Around the Hat Postcards: Series 1

Earlier this month I announced that I was making custom postcards of 40 images from my Around the Hat photo series.  Well, the wait is over.  They're here, they look amazing, and I'm incredibly excited to finally share them.  It's been about a week now that I've had the postcard shop open for preview, and thanks to pre-orders, several of the designs are already nearly out of stock with only a single card of some prints left.

You can make selections and order here.

It's exciting to share some of my work this way.  Not only have I had a fascination with vintage postcards from Medicine Hat, but creating my own has made me realize that I'm capturing a piece of history too.  Photographing these locations was never about tourism for me, but about showcasing the evolution of the place I grew up in and discovering some of the history behind it.  

This photo series isn't merely a collection of beautiful images, it's a document of some lesser known treasures, some fading histories, and some distinctly iconic places in Medicine Hat.  To my knowledge, there has been no other series more deliberate or thorough in documenting Medicine Hat's historic landmarks, and it's probably why interest has grown so rapidly.  Frankly, this experience wouldn't be anywhere near as incredible if I weren't able to share it.

This first series of postcards is a test run really, and it will determine whether further postcards are ordered down the road.  Don't get me wrong, they're fun to produce, but at this level they certainly aren't lucrative and are more about promoting the project.  One thing is for certain though, it's likely that when (and if) a second series of postcards are made, they will feature different images, making these cards a bit rarer in the grand scheme of things.  I keep telling myself how cool it would be to stumble onto one of my own postcards 50 years from now and be reminded of how this all started.

Ultimately, I just want to say thank you to those of you who have chosen to buy a postcard or two.  The action is not only very humbling, but it's genuine encouragement for me to continue producing these original photo sets and features of some truly amazing (and highly underrated) places.  Around the Hat has been shot and edited entirely on my own time, and money raised from this undertaking simply helps to justify further creative ambitions - like my desire to publish a photo book.

The archival and heritage value of what I feel I've been building is incredibly rare for Medicine Hat, and at the end of the day, this is just one step forward in discovering the potential that this project really has.  Have a look at the collection and get in touch.

Hutchinson Block in Medicine Hat

Likely best known as the former location of Hutchings and Sharp, the Hutchinson Block in downtown Medicine Hat was constructed in 1911.  Thomas Hutchinson was an influential businessman in Medicine Hat's early years, and was actually the town's mayor in the 1890s.  As a skilled harness maker, he operated his shop on the ground floor of this building throughout the 1910s.

H.R. Hutchings took over the building in 1934, and by 1950 it was known as Hutchings and Sharp Clothing Limited.  The business remained in operation for decades, becoming the essential western clothing shop in Medicine Hat.  Whether it was the declining relevance of downtown or the thinning cowboy population, the business has been closed for years now.  The branding still remains on the outside of the building however, and I even spotted a vintage Wrangler poster through one of the windows.

Not too long ago the neighbouring building was demolished.  I noticed this back in early 2012 when I went to get a new picture of the rooftops that I had been using as a backdrop for my production logo.  I wrote about that here.  The empty space has since become a bit of a park in progress, with cool graffiti work and a few planters going in.  

I'm inclined to believe that the Hutchinson Block isn't in great shape, since it was looking pretty rough even when it was open.  I'm hopeful that there's still a future for this cool old brick building, and that it doesn't meet the same fate as so many of the other historic buildings downtown.  I suppose only time will tell.

Hutchings and Sharp ca. 1963

Store front windows ca. 1980s

Store front ca. 1980s

Ghosting image of my modern shot merged with an archival one.

Toy Story (1995)

What is it about Pixar? Is it the characters, the look, the stories? Obviously, it's a combination of all of these things.  Pixar Animation is what the film industry could use more of, and that's exactly what I was thinking ever since I was a kid and first saw, Toy Story (1995) directed by John Lasseter.

It's still amazing to me to think about how computer animation sprung up into the mainstream, created a new visual form of storytelling, and revolutionized the landscape of modern cinema just during my own childhood.  It was clear from that first feature length computer animated film about toys that came to life, that Pixar was on to something that was going to change everything. 

I've got to be honest though, technological innovation aside, at 11 what made the movie resonate was the brilliant cast of toys and how they were personified and crafted into a completely original and imaginative world.  We all used to bring our toys to life when playing with them, and the concept wasn't merely captivating, it was entirely relatable to the kid in all of us.  It's why I still love the movie as an adult, and probably why I appreciate it even more now that I understand the work that's gone into making it.  

It's unbelievably rare for a studio to release success after success as is the case with Pixar.  If it can be attributed to anything, it's that they actually take the time to polish and refine their concepts. Stylistically they continue to push the envelope and tell creative stories full of adventure and heart, which makes it tough to pick a favourite among the bunch.  From toys to cars to monsters and fish, it's like they've found a way to tap into all of these brilliantly thematic worlds and add their own flavors.



I love that Toy Story demonstrates how a movie can appeal to all ages without sacrificing emotional investment.  That originality isn't simply about being different, it's about breathing new life into basic concepts, like friendship and love, when they've become so familiar and exhausted by the same story lines. Pixar seems to understand that a little bit of heart and style can go a long way. 

Pixar has really mastered the art of creating endearing and honest characters.  Buzz and Woody are no doubt at the top of that list, and their rivalry and eventual friendship is born out of a genuine conflict and very real emotions.  The desire to feel wanted and dealing with jealousy have rarely been addressed so powerfully in such an innocent way.

Quite simply, I could watch this movie a hundred more times without getting bored.  I felt bonded to Pixar at an early age, and the quality of their work has maintained my interest all of these years later.  With nods to my childhood and concepts that spark my imagination, films like Toy Story aren't merely for kids, they're genuine classics.