsletter. Included is information about my updated artist statement, photography talks I've been giving, what I'm working on, recent exhibitions and events, my blog, and the revised edition of my book.

Click here for a web version or here for a pdf.

Subscribe to the mailing list here in order to get all eNewsletters and Evites delivered to you mailbox.

Michael's Dragon, Skellig Michael, Kerry, Ireland, 2010
archival pigment on photo rag

Picture of the Week – The Transience of Power

2010-01-04T13:40:00.011-05:00

My photograph, The Transience of Power, has been selected as the January 4, 2010 GalleryPrint Picture of the Week. Click here for the GalleryPrint website.

The Transience of Power, Killarney, Kerry, Ireland, 2008
archival pigment on photo rag

Framing Photography

2009-12-31T12:46:00.006-05:00

The following information about historical photographic framing practices is taken from the wikipedia Fine Art Photography page.

In light of what is written below, I'm interested in your opinion on what you like in framing – what is gimmicky versus what will stand the test of time, to matte of not to matte, with or without glass, plexiglass mounting, thoughts about printing and mounting on metal, etc.

Until the mid 1950s it was widely considered vulgar and pretentious to frame a photograph for a gallery exhibition. Prints were usually simply pasted onto blockboard or plywood, or given a white border in the darkroom and then pinned at the corners onto display boards. Prints were thus shown without any glass reflections obscuring them. Steichen's famous The Family of Man exhibition was unframed, the pictures pasted to panels. Even as late as 1966 Bill Brandt's MoMA show was unframed, with simple prints pasted to thin plywood. Since about 2000 there has been a noticeable move toward once again showing contemporary gallery prints on boards and without glass.

Norm Amadio and Friends: Norm Amadio

2009-12-29T11:43:00.007-05:00

Here is Ashante Infantry's review of Norm Amadio's new CD as it appears in the Tuesday December 29 Toronto Star. Norman is a friend and a musical collaborator with my wife, jazz vocalist Julie McGregor.

(3.5 out of 4 stars)

Esteemed pianist Norm Amadio called in a few worthy pals (vocalists Marc Jordan and Jackie Richardson, saxophonist Phil Dwyer, Guido Basso on flugelhorn) for his latest project. The result – anchored by bassist Rosemary Galloway and drummer Terry Clarke – is one of the year's top albums. Timmins native Amadio, into his sixth decade of performance, has an extensive resumé that includes collaborations with Miles Davis, Judy Garland and Mel Torme. One of Canada's underrated players, he's innovative and resonant on sprightly tunes penned by producer Andrew A. Melzer that have an air of familiarity; and veteran arranger Peter Cardinali delivers a big band's punch. The disc also includes three clanging but intriguing 1966 recordings of Amadio's celebrated trio with bassist Bob Price and drummer Stan Perry.

Top Track: Amadio has a dreamy solo on "My Love Can't Wait."

Click here for the Toronto Star page.

GUSV6FXTQN2S

New edition of my book is available

2009-12-15T12:33:00.016-05:00

A revised and updated third edition of a book of my art photography is now available.

A book of haunting and poetic fine art black and white landscape photographs from Italy, Ireland, Canada, the United States, and around the world that focus on themes of resilience, reclamation, and renewal while revealing the beauty of impermanence. Also included is a fitting collection of quotations, proverbs and poetry ranging from the transient to the transcendental. In addition to brand new work, many of the photographs in the book can be found at www.bretculp.com.

Click for more Information

"All that remains of a formidable castle is a crumbling ruin overgrown with vines and moss; sunrise illuminates morning fog drifting silently through a valley in an instant that will exist only once in time; a mountain is gradually devoured by wind and water leaving behind sediment that is already becoming something new. These are photographs that highlight the beauty of each fleeting moment in a world of continuous change – this cyclical and transitory nature of existence binds everything in the material world."

