Over laying footage is so satisfying, inverting and pairing images can lead you to visual places that are familiar and obscure. This footage was shot at the end of winter, and these white snow covered spaces bring me back into the season. I looped audio of a poem about winter into the clip and I think it pairs so well.
Category: Film
Downtown Winnipeg on an overcast spring day, watching a friend bike home through streets of the Exchange District. The city felt alive and I was thankful I could catch this little moment from the fire escape of my studio building.
Already into April and we are in the middle of a spring snow fall. Sidewalks and streets are now covered in a blanket of white, the chill of winter has settled back in.
I’ve been working with some footage, inverting and layering images from my last shoot in my hometown. It reminds me of all the love I have for that space, but on another level represents my complicated relationship with my rural upbringing. Hometown images that are familiar against the flat white background of winter, are now inverted and layered together to create a landscape that feels detached and disorientating.
It’s a great thing to collaborate and find a creative flow with another artist, and that’s exactly what happened when I worked with Kami Goertz. I spent the afternoon with her and found a window into her unique approach to textile art and recorded her creative process. So thankful when something like this clicks. Her creations are unique and all kinds of adorable. We had fun, we made art together and now we have a short little doc from this creative afternoon (and it’s below for you to see)
Took my bike and camera and went for a ride the other day. The afternoon was blustery, overcast and kind of perfect. The city looked beautiful. Ended up on the Arlington Bridge, a classic design with a beautiful view of the downtown. Snapped some pics and video and really love the results.
Working with my partner Bren, I was able to observe and record his process in the kitchen as he made sourdough bread! Honestly what a treat, and a fun time together. Collaborating and being creative together is always better when it’s with someone you love.
Last week I collaborated with local maker Kami Goertz, an incredible textile artist whose work is so unique and detailed. I took some time on a sunny afternoon, filmed her creative process and I’m really happy with how it turned out. Here are some screenshots from that shoot! I’ll post the completed piece once I finish the final edit.
Living in Manitoba means living with winter on the prairies; cold, endless and always so beautiful. I grew up in rural Manitoba and I’ve always loved the cleansing palette of a harsh winter day. The clearer the sky the more brutal the temperatures seem to be, and I kind of love it.
I recently picked up a Dji Mini 2 drone and I took it out for a spin on a frigid winter weekend. I collected the footage and started playing with it, overlaying the images to create something that is familiar and kind of out of this world. Sometimes that’s how it feels here in Manitoba, like a cold distant planet and I’m happy to call this place my home.
(Sidenote I made my first foray into muzak, I created the music and sounds for this and I’m really happy with the results)
I’ve been working with a local gallery, the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art, documenting and recording their current show. The end result, a short document that will be used for online platforms and in a University setting to explore the themes and complexity of the installation.
We are in the final lap, video has been recorded and now we have to finish our audio on December 4th.
The process has been different to navigate with Covid-19. I’m so used to just jumping in, but this has required a whole new style of creative navigation. Here are some screenshots from the final cut. It’s just so nice to look at and gives me all the warm feelings of creative satisfaction.
I’ve been spending some time at the Plug In art gallery, collecting footage and working with the curators of this amazing gallery installation “ Sovereign Intimacies”. Such a beautiful show, the artwork is incredible. Here’s a few snap shots from the other day.
jamesdixon | film 