All images courtesy of Terri Carpucci, shared with permission
It’s estimated that people around the world will take a whopping 1.6 trillion photographs this year. With lenses built in to our digital devices, a quick snap has never been easier. In the second half of the 19th century, though, before film was even invented, taking a picture required technical skill and access to expensive equipment and supplies. Some of the earliest large- and medium-format cameras used delicate glass plates to capture black-and-white portraits and landscapes in fine detail.
In 2019, Terri Carpucci, a photographer and preservationist based in Massachusetts, stumbled upon a veritable treasure trove. A collection of 4,000 glass plates spanning the 1860s to the 1930s had been destined for the trash before Carpucci, who has experience shooting wet plates and tintypes, noticed the negatives’ high quality. She also recognized a few Massachusetts landmarks and knew she held abundance of local history in her hands.
Carpucci set out on the long and painstaking process of preserving the slides, consulting with conservation experts and enrolling in a course that taught the fundamentals of cleaning and archiving the fragile pieces. “I would clean them individually only on the glass side; I wouldn’t touch the emulsion side,” she told PetaPixel. “Definitely don’t clean them with Windex or anything you would use to clean windows, just distilled water.” Carpucci digitized each slide using scanning guidelines provided by the National Archives, then slipped each one into an acid-free envelope for storage.
The University of Massachusetts Archives in Amherst recently acquired the collection, and Carpucci shares insights into individual photos on the website Somebody Photographed This and Facebook. You can also check out her YouTube channel.
And if you can’t get enough of the discovery old photos, you might also enjoy exploring the Museum of Lost Memories.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article A Photo Preservationist Saved a Trove of 4,000 Glass Plate Negatives That Nearly Went Into the Trash appeared first on Colossal.
ENCAMPMENT — The many roads of life, whether winding or straight, rocky or smooth, have a way of bringing people back around to their starting block. All roads may not lead to Rome, but they might lead to Wyoming.
Some decades in the misty past, three girls grew up and went to school together in Wheatland: playing the same sports, attending the same churches (sometimes), and sharing the same classes. Upon graduation, the year 2023 was merely fodder for science fiction. Off they go into their various horizons.
As many have found during life’s diverse adventures; successes and failures, joys and sorrows; that things have a way of returning. Coming full circle. And those childhood-school bonds also come full circle and we find that our shared history has created enduring relationships and influences. Three seemingly random women, all creative in different ways, found their way to the annual Aspen & Sage Market Days in Encampment, WY this October.
Ruth Moyte, owner of the newly-launched leisure-wear brand, Mustard Seed Faithwear; Sandra Utter, owner of Quarter Circle Creations; and myself, owner of Steph Bayne Photography & Paint were all vendors at the Aspen & Sage Market. Steph Bayne Photography & Paint was the first to participate in the market in 2022 accompanied by Moyte, (though not a vendor) the first year. As time and connection and conversation would have it, all three women were poised to travel to Encampment as vendors; Moyte and Utter for the first time in October of 2023.
Sandra Utter, Wheatland native, had this to say about her lovingly crafted items, “I love to repurpose things and have always liked western boots and what they represent in terms of a tool-of-the-trade and some are true art in the beauty of the tops. When I find a picture frame or mirror with a wide frame, it works well to cover all or part of the frame with boot tops. I’ve salvaged tops from used boots I find at thrift stores or get from friends when the bottoms are worn out. Each time I finish a piece, I’ve learned something new or a better way of attaching the leather to the wood. I hope to get my name out there to start making Memorial Boot Frame Mirrors. I’d love to take boots that a loved-one wore that has passed on and frame a mirror or picture frame with those boots. If those boots could talk…” Even though Utter is new to the market and fair trade, she had no trouble fitting in with a wide range of artisans, crafters, designers, and builders at the Aspen & Sage Market.
“The Aspen and Sage Market in Encampment was my first trade show and was a great place to learn from other vendors on setting-up and a price point for product. All vendors there had one-of-a-kind items that were handmade or items they created. I also took some quilts to the market made from old lightweight jeans that my Mom, Sharon Utter, made,” explained Utter. “I call my designs and work, Quarter Circle Creations and use the brand my Great Aunt, Glyda May, gave me and use it as a logo on the pieces. Aunt Glyda didn’t have fancy topped boots, but she wore out several pairs during her years ranching with Woody, her husband, and helping friends and neighbors work cattle. I think she would approve of the repurposing because she came from a generation that didn’t waste anything,” concluded Utter.