-Bret Culp

Revised and Updated Third Edition: December 2009
Printed on Heavy Weight Premium Paper
ISBN 978-0-9810253-0-8
Published by Bret Culp Photography
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Stimulate your senses at Arta Gallery’s Light of Winter exhibit

2009-12-12T19:04:00.014-05:00

My photography in Arta Gallery's Light of Winter exhibition received a nice mention in an article by Mandi Hargrave that appears in today's Examiner.

Here is a snippet:

When you walk through the doors to the gallery, Bret Culp’s black and white photo of an old castle commands your attention. Appropriately titled, 'The Transience of Power' captures your gaze and locks you in. Whether it’s the size of the photo or its overall beauty, something about it won’t let you look away until you’ve fully taken in its natural charm.

Click here to be taken to the full article.

Photo by Mandi Hargrave

Light Of Winter Exhibition

2009-12-10T12:05:00.013-05:00

I'm participating in the Light of Winter Exhibition at Arta Gallery at the Distillery District in Toronto. The show opens today.

LIGHT OF WINTER
Arta Gallery, Toronto, Canada
December 9 to December 26, 2009

Opening reception: Thursday December 10 from 6 to 8 pm (TONIGHT)

For a span of two celebratory weeks leading up to and over the holiday season, this beautiful gallery space in the Historic Distillery District will be home to multi-textured original creations of two and three dimensional works to stimulate the senses and feed the soul. The works will include paintings, sculpture, prints, photography, ceramic and glass works as well as jewellery.

Arta Gallery | info@artagallery.ca | 416-364-ARTA (2782)
55 Mill Street Suite 102, Bldg. 9 Toronto, ON, Canada M5A 3C4
Tue-Sat: 11am-6pm Sun: 12pm-5pm Mon: Closed

Updated Artist Statement – Bret Culp Photography

2009-12-04T12:55:00.016-05:00

All that remains of a formidable castle is a crumbling ruin overgrown with vines and moss; sunrise illuminates morning fog drifting silently through a valley in an instant that will exist only once in time; a mountain is gradually devoured by wind and water leaving behind sediment that is already becoming something new. These are photographs that highlight the beauty of each fleeting moment in a world of continuous change – this cyclical and transitory nature of existence binds everything in the material world.

Bret Culp, December 2009

www.BretCulp.com

OCAD Whodunit? Mystery Art Sale

2009-11-12T19:38:00.012-05:00

Whodunit? 2009 – Mystery Art by the Famous and Soon-to-be-famous

I’m thrilled that my photography has been chosen for inclusion in the Ontario College of Art and Design Whodunit? Mystery Art Sale Gala Preview and Silent Auction.

Gala Preview:
Come celebrate art, artists and friends at a fabulous party unlike any other. Preview the hundreds of pieces of mystery art for sale in the Whodunit? Public Art Sale on November 21. Bid on framed 5.5" x 7.5" mystery art chosen exclusively for sale in the Silent Auction or bid on large-scale art by a select group of artists in the Live Auction. Join mystery artists and friends at our exclusive party!

The Whodunit? OCAD Mystery Art Sale is OCAD's signature fundraising event. It's an exhibition and sale of pieces of original art by well-known and celebrity artists, OCAD faculty, alumni and students. Gaining in popularity year after year, the Whodunit? OCAD Mystery Art Sale offers hundreds of original pieces of art donated by artists who are famous and not-yet-famous. Every piece measures 5.5 x 7.5 inches and each piece is $75. Like it - buy it - turn it over and see Whodunit!

http://whodunit.ocad.ca

Metaphors Or Idealism?

2009-11-05T12:33:00.008-05:00

METAPHORS OR IDEALISM?

Leonardo Galleries, Toronto, Canada
November 2 to November 24, 2009

Opening reception and artist talks: Thursday November 5 at 6:30 pm.

Leonardo Galleries (Yorkville) showcases four accomplished artists specializing in photography and digital art: Bret Culp (Gemini winner), Richard Bornemann (Canadian premier), John Long and Mira Zdjelar. The artist attended opening is on Thursday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m., and this focused exhibit is the first part of the annual winter group show, which runs November 2, 2009 to January 16, 2010.

