Silver Tongued

Silver Tongued is a tribute to the writer and poet Al Purdy. Beginning on May 23rd, Paul Elter will be the writer/photographer in residence at the Al Purdy A-frame in Ameliasburgh. As part of his one month stay in PEC, he has committed to creating a one-time photo book, gathering peoples’ stories, experiences and fictions from the PEC area, including any and all tall-tales, or interesting side notes you might have had with the poet, Al Purdy himself.

Paul will be using one of his favorite mediums for visual poetry, a process called Wetplate Collodion Photography. He makes photographic images individually, hand-poured and on the spot every time, with real silver, directly onto glass or metal, exactly as they did 170 years ago when this process was invented. It is a fascinating experience for anyone to see and participate in – part of the charm and very special character of the final image.

In conjunction with this project, Paul wants to meet with local folk and record their voices telling an important story. In exchange, together you will create a portrait, using this process – stories in exchange for a portrait, a copy of which each participant will receive. The land around Prince Edward County as it is called now, has a long storied history, as both a gathering/hunting/fishing place and a place between large centers of commerce and trade, a resting place, not a capitol but an in-between, a healing ground.

The project’s main idea revolves around storytelling and how it has a potential for truth, wisdom and healing – healing being the unifying theme. It is because of the hand-poured nature of the process that the serendipity of time, location and season affect their influences directly upon each and every plate, and consequently each and every sitter. DNA of the location and environment get trapped into the emulsion and are forever locked within the image until the end of time.

Paul has partnered with the County Museums and Library branches to set up all day in various locations to meet people, gather stories and make images, embedding them in collodion and silver – see the dates below for when he will be in your community. In order to have your image made and included in the book, you must provide 3 things:

1. Your name.
2. A short story. It could be a personal recollection, a truth, a fiction, a combination of the two or perhaps a little-known history of the location we are currently in.
3. Sign a model release.

Please direct any questions to Paul at paul@elter.ca or visit his website to read his blog or see examples of his work.

MUSEUMS
Ameliasburgh – May 25th-27th
Macauley – June 2nd & 3rd
Wellington – June 8th
Rose House – June 9th & 10th
Mariners – June 24th & 27th

LIBRARIES
Ameliasburgh – Every Wednesday May 31st to June 21st
Picton – June 1st
Wellington – June 8th
Bloomfield – June 15th
Consecon – June 16th
Milford – June 17th