Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
War Child Benefit-The Dakota Tavern
To truly understand the Cowboy Junkies, one would have had to listen to their legendary 1988 release The Trinity Session, an album that received such critical praise for not only its sound, but its method of recording. Taken in one day (well, almost...save for Mining for Gold) in late 1987, using only one mike and the awesome acoustics of The Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto, the finished product was a unique and timeless recording that cut through the heavily produced late 1980s.
It was this album that affected me so strongly as a late teen that I compulsively played it for almost a year, introducing everyone I knew to the haunting vocals of Margo Timmins and methadone induced playing of brothers Michael and Peter and Alan Anton. Following each release through The Caution Horses, Black Eyed Man and Pale Sun, Crescent Moon, the Cowboy Junkies remained a strong musical escape for me through the mid-nineties, fluidly painting stories of places both distant and attached.
For some reason, it wasn't until this past Tuesday, 20 years since I cut the wrap on my vinyl copy of The Trinity Session, that I got to see them live and in grand fashion, well worth the wait. Thanks to War Child , a most worthy international organization, helping the most innocent casualties of war, an evening with not only the Junkies, but a well versed assembly of fellow Canadian musicians was brought to Toronto hippest gathering place, The Dakota Tavern in Toronto. From the minute my wife and friends and I arrived, I knew this would be an evening to remember. My expectations where truly exceeded, from the first note of the Cowboy Junkies, through the harmonies of the Skydiggers, the beautiful and angelic vocals provided with youthful exuberance by Ivey Mairi, the rollicking good time always offered straight up by Tom Wilson and band and the multi-instrumental genius of Guelph native Jeff Bird.
The best part of it all was that the closeness of the surroundings that not only made you feel that you where a spectator, but in a way, a part of the production. Everyone rubbing shoulders with everyone else, making new acquaintances and sharing the creation and appreciation of good music on level playing ground in an organic intertwined simbiance. I walked away with a fully signed copy of the bands first album "Whites Off Earth Now" and my good friend Shawn Creamer (also part owner of The Dakota) was able to get the OK from the band to get my camera in to produce these shots that I feel help capture the special quality of the evening and the one-of-a-kind warmth the Dakota exudes. Truly icing on the already stacked cake:-)
Thanks War Child, thanks Dakota (special hat tip to Shawn) and a big round of applause to all the performers for making my Tuesday night one I will not soon forget!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Photo Course Update
Well it's only a week away. Lucid Musings annual workshop for beginner photographers. I am looking forward to spending my Monday evenings with a new group of individuals hoping to get a grip on their digital cameras and better express themselves visually. If you have been thinking about taking the popular course, I am happy to let you know that there are still 3 spaces just waiting for you. Get up, get out and get shooting by giving me a call at 519-284-0858. Fun is guaranteed:-)
Sunday, March 29, 2009
New Bakery and a New Gallery
It is with the greatest congratulatory excitement that my good friends opened their new retail venture this weekend. Named the "Harvest Bakery and Cafe", located on Water St. in downtown St. Marys, and owned and operated by Dave Ford, Claire Pickel and Sam Santandrea, this is bound to be a positive and unique facelift to downtown St. Marys. Selling fresh baked breads and pastries and coffee and grounded in the values of the "100 Mile Diet" , selling only "Fair Trade" coffee and using eco-friendly compostable coffee cups (disposable waxed cups has always been something that has been a thorn in my side with all major coffee chains in Canada), they are a young trio that not only have a dream, but a purpose. All 3 have a background in the restaurant industry, all 3 working their way through the Westover Inn, with Claire holding the position of Patissier, Dave being a prep and appetizer specialist and Sam just completed his Chef's papers only a year ago, so knowledge behind the scenes is anything but lacking. With their families behind them from the design process on up, bundles of youthful energy and ambition to spare, one would hope their success is secured. Most of all, a desire to support the local and global reaches of the economy by breaking down the pattern of globalization that has damaged and exploited the poor. By bringing the vogue of old is new, local is cool and adding a singular bold effort in St. Marys to reverse the process of small town knee-hacking by the megastores is more than duly noted. To me it also adds a taste of hip-YAY!-and a snapshot of the city based neighbourhood bakery/cafe that are their district's meeting place, beating heart, and part of a network of equally connected local producers...just what I needed. I give a big hat's off to Dave, Claire and Sam and wish you the best in bringing some genuine flair downtown...all the best!
The Scene
Although I had been asked to have showings of my work at other establishments in the past, when Dave, Claire and Sam asked me if they could purchase some of my festival and live music material for their new bakery, I felt a special connection in having the opportunity. Not only did some of my personal material get to make the print, but I felt that in my own way I am a part of this "most awesome" venture. Thanks for having me along for the ride:-)As in the past any fine art purchase inquiries can be made by emailing me Sean@lucidmusings.com . If your looking for something special, or would like to schedule a viewing, call me 519-284-0858, or toll free 1-866-680-0858.
