[Leica] It is with great sadness that I report Newspace Photographic in Portland, Oregon has died THAT SAID WE NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW

[Mark Kronquist]

The classes, the digital and film labs and the gallery were all liquidated in a fire sale and free for all last weekend. I have copied Newspace Facilities Manager (former) and chief cook and lens polisher Pete here as well.  He made a whopping $40k/yr 

It is staggering how much good gear was binned into the dumpsters at the end at the instance of the bank (who wanted to rent the space)/ Kudos to Free Geek and a hundred others for showing up and saving what we could.

There is already the formation of a rental darkroom coop similar to the long gone U Develop YAY but...

But there is the need for so much more       Hipsters? No not really   This is the tenth major art group to die in Portland in 2017 Does art exist int he Trump era

Is photography dead (no most Newspace classes were more than full Newspace died because of lack of long term financing and MFAs…I may have got straight Cs in Banking School (Post Grad) but I understand that money is fuel and bloat kills non profits (no matter how godd the intention) 

Many say the photo community can no longer afford, support an entity such as Newspace. Horse pucky.


Over the past few years I have donated well over 100 cameras and lenses, film and digital, most recently 9 Pentax K1000s, to Newspace.

First we need an attorney to help with non profit status

Second we need a space for classes and a gallery and labs

Third we need your gear. Digital took a huge hit. Pete and I saved several enlargers but no media (film paper or lenses or cameras)

Forth we need your art and a commitment to share and help rebuild.  We are looking at an early August Event. (brewer? Winemaker? cidermaker? Food Truck yay) It would be great to have an auction with a dozen or two Leicas (No need for a 240 though it would be lovely ...really a IIIa/b/c/d(!)  with a Summar awesome Ditto R3 or Nikon F or F2’s) Viewcameras and Blads and TLRS awesome. Gobs of film and paper great

We also need DX and FX DSLRs, scanners and Epson Printers and media and ink.

I think we can save this and make it better but I know we need YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW Pete and Atty can make a 501c3 (we are NOT one now) WE NEED SPACE IN PDX 

I looked at that 40 yard dumpster with great sadness as framing supplies, Hufa straps, Books, background paper and tons of tother such were lost yet I knw we made the right choice saving at least SOME of the tools to allow us to rebuild in a very shore time frame

I need your help now. Let no IIIa or Hektor or F or F2 non AI go 

Reply all awesome

Again I believe we can do it…do you?

Mark