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The Robert Blair Christmas Card Exhibit!
“A Blair House Original Limited Edition Christmas Card Collection: 1993—2014” has been a multi-decade project in the making. It has been 21 years since I first started this Blair House Tradition. At times it seems like a flash of a moment…at others times like a lifetime…life’s great mystery. I remember so clearly coming up with the idea for my own Christmas card after visiting so many card shops in Wellsboro and Corning and not finding one that reflected my vision of Christmas . . . then it hit me. I take some pretty good night photographs of Wellsboro, why not make my own cards…and the Blair House Tradition was begun.
You might think it is easy to have a collection of photos to choose from, but bear in mind, the window of opportunity to capture the Christmas Season with a snow storm properly timed has caused me much stress over the years. Some of the photos selected have been photographed several different times just to get the right one. The hardest one, so far, has to be the Allen Barn . . . A Simple Country Christmas featured in 2003 . . . the 10th Anniversary. I bundled up several nights in the coldest of winter nights for many years from late evening to very early morning through blizzards and bitter cold . . . I shot the barn 10-12 times until that one magical moment on December 9, 2002. When I opened that envelope of freshly developed prints of the captured image, I knew in an instant it was the one.
Each Photograph was taken in the evening, usually late evening or early morning and most of the time it was very cold. They are extended exposure photographs usually around a 10 second exposure taken with my Nikon F3S film camera on my Silk Tripod. Imagine not seeing the results of a shot until the film is developed. Bracketing of shots from 2 to 12 seconds created the idea shot. My first digital photograph was last year’s WBN. This year’s card is also digital. As important as the photograph I select is the research I perform for the description on the back of the card. Over the years Betty Frazier and Scott Gitchell have assisted me.
Over the years so many recipients of this card have told me how much they love the cards. Some have all of them framed . . . A task I have never done myself until now. As you explore my exhibit you are the first persons to view this undertaking. As you can see there were a lot of windows to cut and several photographs and back card descriptions to be mounted. Then there are many with inserts which I have included for each card. In 1993 I sent out 109 cards. Names have been sadly removed due to the passing of some friends and relatives, new ones have gladly been added as I make new friends . . . the total has grown to over 190. It’s hard to be removed from the list and new names are added as my path crosses with another warranted soul. The cards give me a chance to keep contact with friends at least once a year.
So many of you have shared such kind words about the card and as each Christmas Season approaches so many of you try to get out of me what that year’s photo will be. As soon as you open your envelop you know and I guess most of you are pleased.
As with the ending words of each Blair House Original Limited Edition Christmas Card Collection . . .
Merry Christmas from Wellsboro!
PLEASE NOTE: The Photographer’s reception takes place on Sunday, December 7th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts, 104 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901. Please attend and win a Blair House Photograph at the opening.
* To win the $100.00 gift certificate from The Fifth Season in Wellsboro just watch today’s feature, then visit the Blair Exhibit at the Deane Center in Wellsboro and identify the photo that you believe to be Bob’s favorite. Be the first to email the correct photograph title to john@wellsborohomepage.com at WIN! That’s all there is to it. There is no purchase necessary to win. Thanks for joining us today on Wellsboro Home Page.
Credits:
Produced by Vogt Media