James Bones Jr. November 1, 1943 — November 17, 2023 [80] . Fort Davis
News is never new in Texas. Knowledge travels slower than gossip, often missing the train. He lived in the ‘tiny texas triangle’ — a southwest artist.
The world, the urban, the built. Jim bones survived in the tiny triangle, but didn’t flourish . Small grants, wives, persistence, kept him alive. He is noticed by the dye transfer, Porter groupies on internet darkroom forums. Flutters of worship words of those who didn’t make it as far as he did. They covet the craft badge, envy the possible life of an artist. Sadly, they failed all three legs of the triangle.
the Tiny Texas Triangle of west texas. Small, contained worlds are the hallmark of rural america. Art in small places popup around small colleges.
He was one of Eliot Porter‘s printers. ” I printed for Eliot Porter in the late 1970s and occasionally he would have me make a black and white print by using the magenta matrix from a full color image to sequentially apply all three dyes to the same piece of paper. They were beautiful and had a depth unavailable with silver emulsions. Sincerely, Jim Bones (2003).”
Bones [JB[ wanted to make photographs like Porter’s. To achieve this, he visited and correspondent with Mr. Porter, seeking advice on most topics of making photographs and a living with photography. In 1967, Porter[1901-1990] was 66, while JB was 24.
Scattered posts:
- https://webionaire.com/2023/01/30/darkroom-note/
- https://webionaire.com/2014/06/22/eliot-porter/
- https://webionaire.com/2015/08/26/dye-transfer-best-worst/
JB printed, 1982, a Russell Lee negative made in 1948. EX: https://www.cartermuseum.org/collection/trucks-loaded-grapefruit-lined-worlds-largest-citrus-juice-canning-plant-weslaco-texas
Film proposal: A Natural Revelation. Film about Eliot Porter and Loren Eiseley.
NB: Oooh is that a dye transfer, for more
How short the memory of online groups… is it because they were never close?
search on the dye transfer group list. No notice of Jim’s death. Not even a grateful student noticed Jim Bones had died. In ’20 a memory of; as of ’25 his passing hasn’t been noticed.
His passing was recently spread by a small IM group by a person in Japan planning a visit. That prompted my checking.
…. so it goes…
;; wives : Ann Matlock ,Ellen Calonkey. Mary Bones
Jim Bones “Finding The Light” Event
Mary Bones, Director of the Museum of the Big Bend, and Ann Matlock are in conversation with Becky Duval Reese, former Director of the El Paso Museum of Art and co-curator of this exhibition. From our special event on March 3rd, 2024.
https://youtu.be/b4H3Pljkar4?si=yUzL923tjTVoLwDL
Jim Bones and Dye Transfer Printing
2016 June 5—16:” “Dye Transfer Printing Process” with Dennis Thompson and Jim Bones. Fees: $350 for one week, with additional $75 lab fee, $525 for two weeks. Alpine.
How much success did he have? The price of living in the shadow of others. His work that is archived was donated.
For example, this: Start Time: 04-01-2017 Time Left: Bidding Closed Value: $495.00 — Even with a grand pitch:
Dye transfer prints are simply without peer. They have a richness, depth, and fidelity unmatched by any other kind of photographic print. They can show extraordinary subtlety of tone and hue, combined with a brightness range of 500:1 from blackest black to whitest white. Nothing else comes close to the magnificence of a dye transfer print.
They all die: David Leigh Rathbun died on April 9, 2020. Jorge Fick (1932–2004)
Success requires skills in two spaces… craft is the easier component.
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