01.31.08
Posted in Photography at 7:21 pm by Michelle
The most exciting news of the year (young as it is…) is that an image of mine has taken First Place in the Krappy Kamera competition! This show, out of Soho Photo in New York, is the oldest and biggest of the toy camera shows. I’m thrilled to be a part of it, and catching first place is beyond exciting! The opening is Tuesday, March 4th, and I’m planning to come over for it. I’ll also be giving a talk there on Thursday, March 6th, at 7:00 (and selling books). Stop in if you’re in the neighborhood!
A monkey blows me a kiss at Pashupatinath in Nepal, November 2007
I actually got the call for that while I was at the opening of Rayko Photo’s Plastic Camera show in San Francisco – it was so fun to be amongst the toy camera throngs! That show had lots of good work, and an entire separate show by Veronika Lukasova, of panoramic Holga images – great work!
I’ve also arranged to give a talk at Foto-Grafix Books, which is downstairs from SF Camerawork, and around the corner from SF MOMA. That’s on February 7th, at 7:00. There’s also a community event after my talk, where you can show slides and everyone gives feedback. Sounds like fun!
And, I’ve just set up a talk in Seattle at the University Bookstore, a great venue, on April 17th.
Reporting back from earlier in January, the printing session was fun! Once the technical issues got smoothed out, seeing those enormous prints rolling out of the printer was thrilling! I can’t wait for the show; I wonder when it will be?
Me with my 40″ x 40″ of the Temple of Joy, a creation of David Best at Burning Man, 2002.
More soon!
~Michelle
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12.31.07
Posted in Photography at 3:26 pm by Michelle
After all the months of travel, I’ve had a really great time in December cleaning, catching up, socializing, and planning for 2008. If only we had more weeks like this, where everything shuts down…
Here’s a taste of some of the fun coming up for the brand-new year of 2008:
In late February, I’ll be teaching a workshop at the Photographic Center Northwest, here in Seattle (Feb 23 & Mar 1). Please join me for what is always a fun and informative class!
“Unrefined Light: Image-Making with Plastic Cameras and their Friends” is a juried toy camera exhibition happening at the Foundry Arts Center in St Charles, Missouri, this spring. It’s a nationally open call for art, and I’m the juror! The deadline is January 28th, 2008, so get your work together and send it in – I can’t wait to see it! Find the link for the prospectus and application here., or click here to download the PDF.
The opening is March 28th, and I’ll be there for it. Plus, I’ll be teaching a workshop that weekend. Stop by if you’re in the neighborhood.
There are several other toy cameras shows happening year in New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, and online. See here for details.
As it happens, I’ll be in San Francisco for the opening of Rayko Photo’s National Juried Plastic Camera Exhibition, opening Tuesday, January 8th. I’ll be back in SF at the end of the show to teach a workshop at Rayko on Feb 9th and 12th.
I’m hoping to go down to New Orleans to teach a workshop there during their exhibition. More details as I get them.
This week my new adventure in the Bay Area is a digital printing residency with the Creator’s Equity Foundation. The project, 21 Days of Black Rock City, is bringing in 10 or so photographers to their space in Berkeley to make large-format digital prints and mount them, using the newest high-end printer and mounting machine, with all the materials supplied. The prints be shown at an exhibition in the Bay Area, hopefully sometime this year. Very exciting!
On March 1st, the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, WA, is hosting a panel discussion with the photographers who are part of the “Photography Biennial: 9 Photographers to Watch from the Pacific Northwest” exhibition. Since the opening got snowed out, I believe we’ll be having some sort of party in conjunction with the talk. I’ll also be teaching a workshop there on April 26th.
Later in March, I’ll be heading to Denver for the Society for Photographic Education‘s national conference. I’ve been the last few years (Portland, Chicago and Miami), and always have a great time. The theme this year is “Agents of Change: Art and Advocacy,” and the presentations look especially interesting. My friend (and contributing editor of my book), Mary Ann Lynch, is giving a talk, as is Angela Faris-Belt, who is also having her book release party, for “The Elements of Photography,” coming out in Feb by Focal Press. I have some photos in the book, so I’m looking forward to seeing it! Congratulations Angela!