Monday, March 02, 2009
April Course Information
It is with great excitement that I will be offering again my popular course for the digital photo beginner. In the spirit of getting those images you see in your mind, but have trouble realizing with your camera. A 4 session course, not only a follow-up to my level 1 'Into the Digital Age' which I offered in 2007, but a great starting point for any SLR camera (manual function/interchangeable lens) camera owner wanting to become more familiar with their camera and improve their photos. This course will get you using your camera on-location, help you visualize things in a new matter, give you projects that will get you out shooting independently and inspire open interaction. I created this brief, fun, unimposing and hopefully inspiring course in the belief that the digital camera is best learned if you get out and use it. The instant results a LCD screen gives and the freedom of a digital card to capture and capture again until we get it right has changed our opportunities to learn photography. With this in mind and my belief that learning is not only gained by ingesting information but by actually using this knowledge in an open forum that becomes knowledge itself. Get up, get out and join me this April for 'Into The Heart of The Photo'-you won't regret it:-)
What: Into The Heart of the Photo
4 session interactive course to better photos
Week 1 (April 6)
In Classroom instruction/discussion of:
-Manual Functions
-Depth of Field
-Metering
-Composition
(review for those who took level 1)
****April 13 will be an off week due to Easter Monday****
Week 2 (April 20-6pm-field trip)
Location Shoot #1
-Composition 'On Location'
...take what you learned in Week 1 and put it into action
-Homework Assignment
Week 3 (April 27 6:00pm-field trip)
Location Shoot #2
-Candid Portrait Shoot and Low Light Fun
...will help you learn...
-metering
-Shutter speed and Aperture
...in a practical setting...
Week 4 (May 4)
Back to the Classroom
-Photo Showing
-Review
-Open Discussion
Where: Stone Willow Inn (St. Marys) http://www.stonewillow.com/
When: classroom sessions 7-9pm, this time around, the location sessions will be earlier evening 'field trip' style shoots and, if everyone is agreeable, the immediately following Tuesday nights will be used if the weather is a complete wash-out. Last year it was beautiful, so keep our fingers crossed:-)...you already know the dates
How: To enroll, or for more details, email me Sean@lucidmusings.com , call me at 519-284-0858, or come in and see me at the studio 147 Queen St. E., St. Marys. Course fee is $150.00.
Sean
Monday, February 16, 2009
Hillside Inside Review
Last weekend the Sleeman Center in Guelph was once again greened and gleened in an attempt to bring a little of the Hillside magic indoors. Rachel Thompson, Sam Baijal and team once again collected a group of Canada's best. In its sophomore year, Hillside Inside is slowly becoming another important part of Guelph's ever fruitful cultural scene and sitting comfortably in Canada's musical front seat.
Always a difficult feeding ground for the mega-festivals that are so popular South of the 49th, Hillside's summer edition has sold out for a number of years running with thousands dancing, chilling, swimming and dining and learning in a setting as idyllic a chunk of land can get on the fringes of North Guelph. That being said, it is 25 years young and its humble beginnings are well documented. To take a stab at a winter festival in Canada is an even more brave and risky maneuver, than attempting the logistics behind a summer event with the risk of bad weather and bumping up against Canadian's hibernating habits. That being said, if there was a group of people to do it it is those at Hillside. They not only have there feet grounded... no emmersed... in the ever growing Earth movement, they have their fingers on the pulse of Canadian Music in the sense that Superfly Productions has on a massive scale with their powerhouse Bonnaroo festival, held in Tennessee. They are able to grab several bands that are simmering just below the surface (and some deeper gems) and bring them in front of a crowd of truly appreciative music lovers that appreciate new sounds and music for music's sake. Throw in a drawing headliner, or 2 (this year's double header was Sam Roberts and Stars, last year Xavier Rudd/Dallas Green) and the festival experience is solidly there. The winter installment lacks the location, the wealth of workshops, the children's programming (which makes the Guelph Island event a truly age-free experience), the exquisitely balanced food booths (although the Inside edition has a micro-version of the summer spread), the sunshine and the showers, and is a one day event only. That being said, it is these lackings that separate Hillside Inside from his older sister, and makes it a success in its own right. Taking bands as diverse as Belle Orchestre and K'Naan, as smooth as Great Lakes Swimmers and as outright mind-blowing as That One Guy, the heart is indeed strong and the life blood that keeps the entity as a whole moving, swaying and jumping is pure Hillside. It is just a younger, individual, rebellious teen looking to etch out its own space, and it's a good space to be:-)
Monday, February 09, 2009
Fashion Forward Attitudes
As part of Lucid Musings move to becoming a unique, driven and exciting portrait specialist, fashion inquiries have begun to become more common place and I recently had another day out with a fashion industry hopeful, wanting to enter the world of lifestyle modeling. Kendall's desire to enter the youth advertising market was something I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to have a hand in.The first challenge in working with someone like Kendall is to simply break the ice and make this a fun experience and introduce a comfort level that helps bring out a liveliness and energy that makes the pictures "jump". The natural "what should I do"//"where should I look" feeling that anybody not accustomed to professional photo sessions has needs to be tossed aside and a personal interaction and closeness developed between the model and photographer. Only now can the photos start to happen, the rest is left to vision (and a little CS4 magic), and the end result is completely reflective upon this.
After getting over the initial jitters (and shivers) Kendall played the part perfectly and with good interaction, the photos paint a confident, fun and refreshingly real portrait of a young girl with fashionable aspirations.
If you are interested in having a portfolio with Lucid Musings fashion forward "look", have a look at more samples on my main website portrait page, and call me at 519-284-0858/1-866-680-0858 to book a portfolio session. If you are in the Stratford/London area, consider Elegance Modeling http://www.esimodels.ca/esimodels/ for your agency needs.
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