The Story of Warmpixelpie Studio

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The story of Warmpixelpie dates back to the late 1800s and begins with an apple farmer named William Percival Pyle.

William had a deep passion for photography. He enjoyed capturing the beauty of his orchard in different seasons and took pride in preserving those moments by capturing images on metal plates, known as Tintypes.

Being a crafty fellow, William made his own plates by creating a photographic emulsion that suspended silver halide in a homemade egg-white gelatin. Then, he processed the plates using citric acid from his apples and fixed them using dried milk powder and baking soda. This was all done inside a makeshift darkroom that he built inside his barn. A place he spent countless developing his images.

In order to maintain the right temperature for the development process, especially during the cold winters, William came up with a clever solution. He kept a wood cookstove burning in his studio, not only to keep himself warm but also to ensure that the development process remained up to a specific temperature.

The warmth from the stove created the perfect environment to support his photographic work. As William processed his plates, he would simultaneously bake delicious apple pies in the same studio. The aroma of freshly baked pies mixed with the unique chemical scent of his darkroom created an inviting atmosphere.

William began to sell his pies from the barn, adorning each pie box with his metal tintypes, what he called “picselles.” The local community, charmed by this unique blend of photography and baking, affectionately came up with various nicknames for William and his barn/bakery/studio. These nicknames ranged from “William’s Picselle’s & Pies” to “Will’s Warm Pix & Pies,” and eventually settled on the endearing shorthand “Warmpixelpie.”

As word of the delightful combination of warm pies and photography had spread, William’s barn studio became a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, earning a reputation for being the go-to place for art, warmth, and delicious treats.

One fateful winter night, while engrossed in his work, the stove accidentally ignited a small fire in the barn. William, in a frantic attempt to save his studio and his photographic equipment, got trapped inside as the fire spread rapidly.

In a desperate bid to escape the engulfing flames, he sought refuge in the freezer where he stored his prized apple pies. Tragically, the fire took a devastating turn, and William’s life was claimed by the inferno.

The barn, the studio, and all of his photographic work were lost in the blaze. The community mourned the loss of both an innovative apple farmer and a talented photographer, leaving behind memories of his apple pies and the captivating moments he had immortalized through his photography.

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William P. Pyle
1852 – 1911