More brilliant work from our cultural correspondent in Thailand!
On Earth I Was Briefly Gorgeous
Yes that’s yours truly trying to be, avant-garde, creative, cosmic, or truth be told who knows what?
This is from way back in 1979. My rent was $105 a month. Myself and everybody I knew was on unemployment, and had plenty of time to do stuff like this.
I found that shiny plastic slinky toy thing around my neck at that old thrift store downtown. It was an old brick building that would have crumbled in the 89 quake. It was razed long ago to make way for that rolled up newspaper looking hi-rise at the base of California and market.
My dear friend Rick Maverick, who was a theater queen, cut the designs in my head and helped with my makeup. I must have been about 20 at the time, and wanted to be David Bowie.
New Print Available
My Rose Period
This piece has sparked a series of experiments using bright reds, oranges, and pinks. As opposed to my usual blues, greens, and yellows.
I chose the red backdrop with the gold stars to invoke a superhero aura around our studly subject. Mr. Super Lover to the rescue!
Because I posted it on Instagram, I pasted an easter lily over the most important part of his body. We must keep Instagram family friendly and good clean fun, right? More on that in a bit, read on…
Last year, I made friends on Instagram with an expat pal living in Bangkok. When he saw the posting he recognized our model and ordered a print!
Supermodel Paul Thailand
I’ve worked with Paul many times during my visits to Thailand. His look is exotic partly because he’s bi-racial: Asian-LatinX. More specifically half Thai and half Puerto-Rican, two of the most beautiful peoples on earth, IMHO. He’s got an amazing life story. A pleasure to work with, I’m grateful he’s such a good sport and down for whatever crazy concepts I come up with.
Artwork Specifics
This edition is a digital remastering of a selfie sent by the model himself. The original shows him stark raging naked! As a special bonus, a copy of the original comes with your order. A bit more is much more in this case!
- printed in a very limited edition of ten
- signed and numbered on reverse by the artist
- museum quality Epson natural cotton art papers
- archival chromacolor pigmented ink
- convenient and affordable 8×10 size
- suitable for framing
- comes with a certificate of authenticity
- free shipping in the U.S.
Order Yours Now
“The Stars Are Aligned — Paul Thailand Portrait” is currently listed at $125, good through Valentine’s Day 2022. Sorry to break any hearts but after that the price may rise.
Shoot me your email in the comments below, I can send you a clickable invoice, and answer your questions.
You can also reach me via Twitter: @photojimsf, or Instagram: @photojimsf, or my direct email is jim@photojimsf.com.
Jimslist Discount!
Did you know I have a newsletter? It’s an occasional photo epistle from yours truly, and becoming a subscriber entitles you to a fabulous 20% off discount on your artwork purchase.
Thirst Traps And Spy Booths — Vintage Gay Photography
Sold!
I’m happy as clams at high water! Why? Because I’ve recently completed a third sale to my prolific art collector in Brooklyn, Mr. Ricardo Walton. Who happens to be very handsome too, btw. Here’s his Instagram: @ricardowalton2
Thirst Traps
It was an unusually hot summer afternoon, so I had to make my way to the Pendulum Bar to quench my thirsts. BTW, that was where the black men and those of us who chased them went. Thyrell on the left was quite the charmer, and worked as the doorman/bouncer. Chris Costa on the right was from Springfield Massachusetts, and attending law School in SF.
The two of them were joking and laughing outside like the world was their oyster. Tickling, groping, bitch slapping, and so kind to let me shoot off a roll of film while they horsed around. This is the one shot out of the bunch where they looked serious, maybe even poignant, and oddly enough the shot that made the most impact on me.
The Spy Booth
Just a trivial but fun side note, in the background you can see the South China Cafe. Family run for decades, closed for decades, but very popular with patrons at the Pendulum Bar. With a long counter for single diners one side, there were wooden, cabin booths for groups on the other side.
One particular booth about halfway in, if you sat on the outer seat facing the street, had a direct line of sight to the front door of the Pendulum Bar. I always tried to nab that seat, feast on my stir fried clams with oyster sauce, and monitor the comings and goings for potential, ummmm, models!
Print History
The first showing of “Thyrell And Chris” was in July 2019, part of my “Black And White Nostalgia” exhibit at STRUT SF. That edition was just sold to my handsome Brooklyn supercollector. This is it’s first publishing on the internet, other than the ebook/catalog from the show.
Specifications
Shot on Kodak Tri-X film, and “pulled two stops”, I hand developed this film in the darkroom at Jebbe’s Camera Shop in the Excelsior district of SF. I did most of their darkroom work back in the late ’80’s.
The first edition was printed many years later, 2019, on Noritsu Premium photo paper by Oscar’s Photo Lab SF. The remaining nine editions will be printed on my favorite, Epson Hot Press Natural cotton art rag paper and come in the very convenient 8 x 10 size.
This limited edition also comes with a certificate of authenticity, bill of sale, and is shipped free to the US.
“Thyrell And Chris Outside The Pendulum Bar SF 1986” is currently selling for $100.
Price is guaranteed for the next three editions, numbers two, three, and four, through 2021.
If you’re interested in this fine piece of artwork, shoot me your email, I can send you a clickable invoice, and answer your questions.
Only Six Of These Left In The Entire World
SOLD!
“Tom Bowers San Francisco 1984” by Your’s Truly, Jim James Aka Photojimsf
This was edition number four of ten, now there’s only six more available. It went to my esteemed Brooklyn collector Ricardo Walton (Instagram: @ricardowalton2).
The Model
Tom Bowers was that gorgeous carpenter who paraded around The Castro wearing cowboy, indian, and leather outfits like the Village People. He threw house parties in the grand SF tradition; costumed, with tambourines, stimulants, pot brownies. Entire and often multiple relationships were initiated, consummated, and then broken at these affairs.
Here he is in the attic with his old Ducati motorcycle. Tom loved this picture so much. After he saw it, he always referred to me as “my photographer”.
Some History
It’s first public appearance was at Fred’s Cafe, the legendary but now defunct cafe with the killer view at the San Francisco Art Institute. 1985.
The most recent showing was at my “Black And White Nostalgia” exhibit at STRUT SF, a gay community and health center in The Castro. July of 2019.
The image was shot with Kodak Tri-X black and white film in 1984. I developed the film and printed by hand, the first three editions on 11×14 Agfa Portriga Rapid paper. I gave the first two to Tom, and exhibited the third until it sold at the STRUT exhibit.
Since then, I’ve had a high res drum scan made from the negative, very sharp and crystal clear. The remaining editions are giclee art prints using fine pigment inks on Epson Hot Press Natural cotton art papers. This mimics the original Afga papers; warm and creamy, ever so just off white and a whisper of sepia.
Specifications
The prints are 11×14 inches, the image is printed “full frame” with a thin black outline and thick white borders.
This limited edition comes with a certificate of authenticity, bill of sale, and shipped free to the US.
Current price for “Tom Bowers San Francisco 1984” number five of ten is $150.
Interested? Shoot me your email, I can send you a clickable invoice and answer your questions.
Photojimsf!!! 