Collaboration, Creativity and KIN Fables

March 18, 2014March 18, 2014 | drawandshoot

Fog spirit, © Seb McKinnon with original photography by Karen McRae

I’m quite excited to present some amazing work by Montreal artist Seb McKinnon, starting with the little collaboration above. To create this image Seb worked by shape-shifting three of my photographs together until he conjured up an ethereal fog spirit in the landscape.

When I asked him to describe his creative process these are a few of the words he sent me, “As an illustrator, I’ve developed a personal technique that relies heavily on creating chaos in order to find my subject. In other words, I mess up the canvas in a very subconscious way with digital tools, a very intuitive process, quick actions, quick responses…”

I think this technique is illustrated very nicely when one travels through the collection of artwork on Seb’s blog, which I have had the pleasure of following for the past few years.

Back to the little fog spirit. It is part of much bigger story; Seb is no ordinary illustrator.

KIN Mask Concepts © Seb McKinnon

He, and his brother, filmmaker Ben McKinnon, have been working together on a gorgeous trilogy of short films called KIN Fables which bring together Seb’s extraordinary artistic vision, Ben’s outstanding cinematography, and a myriad of other talented collaborators. Even the haunting music score (Clann) that runs through the eight minute film was composed by Seb.

I hope you take a few minutes to experience the magic of the first film, KIN, which has already won some cinematography awards and was recently featured as a Vimeo staff pick. You won’t be disappointed!

To help support the making of the next two films, Salvage and Requiem, the McKinnon brothers have a Kickstarter campaign on the go until the end of March. You can visit their Kickstarter page here to learn more about the trilogy, and to see some of Seb’s inspired artwork made just for KIN Fables and contributors to the project.

I’m honoured, too, to have been invited to collaborate artistically! I’ll be making some photographs to support the multimedia aspect of the project, which, along with photography, includes a graphic novel, a full length music album, and paintings and illustrations.

You can watch the Kickstarter video below to find out more about this inspiring project, and you’ll “meet” the McKinnon brothers too! This where the power of community and collaboration come together and make things happen.

Places to go ~

Website: www.kinfables.com
Kickstarter: KIN Fables Kickstarter
Production: Five Knights Production
Facebook: KIN Fables

Kin Fables in the Media ~

The Concordion: KIN fables: ‘a musical, visual journey into fable’
The Main (Montreal): KIN, A Journey into Modern Fable

Knight & Girl © Seb McKinnon

Reticulation

March 11, 2014October 31, 2014 | drawandshoot

[A multi-layered double exposure]

Trichoto(me)

March 7, 2014 | drawandshoot

The little foot paths in our minds, firm and grooved from gentle barefoot pacing.

[An in-camera triple exposure layered with another photograph]
© Karen McRae, 2014

Ragged February Flowers

February 26, 2014February 26, 2014 | drawandshoot

After a bit of warmer weather a few days ago, I noticed some of the tiny seed heads from last year had managed to make their way up through the snow for some air. I think it will be a while before any more of them show their ragged little heads; we are back to winter and that snow is still thick over the earth. I like seeing how they change over the seasons so I took a few photographs this morning as we shivered together in the wind. Happily, they are still filled with little seeds of hope.

Somewhere Along the Way

January 17, 2014 | drawandshoot

[Another series of photographs made while traveling in a moving car, although, I confess those birds flew into the first photograph during processing. There are other examples of this technique here and here]

Winter Garden

January 11, 2014 | drawandshoot

More of that surprising window frost that is etched onto glass during those coldest of winter days. It amazes me that the seeds of this garden are just the tiniest drops of water.

Gold & Silver

December 13, 2013December 13, 2013 | drawandshoot

Mussel shells just under the surface and golden light on ice

A chickadee in flight and leaves in the creek

It’s quite cold here now. Yesterday I bundled up and spent several hours outside. The birds were very busy foraging for food and the chickadees were especially friendly. They would land on my shoulder or hand, unexpectedly, expectantly. A gentle whirring sound of wings in my ears. And the most tender questioning “peep peep” from a nuthatch that flitted close by, wondering too, if I had little seeds in my pockets. I did.

As it becomes very cold the landscape transforms in strange and wonderful ways. The ice forming at river’s edge is bordering on Seussian but I haven’t yet found a way to make good photographs. Photographs that show the magic of it. Part of the fun is trying to figure that out, I suppose. Anyway, if you are looking for gold and silver, it’s not far away. You just might have to dress warm.

Water reflections and starlings in flight ~ there seems to be a flock of them hanging around for the winter