Moyte, who has spent her career in the high profile international event industry in the Los Angeles area, moved back to Wheatland about five years ago to tend to family matters. She brought her expertise as a writer and designer with her. “As I flash back to elementary school days, I never thought about the possibility that decades later, I would be spending the weekend with some of my oldest childhood friends. On top of that, I never thought that we’d all be attending Aspen & Sage Market Days in Encampment, Wyoming chasing after our entrepreneurial desires,” said Moyte. “Yet, there we all were gathered around an oak barrel table at the Mangy Moose munching on hamburgers and corn dogs discussing life, business, and our creative dreams. I enjoyed every single moment of the weekend, and I’m so proud of who we’ve become as women. Wheatland has a knack for turning out talented, strong, smart, women. I count Sandra Utter and Stephanie Bayne as two that I’m blessed to know.”
Time rolls forward, as it has a way of doing, and Moyte’s early, but as-of-yet unfulfilled dreams of creating a clothing line is now starting to bloom.
“Mustard Seed Faithwear was born out of a vision to combine fashion with inspiration, creating a brand that uplifts and empowers individuals. In a world where fashion trends come and go, there is a growing desire for clothing that not only makes a statement but also carries a deeper meaning. Inspired by the powerful scripture of Matthew 17:20, Mustard Seed Faithwear not only reflects personal style but also serves as a reminder of the strength and potential that lies within everyone, and the faith that is needed as we journey through life. The symbolism used in Mustard Seed Faithwear is carefully chosen to represent the essence of faith. The mustard seed, depicted in various forms – and always reaching back to positive messaging, serves as a powerful reminder of the potential for growth and greatness that lies within each individual,” Moyte explained. The essence of the scripture is that nothing will be impossible for you when your faith is active. Moyte added, “Each style in the Mustard Seed Faithwear collection is designed with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that each garment selected not only meets the highest standards of quality butalso serves as a reminder of the power of faith. Being able to stand side-by-side with my friends as they pursue their dreams is one of the most inspiring things that I’ve ever experienced. I’m so grateful that we’ve found each other and are able to share our journeys with each other.”
As for myself, I have been painting and drawing on paper, furniture, stationery, people’s walls, found objects and anything that lends itself to a paintable surface since I was about four years old when I confidently scribbled drawings of fantastical people along my dad’s drywall when he was finishing the basement of the first house I remember living in. He didn’t stop me then, or now. I added photography in 2012 and it is a satisfying creative outlet. Art is that deep expression of experience or feeling that is sometimes lost in the surfeit of words. I am very happy and blessed to be able to occasionally showcase my art, not only for myself, but for others. I know it makes me happy; but if it brings happiness, or nostalgia or some other feeling to another person; the joy is manifold. Sharing the quite vulnerable experience of offering our creations to the general public at Aspen & Sage Market Days, or any other venue with these treasured, talented, bright friends is something that doubles the pleasure. There is something very comforting and stabilizing about shared history.
Don’t miss the Wheatland Town & Country Garden Club’s Holiday Bazaar on November 5 at the Agriplex. There you will find dozens of local and area creators. And you might come full circle and meet an old friend.
Famous as the birthplace of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Philadelphia delivers one destination, five counties and countless things to do: fascinating museums, vibrant parks, national historic sites and famous (and delicious) food. Yo, welcome to Philly!
Available today for your phones, tablets, and laptops, November’s Designer Desktop features an original design by Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering. What’s exciting about this design is it’s just one example of how you can use your own original artwork and turn it into wall murals and wallcoverings through Momentum Digital Creations. Whether you have a finished piece or just a sketch of an idea, Momentum makes it possible to actualize your design and prints on demand to complete your interior project. If you need a design instead, artwork by Momentum’s designers and world renowned artists, like the ones below, are also available to grace your space. Other original design ideas from Momentum:
For now, start with your tech devices and download this month’s desktop below!
DESKTOP: 1024×768 1280×1024 1680×1050 1900×1200 2560×1440
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Learn more about Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering here and follow along on IG here.
View and download past Designer Desktops here.
Urban wetlands and estuaries are becoming sanctuaries for dwindling populations of wading waterbird species as they learn to adapt to developed landscapes. Pied stilts are among a number of species that can be found in a handful of locations along the Swan River, despite the prevalence of walkers, cyclists, dogs, boats, light pollution and other disturbances. I captured this image of a stilt taking off high above Perth’s skyline as a metaphor for the urban encroachment on to critical wetland habitats that are forcing shorebirds, many endangered, to find refuge elsewhere.
