Studio Bike
As mentioned previously, my beautiful Mercier mixte (now named Suzanne) was acquired and spruced up for the important role of Studio Bike. She lives full-time in our photography studio outside of Boston, and is there for me when I need her for local errands. These involve mostly coffee runs and scoping out photo-shoot locations, neither of which are too far from the studio. And thank goodness for that, because my initial impression of the area as "No Bike Town" has only been confirmed over the past two months.I know it looks like a day at the beach, but honest - we've been working all through the weekend! Plus, this bit of sunshine was but a brief interlude between hurricane-like rains.
See? Hard at work. Mlle. Suzanne fits nicely in the narrow space between my desk area (a.k.a. negative-scanning station) and the wall. To the right is the Co-Habitant's desk (a.k.a. paper-cutting station), behind us is the darkroom, and in front of us is our studio-mate's work area - including a formal portrait studio that he has been operating for decades.
A portion of the dark room.
Drying area for negatives and prints. Suzanne is overjoyed to have access to this cool space and to work as an artist's assistant. And I suspect being close to the beach does not hurt either.
Co-Habitant is still working with traditional, film-based photography?
ReplyDeleteMatthew - We both are. Mostly medium format. Not for the bike stuff, but for our art projects.
ReplyDeleteSo, how long do you think till Suzanne has someone to keep her company in the lonely darkroom during those long periods when you are'nt there? I find it hard to believe the Co-habitant hasn't already found a studio bike to keep there.
ReplyDeleteI personally would feel compelled to not only have A bicycle there but to duplicate my home inventory at this sattelite location,"just in case". Plus maybe a specific "photography utility bike" tailored to the unique needs of 2 wheeled photographic pursuits. Of course I would then have to replicate that bike so I could have one at my house, "just in case".
I, for one, enjoyed the "photo stuff".
ReplyDeleteI like the photo themed posts too.
ReplyDeleteYou say Suzanne and I hear my father singing Leonard Cohen off-key (not that anyone could tell).
ReplyDeleteNow Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She is wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind...
Suzanne!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz9AAKFDnNE
Your studio looks so nice, and plus, I just love the idea of having a place to go that's very separate from your home/work for this kind of thing. The beach is just an added bonus!
But it's all so much fun! :) Nice work space too. My last dark room was crammed into the spare bathroom at my Mom's house.
ReplyDeletedon't worry about the photo stuff, it's interesting to hear about :)
ReplyDeletefor some reason, your little office kind of reminds me of the office Stephane works at in the film The Science of Sleep.
love the hat you have on in the banner image too (I just noticed it)!
Between Leonard Cohen and Weezer's Suzanne, it looks like the little lady has her own soundtrack : )
ReplyDeleteSpindizzy - No no no please don't help me justify my pathology! If anything, I am again considering selling my other vintage mixte Marianne, as the Sam Hillborne now completely fills my long/sporty ride needs. See? I am still reasonable.
OH NO! It's So Long, Marianne?
ReplyDeleteYou're not starting a Cohen theme are you?
Come over to the window, my little darling,
I'd like to try to read your palm.
I used to think I was some kind of Gypsy boy
before I let you take me home.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.
Well you know that I love to live with you,
but you make me forget so very much.
I forget to pray for the angels
and then the angels forget to pray for us.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
We met when we were almost young
deep in the green lilac park.
You held on to me like I was a crucifix,
as we went kneeling through the dark.
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Your letters they all say that you're beside me now.
Then why do I feel alone?
I'm standing on a ledge and your fine spider web
is fastening my ankle to a stone.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
For now I need your hidden love.
I'm cold as a new razor blade.
You left when I told you I was curious,
I never said that I was brave.
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Oh, you are really such a pretty one.
I see you've gone and changed your name again.
And just when I climbed this whole mountainside,
to wash my eyelids in the rain!
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
I used to groan when Dad put this on, but confess that Cohen has grown on me. Maybe that was Dad's influence over time...
Charlotte - Oh God. I could NOT have been getting those names from Leonard Cohen songs, that would be too funny. I've been listening to Leonard Cohen since I was a teenager!
ReplyDeletevelouria, get rid of marianne?! marianne is the perfect sporty companion for suzanne! don't you think suzanne would love to have a sister?
ReplyDeleteif i had female bikes, they'd all have names from nick cave songs... deanna, anyone? alas, i haven't found a female singer with suitably darkly humorous lyrics from which to name my mens' bikes. i'm open to suggestions!
(and coincidentally, the verification "word" that blogger gave me for this post was "singer")
Sending Marianne on...Really? I have a feeling that the person she eventually ends up with is probably composing an essay about why they should be her next riding partner even now.
ReplyDeleteShe is a "Personality" now and well known and admired after all... 'Won't be me though, all my hooks are full at the moment...
The one reason I am still not sure re selling Marianne, is that when we stay on Cape Cod again I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the Hillborne locked up on the street in Provincetown. And I can't take the Mercier, because her components are just not trustworthy enough for the hilly long-distance cycling we do there. Marianne is both good enough for the hills and discreet enough to be left locked up in town. On the other hand, one could argue it's stupid to buy a Hillborne and not take it to Cape Cod. I am still mulling it over.
ReplyDeleteHey, I can see the house where I grew up in that first shot! Thanks for the surprise, please have a sandwich from Kelly's and wave hi to the "island" for me. And for goodness sake, be careful of those crazy drivers, in my experience the North Shore is quite bike-hostile. Love your blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks Leah. It's actually South Shore (Quincy), and I think it makes the North Shore seem cyclable in comparison!
ReplyDeleteOh, the gorgeous Marianne...
ReplyDeleteOh wait, I forgot-- I hate mixtes now! Bleghh!!!
Looks like Revere Beach!
ReplyDelete"I could NOT have been getting those names from Leonard Cohen songs"
ReplyDeleteThat's how it goes, and everybody knows.