tools she used to make transparencies and digital negatives for use in her darkroom . She also started doing photo restoration . Gay then began to apply those techniques and digital darkroom enhancements to her scanned photos . As if that weren ’ t enough , Gay pushed herself further and began exploring new output for her prints .
“ In 2011 I was working on a proposal for a permanent public art installation at the Spokane Convention Center . The wall was long , and the art had to be large . I researched and found that aluminum prints would be the appropriate media for my proposal .”
“ I like the quality and color brilliance of the aluminum and I occasionally design images to be printed this way . I also occasionally bend a slight curve into the aluminum to give my 2D photos a 3D appearance .”
Waldman has also introduced printing on fabric in her studio by designing her images for yardage , scarves , and headbands .
“ The wearables emerged from client requests and my ongoing search to present my artwork in a unique way . I ’ ve been designing artwork for fabric for a few years now and I am very satisfied with how my images translate to fiber .”
Now adept in the use of all three : prints , aluminum , and fiber , Gay sometimes incorporates all these into a piece for a stunning and original work of art .
Still , in the business of art restoration , I asked Waldman about her most memorable experiences .
“ One my most challenging commissions was when someone brought me a picture of their great-grandpa who was an aviator at Felt ’ s Field . The black and white photo was of him standing in front of a plane , but the photo was stuck to broken glass in the frame . The glass was in shards , and I wasn ’ t certain how to fix it , so I decided to soak it . My darkroom background helped in that situation . Thankfully , most of the glass came off . Then I got the oils out and did a little tinting to bring back some of the shadows . I flattened it in my mounting press , scanned it , and then spent several hours digitally restoring it . I had to completely rebuild one tire — stealing part of the other tire — and working with perspective to make it all match . I printed a lot of proofs to look at my progress and it was fascinating to learn about him and his family . Once I got the restoration done , I ordered a new print , framed it , and gave it to them along with the original . That job taught me a lot about restoration .”
“ I ’ ve also restored old paintings . I get to breathe life back into them ( photos and paintings ) and once a client learns to trust me with their treasures , they almost always find more things for me to do for them . It ’ s a rewarding service to be able to provide for people .”
“ Through doing restoration I ’ ve been able to apply those techniques to my artwork . It ’ s made it fun , being able to explore and push my work further because of using all those tools . Mostly via the darkroom , because I first do the basic darkroom tasks : dodge , burn , spot , then crop . It ’ s all intuitive now .”
With all the work Waldman does , she still finds time for adventuring . Travel and gardening are the main sources of her photographs .
“ I ’ ve traveled to 30 U . S . states , Mexico , Canada , and one trip to Europe ( during my youth .) I love Priest Lake , the Pacific Northwest and its coastline , Southern California , and British Columbia .”
“ My husband Brent and I , with our daughter Natalie , hike , bike , camp , kayak , ice skate , ski , and snowshoe . Future travels on our list include Italy , France , back to Hawaii , and the U . K .”
“ I ’ d like to visit two hospice buildings in England . I donated my design time and artwork after receiving a call from the director . He ’ d found my website and liked my leaf designs . I created an abstract leaf series of transparencies for the large tranquility hall windows at Willowbrook Hospice . When the director moved to another building , I donated another design for that one .”
Gay Waldman ’ s art has also been displayed in large venues throughout the Pacific Northwest region . “ My most notable project is a public art installation at the Spokane Convention Center . The process from applying to being one of three finalists , presenting my proposal , and then being
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