For media information, artist interviews and images please contact:

Zoya Balija, Owner, Leonardo Galleries

Leonardo Galleries | info@leonardogalleries.com | 416-924-7296
133 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5R 2H7
Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm Sat: 10am-5pm

Entertainment and Art

2009-01-27T10:36:00.005-05:00

Entertainment reinforces what you already know, and tells you that you're right. Art, on the other hand, suggests that what you know is wrong, and that your beliefs might not be correct.

-David Mamet

Artist Statement for The Moment Eternal

2008-10-28T13:07:00.015-04:00

Here is my artist statement for my new exhition, The Moment Eternal, which opens today.

Things are either emerging out of nothingness or disappearing into nothingness. It is impermanence that gives transcendence and true meaning to the world. When we accept the transitory nature of all existence we can better appreciate the fleeting pleasures of the world without anxiety for their end. The photographs in this collection capture lyrical instances of a world in constant change revealing a beauty seemingly removed from everyday life, satisfying longed for moments in time.

THE MOMENT ETERNAL
Leonardo Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Ocober 28 to November 19, 2008

Opening Reception: Thursday October 30, 6pm-9pm

Leonardo Gallery | info@leonardogalleries.com | 416-924-7296
133 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2H7
Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm Sat: 10am-5pm

The Moment Eternal Exhibition

2008-10-23T13:39:00.016-04:00

THE MOMENT ETERNAL
Leonardo Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Ocober 28 to November 19, 2008

Opening Reception: Thursday October 30, 7pm-9pm

Captivating new work by Bret Culp and Julie McGregor focuses on intimate moments that express a quietness of spirit. Culp's poetic black and white photographs of Tuscany and Ireland reveal the beauty of impermanence. McGregor's emotional portraits and romantic images of Italy capture longed for moments in time.

Leonardo Gallery | info@leonardogalleries.com | 416-924-7296
133 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2H7
Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm Sat: 10am-5pm

‘Tudors’ rule at Geminis

2008-10-22T13:25:00.004-04:00

VARIETY MAGAZINE

“The Englishman’s Boy” and “The Tudors” were the big winners on Wednesday at the third and final Gemini Industry Gala, which saw 33 prizes handed out to TV shows in the drama, variety and comedy categories.

Based on Guy Vanderhaeghe’s award-winning 1996 novel about cowboys in 19th century Saskatchewan and the early days of Hollywood, “Englishman’s Boy” roped in awards for direction in a miniseries for John N. Smith, supporting actress in mini for Katharine Isabelle and costume design for Beverley Wowchuk, while Carmen Kotyk took the casting honor.

The miniseries, which aired on pubcaster CBC, stars Nicholas Campbell, Bob Hoskins, Michael Therriault and R.H. Thomson.

Peach Arch Entertainment’s “The Tudors” — produced in association with Reveille Eire, Working Title and CBC-TV — nabbed awards for supporting actress in a dramatic series (Maria Doyle Kennedy), photography in a dramatic series (Ousama Rawi), production design in a fiction program (Tom Conroy, Eliza Solesbury), and visual effects (Bob Munroe, Bret Culp, Terry Bradley, Lisa Carr-Harris, Bill Halliday, Warren Leathern and Bo Mosley).

Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts!

2008-09-26T11:10:00.016-04:00

As a continuation of yesterday's blog, "Ordinary folks don't care about arts", the following quote about the arts being an essential part of culture is actually featured right on the Canadian $20 bill. The fact that Prime Minister Stephen Harper considers it "a niche issue" shows how out-of-step he is with his country.

"Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts!" -Gabrielle Roy (1909-1983)

"Ordinary folks don't care about arts."

2008-09-25T12:11:00.011-04:00

Saddly this comes from the Prime Minister of Canada.

TheStar.com - Ordinary folks don't care about arts: Harper
Source: www.thestar.com

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has sparked a culture war in the federal election campaign with a claim that "ordinary people" don't care about arts funding.

