ABOVE: A video retrospective sampling of David Linsell’s wonderful images of Magicana productions.  

Remembering Our Friend

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of our beloved friend David Linsell. 

David was a dear and valued member of the Magicana team, as the official photographer for every one of our productions for nearly a decade. We met David when we hosted our first Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago in 2010. Since then, he single-handedly presented to the world, through the thousands of photos he snapped for us, a lasting visual presentation of what we do as an arts organization.

David had a distinctive style—an experienced knowing—that never failed to capture the perfect moment. Because he lived in Chicago and our productions were predominantly in Toronto, he was often parachuted into the midst of a run and asked to archive the essence of the show—without ever having seen it before!

And, he always did.

Thanks to his love of magic and his passion for photography, David had a unique vision when he peered through his lens. He communicated his respect and admiration for each of the artists he photographed, and his commitment and dedication to “getting it right” was an inspiration to us all. David loved people, he loved the energy of a live performance, and, most of all, he loved finding the moment.

David was special. He was the first to lend a hand, he was incredibly positive and he simply radiated love. He was a joy to work with—but more importantly, he was a man with a heart of pure gold.

We will miss him very much.