Turtle Toaster poster. From my upcoming exhibit “A loaf of bread, a flask of wine, a book of verse -and thou.”

Converting my Classic Broncolor into a Funky Floor Lamp.

After removing the guts of the strobe and properly disposing of the battery cells (contact your local recycling centre on how to safely dispose of them) I reassembled the chassis. Two screws, a few yards of copper wire and 3 circuit boards that look like something from a sci-fi movie were the only things left over.

I then removed a standard light mount from a pot light I bought at the hardware store. With a pair of tin snips was able to expand the original mount that held the flash tube and mount the new light socket in it’s place. I then fed a power cord with switch through the back plate where the original power cord was fed and attached it to the light socket with a pair of marrets. It all remains nicely hidden inside the chassis.

Besides the aesthetics of it (it really does look like a rocket booster) this is one of the most functional and versatile lamps you could ask for. I can place a variety of reflectors, umbrellas, grids, softboxes onto the mount to create an endless variety of lighting scenarios in the living room.

Now I just need to break the habit of flipping the original model light toggle switch on the back when attempting to turn it on and off.

Converting my Classic Broncolor into a Funky Floor Lamp.

My first strobe kit was a used set of Broncolor monoheads from the 1970’s. About 12 years ago two of the three crapped out and the repairman I sent them to scavenged one for parts. It rendered one of them useless but I couldn’t bring myself to toss it in the trash. I always felt the ubiquitous “Broncolor Turquoise”, the aluminum construction and beautiful proportions had potential to make for a cool piece of furniture. It looks like a rocket booster!

I’ve been told that the batteries can hold a charge for up to 6 years. The thought of them discharging 800 watt/seconds of power in my face frightened me but after sitting idle in my mom’s basement for over ten years I decided it was likely safe to set about converting the unit into a floor lamp.

I unscrewed the rear ring plate. It’s pretty damn sinister looking inside. Do I cut the red wire first or the blue one? I started snipping one wire at a time and removing circuit boards. More screws more wires, more circuit boards. I felt like I was diffusing a bomb. *Do not try this at home.

A Hallowe’eny image. Apologue -The bat and the Bees.

“Tiki Tableau.” Made the image into a faded 1960’s style postcard. This was a fun shoot. Every Tuesday resident tiki expert Donnie “Bahama” converts Clough Club in Vancouver’s Gastown into a classic tiki lounge. It’s a hell of a fun time.

“Tiki Tableau.” This was a fun shoot. Every Tuesday resident tiki expert Donnie “Bahama” converts Clough Club in Vancouver’s Gastown into a classic tiki lounge. It’s a hell of a fun time.

(Above: Dennis “The Steamroller” Brock)

This wasn’t just any gym. It was a safe haven for at-risk youth. Over the years Coach Dave became a mentor to many of these kids. He doesn’t just train them, he advocates for them. He checks their report cards, he talks to their parents, teaches them self-respect and champions them both inside and outside the ring. He will tell you that he’s less interested in nurturing the next boxing prodigy and more interested in creating responsible young men and women who will go on to contribute to their community.

(Above: Chris “The Coffee Grinder” Giannakos)

Nick set up a charity called Aprons For Gloves to raise funds to build a new gym. www.apronsforgloves.com and was producing a charity boxing match called The Restaurant Rumble. The gorgeous documentary series by Warren Lane Productions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WYFs5HkD80&feature=relmfu explains it better than I ever could.

(Above: Hamish “The Brew Monster” MacCrae)

When I was a kid my dad used to take me and my siblings to the Downtown Eastside every Saturday. We would buy meat from Save-On Meats and Freybe’s and deliver it to The Franciscan Sisters of Atonement. A convent that prepared meals for the homeless in the neighbourhood.

I grew up middle class in the suburbs but my dad’s family came from a modest home. He and my mom took care to remind us how fortunate we were. Instead of sheltering us from the often harsh realities of life the DTES they challenged us to confront them. He became a community organizer and us kids grew up surrounded by activists like Jim Green and Harry Rankin. I grew up having an affinity for the DTES. It was where we went to community and cultural events, shopped and dined. And it would be a few blocks south where I opened my studio in 2000.

(Above: Stuart “The Ginger Ninja” Whyte)

As Nick described the project I began to wonder if I had anything to offer. There are many ways to help people on the DTES. Twelve weeks of getting punched in the face was one I couldn’t have imagined. The fact that these men and women had volunteered to raise money and were willing to put their bodies on the line was a story I wanted to lend a hand in telling.