Rear Curtain - Issue 3

Yep, we're back. The latest issue of Rear Curtain magazine is now available for purchase. We've got a great lineup for you this time, too. Stories that range from New York City Holiday displays to the simple pleasures of life on the family deck. From a mask maker in Venice to the Tea Horse Road in China to a Christian biker club in Adelaide, Australia to an umbrella maker in Burma. Stories from around the world, and stories that resonate around the world.

It's been my pleasure to help bring these stories to life on the pages of this magazine and I hope you enjoy them as much as we do bringing them to you. My thanks to our contributors for allowing us to share their work, and, of course, to my Rear Curtain colleagues for their hard work to put this issue together.

Head on over to MagCloud to get your copy. You can get a digital download for $6.50, but I'd highly recommend buying the print version ($24.95). Not because we make more money—we don't—but because printing these stories for you is really why we do this. There's a feel and a flow to them that's tangible when you're holding it in your hands, sipping your favorite beverage, and turning the pages.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it for you. And if you’re interested in contributing to Rear Curtain, either for the web site or the magazine, feel free to contact us at info@rearcurtain.ca. We’d love to see your work in Issue 4.

September 2012 wallpaper

It's Labor Day here in the U.S., and officially the end of summer—though it's still over 80°F (27°C) during most days here in the Midwest. We're still swimming in our pool on the weekends, but the local kids are back in school—some for almost a month (ugh)—and a few leaves are starting to turn from green to yellow or red. It won't be long until the days are cooler and the nights are crisp enough for a sweater, and though I'm a big fan of autumn, I'll be a little sad to see summer go.

This month's wallpaper photograph is my tribute to the fading summer sun, as the bright blue summer skies give way to the warm yellows, oranges and reds of autumn. I've also made a small format change by moving the calendar to the top of the screen, since the dock icons on Macs tend to cover it up. I've also made the text smaller so it doesn't stand out as much, since I prefer to place the emphasis on the image.

As usual, simply click on the image above to get your 2560 x 1600 px image… and watch the summer sun fade into the horizon. Enjoy.

August 2012 wallpaper

This month's wallpaper comes from one of my favorite places, Port Townsend, Washington.  About a month ago, I spent a week and a half there, attending ART II and then hanging out with my friend and photographic mentor, Ray Ketcham. (Is there anyone who isn't being mentored by Ray these days?) One day during my time there, Ray, Sabrina Henry and I traveled from PT to Oak Harbor, WA to visit Eric Kruszewski, one of the contributors to the latest issue of Rear Curtain magazine. As we were leaving PT on the ferry, I looked back across the water and saw this scene, which seemed to reflect the way I always think of Port Townsend. While PT doesn't get all of the rain of it's neighbors in Seattle, etc., it tends to be overcast most days and, while it might seem a bit dreary, it feels comfortable to me—the kind of a day to curl up with a good book and a warm fire.

So, if you're in the US and are suffering through some of the hottest weather on record this summer, sit back, relax and let the cool Pacific Northwest give you a bit of relief, however brief it may be. Click on the image above to get your 2560 x 1600 px image.