The Cotton Factory By: Gord Barker

      "I see the work of gifted hands that grace this strange and wonderous land."  - Rush, 2112

 

     I can remember my mother once commenting that one of the main drawbacks to rail travel is that, in addition to passenger service, railways also serve industries. As such, quite often one's first impression of a city is it's less than idyllic industrial side. Since that time, when traveling through a city's industrial area I've often wondered if some of the abandoned factories and warehouses could be repurposed for different uses. Enter (quite literally) Hamilton's "The Cotton Factory".

    The Cotton Factory is a collection of creative spaces that is housed in an old, (turn of the last century) cotton mill. It is a collection of art studios, galleries, workshops, music, dance, and photo studios. It is an amazing creative community of artists and craftspeople. I had visited the place about a year ago with my significant other and was determined to write a blog post about it. We went again this year. Both visits were during Hamilton Doors Open.   https://www.doorsopenontario.on.ca/hamilton-1/cotton-factory

    The building itself is a photographer's paradise. It is built in the old style wherein the primary source of light was daylight through large windows. That window light combined with the preservation of its old school architectural detail, makes it a great place to make photographs. (Or create almost anything!)

     I was admiring a display of paintings that featured the juxtaposition of interesting things within the hallways and architectural detail of the building itself. In an alcove that led to a stairway, I came across the scene below; 

    

    There was a  lady with a cup of take out coffee seated on the piano bench. I asked if she was the artist who had created the painting and she said yes. I asked if I could take a picture of her which included the painting. She agreed and I took a few frames . Her name is Najmeh Baghishani and up until recently she was the artist in residence at the Cotton Factory.

https://www.najmehb.com/ We had a nice chat about the juxtaposition of things from one's past as subjects in  contemporary scenes.  I couldn't believe my luck in getting to meet the artist who created the work in the very scene depicted in the painting. After that, "juxtaposition" became the word of the day! 

    As we wandered through the complex we found ourselves in an outbuilding called the Mill Arts Building which houses the Mule Spinner, a venue for live music and recording. 

https://www.themulespinner.ca/

     They were just setting up to do a live video recording session when I managed to get this shot of the guitarist from Brown-Hawkins-Stanley warming up and doing a sound check.

 

    

      My last post to this blog was a bit negative. Fundamentally it was about my leaving a photographic group that I had founded about seven years ago. I was feeling a little lost in regard to my own creative journey.    https://refractivereasoning.blogspot.com/2026/03/wanting-better-bygord-barker.html  

    Perhaps a trip to the Cotton Factory was just what was needed. I wanted a chance to talk with artists who put their creative sensibilities out there. At Doors Open, The Cotton Factory, I met and chatted  with artists and craftspeople from many disciplines. From woodworkers, painters and printmakers to sculptors, weavers, pottery and ceramic makers, musicians,  photographers and videographers. 

    The discussions were erudite and informative regarding whatever field with which they were involved. There was a passion and sense of commitment to their creativity. It really provided me with the motivation I needed to keep on cranking out my own stuff. 

I'm gonna keep on keepin' on!

                                        ...more later

        

Wanting Better by:Gord Barker

    

     Perhaps the most interesting aspect of my photographic journey is that I'm never completely sure of how things will turn out. I founded the Paris Photo Collective in 2019.  About a month ago, I walked away from it. 

       I don't feel any direct animosity towards the members of the group. I have always maintained that the group's direction and reason for existence should always be dictated by the group itself. Perhaps I've been wrong in that approach. Although I  offered up the position of administrator of the group on a regular basis, no one else seemed to want to take it on. So without a clear direction for the group to follow, it has stagnated. It really has become nothing more than a social club with a lackluster bi-weekly photo contest.

    Can we get past the smug sophomoric approach to photography which dictates that "I like my pictures and that's all that matters." I think that it's the second part of that statement that irritates the most. I mean, if you don't care how your images are perceived by others, why are you part of a photo group? 

  Perhaps even more irritating is the statement "I don't look at other people's pictures." Why? Are you afraid you might learn something? The acknowledgement of others' work as significant does not diminish the potential for one's own work to be considered valid or even great.

    Furthermore, whenever I have proposed any educational aspect to the meetings, perhaps bringing in a guest speaker or when I have offered to teach a little about basic camera controls, the ideas have been met with vehement opposition. It would appear that I headed up a group that had no interest in expanding their skills or knowledge base.

   I want to talk with photographers who want to expand their potential within this medium. I truly want to see their vision. I have been making photographs for over 57 years and I still want to learn more about the craft. Someday I hope to get good at it! 

    If I am to be a member of a photographic group, I want it to be a group that wants better!  That's all.

         ...more later

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First Blog Of 2026 By; Gord Barker

     Wow! We're almost at the end of January already. (It's January 29th as I'm writing this.) Earlier this year, I decided to return to my old schedule of publishing a blog post on the last Saturday of every month. The vacation from publishing at least once a month has been nice, but I really need to return to some form of creative discipline. It really is about getting the work, (photographic or written copy) out there. 

     

    The truth is that I'm the world's worst procrastinator. Without a hard deadline, self imposed or otherwise, I really don't get much done. That being said, here's the first blog post of the year, created during one of the coldest, snowiest winters we've had for a long time.

 

    It can be hard to make photographs outdoors in harsh winter conditions. If I'm not moving, I'm freezing and photography often involves waiting for just the right conditions,

lighting, action etc. to make a decent shot. Generally, you need bare hands to operate a camera. The thinnest of gloves will help, but still do not always successfully allow working camera controls.

 

    Winter can also be a terrible time to be the proud owner of a pro grade metal bodied camera. Metal at -25 degrees C. is no fun to handle and don't even think of working with analuminum tripod! Batteries, the elemental power source for all digital cameras, are not nearly as efficient at sub zero temperatures. I always have spares  and try to carry them in an inside coat pocket. 

    But, it can be fun to do cold weather street photography. People generally are not expecting to see someone out making photographs when the weather is chilly. 

  

     Then again, maybe this guy has the right idea. Just stay inside and play a good game of chess!

                                        ...more later