I saw your FB post this morning about your print shop and it reminded me of something I forgot to tell you in my last email. I am doing a dog and pony show about lith printing in a couple of weeks at Inglemoor High School. They have a very progressive art teacher who exposes his kids to all kinds of experimental processes and printing techniques. They routinely clean up at the state High School Competition in the spring and take first place. A couple of years ago when I was a judge I noticed some beautiful prints that had a very flat muted quality. I came to find out they were his kids experimenting around with different non ink jet papers like you do. It inspired me to try playing around too. So I approached the instructor about a little talk and he was game, unlike the Photo Center. It will be just a talk with samples and hand out and such. No time for a darkroom demo, which would be a waste of time anyway, since my chops are long gone. But I will provide chemicals and paper for them to use later. I must confess to feeling a little twinge of sadness about parting with an unopened, 250 sheet box of 8×10 Kodak Polyfiber G paper that was discontinued in the late 80s or early 90s. it will mean I am done with that, done with the darkroom. I suppose I have always known I was, but this will make it real. I guess my only solace is knowing that the materials are going to a good home and put to good use. Of course it is entirely possible none of the paper is any good, even though it has been refrigerated for the past 30 years. But it should be fun to play with, don’t you think?