I especially like this part:

Under fire for his government's $45 million in cuts to arts and culture funding, the Conservative leader yesterday said average Canadians have no sympathy for "rich" artists who gather at galas to whine about their grants.

Rich artists?

Subject matter and spirit...

2008-06-12T15:22:00.013-04:00

When both subject matter and manner of rendering are transcended, by whatever means, that which seems to be matter becomes what seems to be spirit.

-Minor White

True art...

2008-06-05T10:02:00.013-04:00

The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.

-Jerzy Kosinski

Art is...

2008-05-08T10:59:00.015-04:00

Art is not documentation but reflection.

-bret

Sculptural Images Artist Statement

2007-05-17T19:02:00.003-04:00

This is my Artist Statement for the Sculptural Images show. The exhibition was part of the Contact Toronto Photography Festival and ran from May 17 to June 9, 2007.

Roots creep over rock searching for refuge and nourishment, neglected bricks and mortar crumble under the elements and return to the earth, a mountain is slowly devoured by the sea forming a precipice – these are photographs of matter governed by time chosen to illustrate the relentless determination of nature, the beauty in impermanence, and the eternal cycle of creation out of destruction.

The medium and techniques that I work with are chosen to strengthen the sensory aspects of the photograph in order for the viewer to feel more directly connected to the world within it. I believe that the authenticity of the final image should not be based on how loyal it is to reality but how well it conveys its message.

I have a natural inclination toward black and white photography as its inherent qualities of abstraction grant it the power to intensify the emotional impact of a place while leaving space for mystery. It’s in the shadows that you find the true nature of the subject. Grain is one of the creative tools that I like to employ to further my expression, like a painter’s brushstrokes. I particularly like the additional level of atmosphere that grain can bring to a photograph when artfully used.

I primarily use medium format, as there is a nice balance between being able to push abundant grain out of the film and retaining a high level of detail. Prints are made using pigment on cold pressed archival cotton rag producing an extraordinarily rich tonal quality, excellent sharpness and archival permanence.

As a Director, Visual Effects Supervisor, and head of visual effects at C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, I scrutinize the framing, lighting, and intent of images from minute details to the comprehensive overview. I apply the same filmic sensibilities to my photography, requiring that everything within the composition be necessary and as well crafted as possible in order to strongly and clearly communicate the story.

Black and White Abstraction

2007-01-15T15:47:00.007-05:00

The qualities of abstraction intrinsic to Black and White photography grant it the power to intensify life – to emphasize its mystery, depth, and beauty.

-Bret Culp

Landscapes Revealed Exhibition

2006-04-24T15:18:00.007-04:00

LANDSCAPES REVEALED 
Leonardo Galleries, Toronto, Canada 
April 24 to June 3, 2006

Reception is Thursday May 4, 7-9pm, artists in attendance

Leonardo Gallery is pleased to present a new exhibition of photographic works as an official venue of the CONTACT Photography festival.

Photographers Bret Culp, Joshua Harrower and John Long explore landscapes outside the city limits. From Bret Culp’s stark images of nature, Joshua Harrower’s exotic scenes from India to John Long’s exploration of contrasting vast landscapes, this exhibition gives us a panoramic view of the world around us.

Bret Culp has recently won a Spider Award for his feature photograph Strength, whose symbolism ties in with his recent personal experiences in life and philosophies about the strength of the human will and fortitude of our fragile bodies.

John Long has a compelling series done in stereo photography, a rare and historic technique of viewing images in three-dimension. John Long is a man of infinite love of historic techniques, methods, equipment and aesthetic. He’s an informative and charismatic individual who enthrals his audience. John will also show a stunning series of large-scale panoramic landscapes that engulf the viewer into detailed scenes.

