This is otherworldly art that Walt O’Brien believes started in the 1850s, not long after the invention of photography. “I consider myself a student of it as well,” he says. It’s the platinum/palladium printing process, a historic method of printing photos, usually from large format cameras. O’Brien and his students learned coating emulsions, contrast control and exposure. The students will feature their work in the Platinum/Palladium Clothesline Show at O’Brien’s photo gallery. Half of the prints will be framed and hanging on walls. The other half will hang on a clothesline “as if they just came out of the dryer,” O’Brien notes. This is a labor-intensive process, O’Brien explains. It can take an entire day just to create one print. The results, though, are beautiful. Included in the exhibition is the charming photo of a man and his ox, done by Susie Morrill of Eugene while she was
visiting Cuba.
The Platinum/Palladium Clothesline Show has an opening reception 4 to 6 pm, Saturday, Sept. 14, at the gallery at O’Brien Photo Imaging, 2833 Willamette Street. The exhibit runs through Nov. 7. FREE.