Save The Chief
The Case for Protecting and Reopening The Chief Theater
Background:
The Chief Theater, located in downtown Red Wing, opened on January 21st, 1939. It was one of three downtown movie theaters and operated continuously until 1994. Since then, it has served various purposes, including as a bingo hall, a senior center, and several bars. The theater is currently empty and has been for sale for over a year. The last business, a bar, was a source of crime and closed when the operators failed to obtain liability insurance.
Current Condition:
Despite its varied history, the interior of The Chief Theater is in terrific shape. The main floor has been leveled with poured concrete, the restrooms have been updated, and the roof and mechanicals are brand new. There is also a full kitchen line with a walk-in cooler and two pizza ovens. The original screen remains in place, although the projection room and equipment are gone. The core of the screening room still exists, albeit without seats.
Arguments for Preservation:
Nostalgic and Historic Value: The Chief Theater holds nostalgic and historic significance for the Red Wing community. Preserving it would honor the town's cultural heritage.
Economic Development: A stronger argument lies in the potential for economic development. A well-managed downtown theater can revitalize and re-energize the community. Successful examples include The Normal Theater in Normal, IL, and the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. These theaters have spurred community investment, attracting restaurants, coffee shops, retail, housing, and hotels due to the thriving foot traffic and sense of community they create.
Effective Management: Many theaters fail due to poor management. However, successful theaters thrive by maximizing the use of their screens. For instance, The Riverview can show up to four different movies on a given weekend day, catering to diverse audiences—from young families in the mornings to retired folk in the early afternoons, couples in the early evening, and midnight cult favorites. Additionally, these theaters host film festivals, large group meetings, and even church services.
Conclusion:
Revitalizing The Chief Theater can attract commerce, culture, young families, and retirees, providing a unique advantage for downtown Red Wing. It presents a terrific opportunity to save something that other communities have lost and now regret. Red Wing government agencies often talk about smart, long-term investments; they only need to look at 325 Bush Street.
The fine art of fine art printing
The Art and Science of Fine Art Printing
Fine art printing is one of my favorite aspects of this business.
Printing is a nuanced science. By this, I mean that while printing can be defined in technical terms, it is the final perception by the viewer that defines the print's impact.
But it isn't rocket science, and it isn't brain surgery.
The first thing a fine art print shop needs to accomplish is having all of the devices interpret color the same way. This is achieved through closed loop calibration, which normalizes the environment. Outside the loop, colors might shift unless the device outside the loop is given the same calibration specifications. Color calibration requires regular re-calibration due to temperature and humidity changes.
That solves the issue of repeatability. The next step is accuracy.
Accuracy requires understanding the personality of the devices and the media. Every media has unique characteristics. We create about 1,200 color patches for each media we use. These patches are read back into the computer with a photospectrometer (a device that reads color) and a compensation file is created based on the expected versus the actual color values. This color profile is used by the printer to compensate for any color shifts.
However, there is an infinite number of color frequencies between each of the 1,200 patches, and this is where the media personalities come into play. Does the media like blue frequencies? How well does it contrast? How bright is the base material? Stuff like that.
Fine art printing can be somewhat iterative, but it isn't 'black magic'. I smile every time I hear a printer try to make the process sound so mysterious.
So anyway, lots of variables, and each project is unique.
Good times, and Save the Chief.
Catching Up: The Move, Hometime, and Other Business Updates
Catching Up: The Move, Hometime, and New Beginnings
This will be a humble attempt to get you up to speed in one entry.
The Move: It deserves capital letters to convey its impact. I have a habit of thinking that if I live long enough (say, 200 years), I'll find a use for nearly everything. Consequently, I don't throw much out. This isn't an issue if you have the space to stash all your stuff, but when moving into a space that requires storage discipline, life can get, well, stressful.
The bottom line is that we have moved, and the new space is awesome (photos coming soon). I think my thumbs are only sprained, not broken. I'm still renting half of my old space (saw room, portrait studio, and more stored items), which is my way of not throwing things out.
The photo above was taken last Sunday from Barn Bluff. It gives you an idea of where we are located among the other buildings in Red Wing. The people waving in the inset (squint hard) are my wife and my older brother (who is celebrating his birthday today).
Hometime Summary: 'Amazing' seems like an appropriate adjective.
The Hometime show was originally broadcast a month ago and is typically shown at different PBS affiliates across the US every Saturday or Sunday, moving from East Coast to West Coast. I think some of the major markets in California will broadcast it this weekend.
We've made a lot of new friends from all over the country, and the added business has been very nice. I feel very fortunate to have had this level of visibility, and there are several interesting opportunities and partnerships that have emerged from the Hometime project. I should have something more concrete to share soon. Good stuff.
I want to thank Dean Johnson and his entire crew for thinking of us.
Other Business-Related Updates: We are fully operational in the new location. We're still straddling two locations, so that requires a bit more forethought and planning. The new neighborhood is fantastic—much more jogger and baby-buggy friendly. The intention is to use the outside of the building itself as a gallery. This will make more sense when we do it, rather than trying to explain it.
And finally: A video study group is forming in Red Wing, with the eventual goal of showcasing independent video projects. The AV Club of Red Wing. Every member will be required to have white tape on the bridge of their glasses. Email me if you need more information. In the meantime, "Save the Chief."
Red Wing Photography Club Exhibition of Photographs
Red Wing Photography Club Exhibition
On April 18th, 2009, at the Goodhue County History Center (1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN), the Red Wing Photography Club will present an Exhibition of Photographs.
Ardent readers will remember that this club was formed about this time last year. This is the first time the club has formally exhibited members’ photographs. Assuming there isn't a repeat of the Rolling Stones incident in Altamont, CA, it's likely this group will exhibit again.
The rules were pretty simple: no more than three pieces and nothing larger than 16"x20". And like most good photographers, the rules were almost immediately broken.
This exhibit is non-juried, non-themed, non-competitive, and not-for-sale. The objective is for members to share their favorite images, and for many members to exhibit for the first time.
A public reception will be held on April 18th at 2 pm at the History Center.
I did the poster layout, which is absolutely derivative of a WPA poster from the 1930s (read: rip-off).
You're welcome, and thank you.
April 1st victim
Wow. Hook, line, and sinker. You got me good. Might as well stuff me, mount me on the wall, put an apple in my mouth, and serve me at a picnic.
So, if a friend of yours told you that he was just awarded an NSF grant (despite not being qualified) to document glow-in-the-dark Antarctic rabbits from a 1980s Russian nuclear accident, would you believe him?
I did. But it was a very convincing set-up.
And then I noticed the calendar.
Blog from the Baghdad Bureau
Photojournalism Exhibit by Max Becherer
In September 2005, we hosted a photojournalism exhibit by Max Becherer. Max was an embedded photographer during the initial 'Shock and Awe' invasion of Iraq in 2003 and has traveled back and forth between Iraq and Afghanistan several times, often for months at a time. Max's exhibit presented various storylines depicting what life is like for Iraqis in the post-Saddam era. The objective was to offer an honest portrayal; it is what it is.
The exhibit was very moving, and I am proud to have Max as a friend. Max is a giant of a man with an uncanny eye for capturing the emotion within an image. His work includes some pretty horrific combat photography, requiring a special skill set to be both sensitive to the subject matter and still tell the story.
Max has shared some very emotional reflections on the past five years in Iraq. His piece was published in The New York Times on March 18, 2008. You can read it here. After that, visit his website at www.MaxBecherer.com.
To Max: Keep your head low and travel safely.