Leonardo Galleries | info@leonardogalleries.com | 416-924-7296
133 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2H7 
Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm Sat: 10am-5pm

Landscapes Revealed Artist Statement

2006-04-20T15:16:00.003-04:00

This is my Artist Statement for the Landscapes Revealed show. The exhibition was part of the 10th Anniversary of the Contact Toronto Photography Festival and ran from April 24 to June 3, 2006.

Children are instinctively attuned to the wonders of their surroundings. As years pass the discord of modern life overwhelms and the connection is weakened or lost. Often we don’t understand the source of this loss and so we attempt to fill the void in a variety of ways that don’t work. The magic continues to surround us but now requires that we actively seek it out in order to recapture the vital sense of connection to the world that we had as children. It is my hope that these photographs stimulate the imagination and remind us that the world is filled with excitement, mystery, depth, and beauty.

When the Art Demands Your Attention

2006-03-07T15:11:00.007-05:00

The February 23, 2006 LensWork Podcast/Commentary by Brooks Jensen, “When the Art Demands Your Attention”, reminds me of a perspective changing lesson that I learned in a first year photography class at Ryerson in Toronto.

As part of an assignment I presented a photograph of a barn on a lakeshore. To my mind it was the best work I had done to date. I was pleased with my composition, film exposure, print exposure, paper choice – everything.

I received a D+ and I was not happy about it. I scheduled a private consultation with my instructor. With the assuredness of youth I demanded he explain why I was graded so low – surely he must have made a mistake. His response was that the composition was nice; the tones were good, the exposure was adequate, that it was an okay print and that he could possibly raise my mark to a C. I asked him to explain how I could have satisfied all of the aforementioned requirements and only receive a D+ or a C? Why not an A? His response was that it just wasn’t an A print.

As I left in frustration I walked down the photography lined halls of the Photo Arts building and something dawned on me. In front of me were hundreds of technically proficient, sometimes meaningful, sometimes beautiful, photographs yet only a few grabbed hold of me, forcing me to stop and study them. It was revelation.

Since this epiphany I've tried to evaluate my work with the following in mind; if I were walking by one of my prints, and I somehow forgot that it was my own, would it grab me enough to stop and study it.

Save Our Buildings – History Has To Start Somewhere

2006-03-05T14:28:00.008-05:00

This is from a deputation letter sent to the city of Toronto to voice my objection to the demolition of the Bridgepoint Half-Round building, one of the best examples of 1960’s architecture in Toronto, and the transfer of public parklands to a developer for condo and retail development.

I am unable to attend the March 6, 2006, Administration Committee meeting to make a deputation in person. I request that the contents of this document to be entered into the record on my behalf.

As a South Riverdale resident I am concerned about the possible demolition of the Bridgepoint Health building and as well as public land being transferred to Bridgepoint Health for condo and retail development. Additionally, I would like it to be made clear that I am not against a new hospital on the existing palatial site.

Bridgepoint Half-Round

There will never be another building in our city like the Bridgepoint Half-Round. It is a one-of-a-kind, architecturally significant, sound structure and for these reasons should be saved. Historically the city of Toronto has been ignorant of the importance of our historical and otherwise significant architecture and has been terribly negligent in preserving it. We’ve got to change this before our buildings of significance are gone and we continue the slide into a generic, soulless, uninviting, pre-fabricated, shoddy, developer designed with only the bottom line in mind, city.

My plea to save the Bridgepoint Half-Round is for the same reason that we place value in the arts. Things that are created with great skill and craft, that are daring and beautiful, that are of historical significance, that make us think and feel, inspire us both consciously and subconsciously every time we are in their presence; in the case of a city’s architecture it’s every time we leave our homes. By example these achievements encourage us to be and do our best. The architecture of our city is the environment in which we exist and therefore has tremendous importance in our lives. Consider that the world that we create for ourselves defines who we are and at the same time reflects who we are.

Previous to moving to South Riverdale I lived in the Merchandise Building at 155 Dalhousie St, formerly the Sears warehouse. If that city block sized building can be converted into one of the most prestigious addresses in the city surely the Half-Round on the Don Valley with it’s dazzling city and sunset views can do the same.