Photograph: Nathan Watson
On Sunday morning we drove to Metula. Haaretz photographer Rami Shllush has a small gray Daihatsu jeep that’s quite old, and groans during ascents. I very soon realized that the real danger hovering over us that day wasn’t Hezbollah’s anti-tank missiles, but Shllush’s driving. He’s an excellent driver, but dividing his attention between transferring pictures from his cell phone to the newspaper’s editorial office, while overtaking trucks, really scared me.
Rachael Youngman is the creator and host of the podcast Native ChocTalk. She interviews individuals from all tribes who wish to share their stories, ancestral history, traditions and cultural information.
Native ChocTalk was begun for preservation reasons, according to Youngman. “I am hoping to capture all those precious ancestral stories and history for multiple reasons,” said Youngman. “Not just for our listeners to learn and enjoy, but also for the families and descendants of my guests to hear the stories in my guests’ voices. I also hope in some way we’re honoring our ancestors by keeping their memories and names alive.”
Each episode takes many hours of research, script writing, interviewing, editing, posting and socializing. The Native ChocTalk team consists of Youngman, a site manager and a graphic artist.
Youngman is proud of her Choctaw heritage.
“My tribe was a big influence on me as I began this podcast,” said Youngman.
She promotes information on researching tribal ancestry, Choctaw language classes, Choctaw artists, the CHAHTA Foundation, Choctaw ponies, and Jones Academy on the podcast and website. She grew up in Anadarko, where her dad was the art teacher at Riverside Indian School. Youngman graduated from Butler University, spent twenty years performing as a trained opera singer, and was the youngest recipient of the Young Talent Award from the Metropolitan Opera at age nineteen. She received awards for several years from the National Association of Teachers of Singing for opera competitions.
Youngman has worked in radio, commercials, infomercials and public relations for the Indianapolis Colts. She was publicist for a book about them and led a team promoting the Colts Business Alliance. She has been a dating and relationships columnist, a relationships counselor and currently works in software sales for technology companies.
Her inspiration was her great-grandmother, Ella (Davis) Shofner. Youngman said her sister interviewed the elder for a college paper.
“Ella was full-blood Choctaw, born in 1903. When I was in my late 20s, Ella passed away, and our family was devastated to lose her,” said Youngman. “One evening, I thought of her and regretted not spending more time with her in her last days; then the paper my sister had written came to mind, and I immediately scrambled to find it in the filing cabinet. There it was, tucked away, unread. I sat there, reading every word, and couldn’t stop crying.”
At age three, Ella had been sold by her mother into guardianship for $1,000 to a non-Native man, the wealthiest landowner in the area, according to the paper.
According to Youngman, she would not have known the tragic story if she had never read the paper.
Youngman says she is eager to learn more about her tribe and family through this journey.
“I am writing a book about their stories [her family] in hopes to bring them honor,” said Youngman.
She intends through the book to preserve her own ancestral stories and wants to give all tribes opportunities to do so as well through the podcast.
“If we do not do that now, those stories will be dust in the wind,” Youngman said.
Podcast guests are the experts, and Youngman says she learns from each one. She has interviewed from tribes she had never heard about and those with small numbers of surviving members.
“I feel a sense of urgency to record everyone’s stories, but even more so for those tribes whose members are so few,” said Youngman. “For my guests who feel comfortable sharing, I am all about helping them capture these important pieces of history for future generations. For many years, and rightfully so, our ancestors were told to hide their stories and not engage in their culture. I find that some elders are still in that mindset. Again, I understand why. To talk to outsiders meant they could be physically harmed or even killed. But now is the time to say no to burying who we are. Storytelling is who we are, it is what we are. And it brings us all together.”
She hopes through the podcast, people will want to share stories and dig deep into their histories. She said she believes the best stories are those not found in history books.
“Our people were forgotten for so long. I hope they will no longer be forgotten and will be honored by our bringing their stories to light. This isn’t just for family members who have passed,” said Youngman. “There are so many still living today who have amazing stories and have accomplished so much – business owners, leaders, artists, volunteers, grandparents and more. Everyone has a story.”
Youngman’s future goals are to develop a storytelling curriculum for schools and homeschoolers, continue supporting MMIW efforts, and support Native artists and businesses. She also wants to compile the stories from the podcast into a book.
“I feel I owe the women who came before me and paved what was probably a challenging path to work hard and succeed. At the same time, it is humbling, because with success comes responsibility,” she said. “I believe our female Choctaw ancestors worked incredibly hard. I have to believe that work ethic is in each and every one of us Choctaw women today, and I hope we are all tapping into that. I cannot help but think our ancestors must be cheering us on.”
You can listen to Native ChocTalk on their website, YouTube channel or most social platforms.
