Half-Frame Photography, Phantom Studio Spaces, Returning to eBay, and 100 Music Tracks on DISCO

Dipping a Toe Into the Deep Dive

Aug 25, 2024

Mark Rushton’s Perseverance in the Arts is a weekly email on Substack where I talk about my ongoing work as a recording artist and visual artist.

This week’s topics:

Trying Out Half-Frame Photography
I’m Never Going to Find a Studio Space Outside My Home
eBay is Like That Ex-Wife You Remarry
100 Tracks of Film Music By Me That You Can Stream For Free

Trying Out Half-Frame Photography

I didn't know about 35mm "half-frame cameras" until Thursday, August 22nd, when I saw a Note on Substack about it (I can’t find the Note, but this post has examples). Half-frame photography was a thing in the 1960s, especially in Japan. Kodak sells a new, plastic, retro-styled half-frame for $40, but I can get a vintage metal Olympus Pen on eBay for not much more.

When I was in art school, photography class was the most unenjoyable for me. Just not my thing. That was back when you had to develop your own film. A few years ago I had a DSLR, but sold it because I hated it so much. So many menus. Too many options.

But I like taking pictures, so maybe I just need something simpler. You certainly can't rely on these terrible phone cameras to work. I touch the button and nothing happens. Then a few seconds later it goes 'click' loudly and takes a blurry photo of the carpet. I don't have a delay set, and the menu says the click should be silent. Why doesn't it behave? Because tech sucks…

It might be fun to go back to simple film photography, and then impose an additional restraint like "half-frame". I'll have to get the film processed. Who develops film these days? There's a place fairly close to my mom's. That'll work.

I ordered an Olympus Pen half-frame 35mm camera from eBay. I wasn't going to buy the new Kodak-branded plastic crap from China. I wanted something metal, Made In Japan, and slightly older than me. It'll arrive eventually. In the mail.

I’m Never Going to Find a Studio Space Outside My Home

Last weekend, I was driving through a part of the Des Moines metro area where I wouldn’t mind having a studio space outside of my home, and noticed this empty space. It’s about the perfect size for me, 450 sq ft or so. It could be an office or a storefront. It’s on the ground floor, next to a road with free parking, but not the main drag. It really checks off all the boxes.

The location didn’t have a “for rent” sign in the window, so that’s the first Red Flag. The county’s property search web site was down for maintenance, so I couldn’t look up the owner. Next door was an office, so I found their web site and sent an email asking if they knew if it was available or who the building owner is. Never got a reply.

About Tuesday or so, I contacted an organization that promotes the area. I have previously spoken with a guy at the organization about my interest in renting a space in the area, and told me that he knew who owned the building and he gave me the woman’s name and email. I sent an email asking if it was available. Never got a reply.

I’m not going to follow up. There’s no point. I’ll just keep looking. I’ve been at this a few years.

eBay is Like That Ex-Wife You Remarry

I’ve been selling and buying on eBay since 1998.

We’ve had our ups and downs, but for the past few years it’s been pretty good.

There was a long stretch where eBay seemed like it wanted to be something else. It was neglecting the things that made it great. But that seems to be in the past for some time now. Listing is easy and fun. While I haven’t shipped anything outside the US, their International Shipping program looks excellent. Printing postage labels is easy. I generally stick with USPS Ground or Priority Mail.

Before I joined Art Storefronts to host the Mark Rushton Gallery, I used eBay for a short period as my display gallery and store for original art. This was after I had tried Squarespace, Wordpress, and self-hosting - like most other visual artists.

My Art Storefronts contract ends in October 2024 and I’m leaning towards not renewing it. I’ve enjoyed my time with ASF. Their marketing lessons are excellent, but I’m not willing to play the social media game their way. And I didn’t want to use their preferred email provider, Mailchump. I vastly prefer Substack.

I could keep going with ASF for $50 a month, but I can keep going on eBay for free. And I’ve been dabbling with merch through Amazon and that’s been OK for now - and that’s free, too.

It’s not about cutting costs. Their merch and metal print partners have produced some excellent products for me, but I’m doubtful about my own artistic direction and how it fits with ASF. I guess I have a couple of months to think about it.

100 Tracks of Film Music By Me That You Can Stream For Free

DISCO is a web site I use to upload some of my music to pitch it to other professionals who work in the world of film, TV, and advertising.

I can make links “available for streaming” to everybody, and so here’s a link to one of my “channels” on DISCO containing several albums that total 100 tracks as of August 25, 2024. Hopefully that link works. The number of tracks on this channel will go up in the future.

A small amount of this music is currently available on the streamers, but most of it is exclusive to DISCO and is meant for a different audience. Because you’re reading this on Substack, I’m providing a free link.

What kind of music is this? Processed electronics, drone, tabla, tanapura, kalimba, and lap steel guitar. Music for film scenes.

Enjoy the deep dive into what I make. Wear good headphones. I like Grados.