Public Land Transfer

It is outrageous that public, taxpayer funded parkland is to be given to a developer in order to make a for profit condo and retail development. Please explain how provincial funding for a new hospital can be used for private development. It’s public land.

Public Consultation

Despite the rhetoric, the so-called public consultations have been a sham. This regularly played city council tactic has gotten old and must stop. Additionally, these meetings never included any information about a public land transfer.

I am asking that you defer all approvals on these issues until the community has been truly consulted and considered.

Thank you for listening,

Bret Culp

Film Grain

2005-03-18T14:23:00.006-05:00

A note about my fondness for film grain.

In my experience, one of the most common goals of many photographers is to produce photographs than when enlarged show little to no grain, or noise. How often I have heard that you can make acceptable prints only up to a certain size using such and such film, lens, or camera, which is taken to mean acceptably low grain and high detail.

Not me. I like grain. I typically shoot medium format, in order to have plenty of detail to work with, and use Kodak Tri-X film, which I choose for its classic grain look and tonal range. I then push it up to three stops in development. Not only am I not trying to hide the medium, I'm embracing it. I love the additional level of abstraction and the atmosphere that grain can bring to a photograph when artfully used. As an example of my aesthetic leanings, one of my favourite motion pictures is Double Indemnity, which I belive to be the preeminent grainy film noir production.

I look at grain as one of the possible creative tools that can be utilized to further the photographer's expression.

Now, let's talk about resolving power...

Artist Statement

2004-10-31T14:18:00.004-05:00

This is the first Artist Statement that I put on my site, www.bretculp.com. I believe that the sentiments expressed continue to be valid to my work and motivations.

I make pictures to impart an optimistic view of life by focusing on the strength and beauty that I see within it.

I am fascinated by the contradiction that life is both fragile and resilient at once. Acts by man and nature alike often have catastrophic effect on our world but in the end life cannot be stopped. I am comforted by the relentless determination of life to claim its place, to reclaim what has been taken, and to carry on against all odds.

I enjoy the energy, rhythms, and richness of culture that urban settings provide yet I am rejuvenated when photography takes me away from the chatter and stresses of modern life. My senses are invigorated as I become aware of the abundance and power of life around me, and my place within it. In that moment I am returned to childhood, where everything is a mystery to be explored and experienced for the first time. My hope is that through my photographs the viewer can experience it too.

Frieze Frames Exhibition and Artist Statement

2002-06-11T14:05:00.009-04:00

This is my Artist Statement for the Frieze Frames show. The show consisted of abstract paintings by Gallery 888 owner Elizabeth Russ and my photographs that were impressionistic in content, technique, or both.

FRIEZE FRAMES
Gallery 888, Toronto, Canada
June 11 to June 23, 2002

Opening reception: Thursday June 13 from 6 to 9 pm

It is my experience that many people maintain a very narrow view of what constitutes a proper photograph. For these individuals a photograph must be in perfect focus and properly oriented, be relatively grain or noise free, have realistic tones or colours – be a faithful representation of what was in front of them when they captured the image. On the other hand, what is accepted in painting, for example, ranges from photorealism to abstract expressionism. I believe that the authenticity of the final image should not be based on how loyal it is to reality but how well it conveys the artist’s message. Painters, musicians, writers, or photographers all have the same goal, which is to express something.

The photographs in this show range from the architecturally inspired Futurism (Cheeses Worst Nightmare), a black and white pinhole camera study of a cheese grater, to Atomic Hotel, an impressionistic Polaroid sx-70 photograph with bleeding light and colour, to Reflections on the Wall, a colour photograph of a flower growing out of a graffitied section of the Berlin wall. When rotated 90 degrees the graffiti appears as reflections on a river. The impressionistic qualities were further enhanced in the choice of materials – prints are made on textured cold-pressed watercolour paper.

Gallery 888 | 416-462-9930
888 Queen Street East Toronto, Canada M4M 1J3