Revealing Character: Robb Kendrick's Texas Tintypes

September 17, 2005 - January 8, 2006
Photographer Robb Kendrick captures modern-day cowboys using 19th-century technique for new exhibition.

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Though many regard cowboys as heroes from a bygone era, Texas still boasts a number real-life working cowboys on its modern-day ranches. Starting in January 2004, photographer Robb Kendrick began capturing images of the cowboys via the tintype, a 19 th-century photographic method. Frost Bank commissioned Kendrick's tintype project and conceived a multi-city traveling exhibition of his work, which is on display at the Witte Museum through January 8, 2006.

The exhibition, Revealing Character: Robb Kendrick's Texas Tintypes, features tintypes of cowboys and cowgirls taken all over the Lone Star State plus enlarged prints of tintype images. Curated by Margaret Blagg, executive director of the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, the exhibition will tour museums across the state over the next two and a half years.

To accompany the exhibition, Bright Sky Press has released an art book, Revealing Character: Texas Tintypes, featuring Kendrick's tintypes as well as field notes he took when interviewing the cowboys he photographed, essays by Texas's dean of letters John Graves, Frost Bank President Tom Frost, and curator Blagg, and an afterword by cowboy poet and essayist Buster McLaury.

The project grew out of a heritage photography campaign suggested by Frost's advertising and branding agency Austin-based McGarrah/Jessee. Prints of the tintypes were initially featured in a distinctive two-page spread – created by McGarrah/Jessee and presented by Frost Bank, entitled "Character of Texas Expedition" – that has been running in Texas Monthly since July 2004.

"Character has always been important to us at Frost. In fact, our company was established based on the character, principles and values of our founder, Col. T.C. Frost. We are proud to be a part of developing and presenting this wonderful exhibit and proud to support a photographer of Robb's caliber in his efforts to explore the character of Texas," said Frost CEO Dick Evans. "He's not only preserving history that should be important to all Texans; he's capturing images of character that best exemplify what's good and unique about Texas."

Curator Blagg explained why this is an unusual photography exhibition. "Because tintypes are unique—that is, literally one-of-a-kind creations—they are more like paintings or drawings than photographs." "Today," she commented, "photographs are infinitely reproducible. Robb Kendrick's tintypes, created in a 19 th-century method, are each original works of art. The care he takes to compose and create each one is akin to the creative effort of making a painting."

The Blanco, Texas-based Kendrick, whose work has been featured in such publications as National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Audubon, and Smithsonian, notes that he is the only photographer in Texas using the tintype process, and one of very few in the United States. Developed in the mid-1800s, the technique is considered the first major American contribution to photography.

"Tintypes are a challenging medium because they require the subject to stay still for a number of seconds as the image burns onto the plate, but the process provides so much reward in terms of truly capturing someone's soul," said Kendrick. "It's a perfect medium for exploring a subject matter like character, and there is no better place to find that character than in today's Texas cowboys. I've been privileged to meet so many of these men and women through my travels, and to spend the time with them that this photographic process demands. I hope that Texans will see a little of themselves and their ancestors in this exhibit as it travels across the state. It's an honor to share these stories and photographs."

In a labor-intensive process, a tintype is made by coating a thin metal plate with emulsion, sensitizing it in silver nitrate, and exposing it in the camera before the emulsion dries. A lavender varnish is flowed onto the tintypes after the photo is taken to preserve the image. Making even a few tintypes requires hours of work.

In addition to its presentation at the Witte through January 2006, the exhibit will also be presented at the Panhandle-Plains Museum in Canyon, the International Museum of Art & Science in McAllen, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, and the Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Additional bookings are anticipated in other parts of the state.

7th Grade Essay Contest Winners
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  :: Second Place Winner: Adrienne Tetter, Hobby Middle School | Won a Digital Camera »
  :: Third Place Winner: Lauren Simcic, St. George Episcopal | Won a $50 Savings Bond »
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Read about the book Revealing Character: Texas Tintypes »
About Robb Kendrick »

An exhibition organized by The Old Jail Art Center, Albany, Texas, and made possible by underwriting from Frost Bank, and support from Texas Monthly. Presented in collaboration with FotoseptiembreUSA/SAFOTO as part of the Fall Art Festivals initiative.