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.
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
