Tagged kodak

Still, Moving, Near, Far

Over the centuries, still-life and object painting have always done more than depict something as it is. The subjects in the images can tell a story, represent an idea and be used as symbols.

Still & Moving / 16 x 20 inches / oil on canvas / 2021 / on the easel

As I hunt around for objects to add to my collection, I always make sure that they somehow fit into the narrative I am pursuing in my overall work. For example, in the painting “Still & Moving,” I have a still camera and an 8mm film camera — one takes still images, the other moving. Anyone who has been using social media for the last decade knows that the advances in cameras have shifted us from still images to videos. Instagram, an app that initially was about sharing photos of what you were doing at the moment, used heavy filters to “age” the images and make them appear aged and somehow “authentic.” But now, here we are, with Instagram becoming all about the moving pictures. We have entered the phase of brief and trivial videos that one can sit and view for eternity.

Near & Far / 16 x 20 inches / oil on canvas / 2021 / on the easel

As someone who has used social media in all its forms over the last 20 years, I have often wondered if I will eventually be left out as I feel no need to move on to the next iteration. You are reading this on my blog that I have published since 2007 — an ancient medium as far as many would be concerned.

I draw inspiration from my work from centuries ago (see the last post), so I have a bit of a “long view” of what I am doing with my work. Focusing on the minutiae of now isn’t my game.

These two paintings will be part of my upcoming exhibition at the George Billis Gallery in Los Angeles.

Work in Progress

I just put the finishing touches on this commission, and soon it will be off to a collector’s home.

Painting at the peak of summer has always been a challenge. The warmest days make me actually lethargic and groggy. I’m fortunate to have air conditioning in my studio. An addition that came a few years ago. And during this summer, with the extended endless days of hot sun, I cannot fathom working without cooled air at the touch of a button.

Nine Cameras / Work in Progress / July 2021

A Little History

Every subject I paint has a built-in history. This Kodak Petite camera was made from 1929–1933, precisely during The Great Depression. The little pocket camera is sitting upon a stack of paperbacks from the same time and leading up to WWII. I always find myself thinking of the people who used these objects and what their world was like. Perhaps they were not so different from us.

This painting will be part of my upcoming September exhibition at the George Billis Gallery in New York City.

Work in Progress / Kodak Petite

Rows and Stacks of Cameras

Four Vintage Cameras Oil Painting by Christopher Stott
Four Vintage Cameras / 20 x 40 / oil on canvas

This will sound sentimental, but who cares. I like the thought of how exciting these cameras would have been to a kid who received it as a gift. Back when photography took time, it would have seemed magic. I like the thought that these lenses were the eyes on so many events.

Ten Vintage Cameras Oil Painting by Christopher Stott
Ten Vintage Cameras / 24 x 36 / oil on canvas

And then there is the fact I can present these objects in such an orderly way. The four cameras are all 3/4 turned, facing to the right. These black cubes, such simple shapes, with the circular flash from the unique Spartus camera. The stack of ten cameras makes a small architectural structure, each with a different facade. The box cameras with their shining brass art deco designs, the different materials used. Composing the cameras this way adds a structure and order.

The materials, their designs, the history and story, their utility as image making tools, cameras are deserving of a portrait.

I have been painting cameras for well over a decade. You can see 40 paintings of cameras I’ve done on good old Flickr.

As with many of my recent paintings, the subjects were found at Everything Old in Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island.

The Art of the Camera

Bencini & Leica Cameras Oil Painting Art Christopher Stott
12 x 24 / oil on canvas

Kodak, Bencini, Leica, Yashica. USA, Italy, Germany, Japan.

Learning about these cameras is like a 20th century world history lesson. The makers of these cameras have all been affected by world events, the economy and changing technology. Even though they are obsolete, they still have avid collectors and enthusiasts.

Vintage Kodak Camera Oil Painting by Christopher Stott
22 x 28 / oil on canvas

With the Kodaks painting above, I composed an arch with the lenses and flashes, giving the painting an architectural feel.

We have had PHD (Push Here, Dummy) cameras in our pockets for a hundred years, but it’s the ones that look like they were pieced together by watchmakers that are fun to paint.

I like that they were all used to make art, to document holidays, travel, weddings and so many other happy events. What’s strange is that the photos from the cameras are all missing, lost or hidden. It really makes me wonder what will happen to the billions of photos we upload from the cameras on our phones now.

Two Yashica Cameras Oil Painting by Christopher Stott
18 x 14 / oil on canvas

Crafted Kodaks

Two Antique Kodaks oil Painting by Christopher Stott
12 x 24 / oil on canvas

These elegant and finely detailed antique Kodak cameras are works of art on their own. They have a patina about them. Cameras are now and always have been ubiquitous – but some were made to stand out. These cameras have lost their function, but now exist as sculpture and ideals of craftsmanship.

These two paintings are part of my July 2015 exhibition at the Elliott Fouts Gallery.

Antique Kodak Oil Painting by Christopher Stott
16 x 16 / oil on canvas
Antique Kodak oil painting by Christopher Stott