At the end of June, I’ll be teaching a week-long workshop at the Maine Photographic Workshops (now part of the Maine Media Workshops), where I got my start, way back in 1991. The workshop, Toying with Creativity (June 28-July 5, 2008), will be an extended version of the class I’ve been teaching for years, and recently, all over the US. During the week, we’ll have lots of time to play and experiment with the cameras, and also in the darkroom and digital lab. Plus, the class occurs over the 4th of July, so it’ll be a great opportunity to experiment with photographing fireworks and festivities!
I have more talks and workshops in the works for 2008, so keep an eye on the website, or let me know if you’re interested in having me come to a location near you!
Happy New Year!
~Michelle
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12.06.07
Posted in NW Arts, Photography at 10:38 pm by Michelle
It’s been a fun week here in the Northwest! I just got back from 4 weeks in Nepal and Thailand, found myself in some crazy Northwest weather, and managed to make it north, south and back home to my house on the hill.
First, I made it back in town for the last 2 days of “Cheap Shot: Plastic Cameras – The Low Tech of High Art” at the Photographic Center Northwest. I was delighted to see my images on the front panel, visible from the street (of course, I forgot to photograph it from outside). I’ve been a part of the PCNW community for a long time, and am honored to have been featured so prominently in this exhibition. The show included 6 of us toy-heads: me, Rosanna Salonia, Gordon Stettinius, Susan Burnstine, Jennifer Shaw, Shannon Welles. I’ve met all of them somewhere around the country except Jennifer – it’s a small toy camera world!
Last Friday, I drove down to Portland for a thrilling experience – giving a talk at Powell’s Books! Powell’s is an incredible independent bookstore; there are few like it left anywhere, and it’s a lofty achievement to get into their speaking schedule (I was turned down before the book came out, but once they got to know it, and see how well it sells, I got in!). I had no idea how many people would come, except the friends I was expecting, but, people just kept pouring in, until the crowd topped 40 people (that with two of my friends managing to miss most of it)! Not sure how everyone found out about it (shoulda asked for a show of hands), but the Portland Mercury did a funny little blurb on it that drew a bunch of folks in. Everyone stayed until the end, and they asked lots of questions. I signed books and got to sign their author’s book, in some very good company!
Many thanks to Aubrey Pullman for taking photos!
The following day, I was supposed to drive right through Seattle on up to Bellingham, but, strangely for this part of the world, it was snowing! The opening was canceled, so instead I went up on Sunday to give my talk to the Bellingham folks. This talk was less formal, but still lots of fun, with 15 people braving the weather. Hopefully we can do it again during the show when more people will know about it and can make it.
Afterwards, we trekked over to the Whatcom Museum, where my work is part of the “Photography Biennial: 9 to Watch from the Pacific Northwest.” This museum to be one of the great artsy secrets of the Northwest. It’s in a spectacular building, even stranger for being in such an out-of-the-way place. My show is actually across the street, in a great space that actually managed to present 9 complete exhibitions (mine has 26 photographs) in a space that still feels intimate. And in the main building is a world-class exhibition by Lewis Hine, showing his images of child labor in the early 1900s. It’s an incredible exhibition.
The Photo Biennial is up through April 27, 2008, so plenty of time to check it out. I’ll post if the reception gets rescheduled.
I’m happy to be back in Seattle, and looking forward to all the fun coming up!
Michelle
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10.11.07
Posted in Photography at 8:26 am by Michelle
A friend from Vashon Island, where we have a lovely photography group, Photographers of Vashon, just gifted me a pristine copy of “The Diana Show,” which is the first compilation of toy camera images (all Diana camera – this was before the Holga), published in 1980, and a rare classic. How thrilling! Someone else on Vashon gave me a Diana camera several years ago. Both of these are worth some money, and this kind of thing just warms my heart. And now I’m dragging these things all over the country to show my students, so the more complete my collection, the better!
I just got to my East coast base in New Jersey for a couple of weeks of New York fun in the photography scene.
Monday, October 15th is the Lucie Awards. Everyone else has awards, why not photography? And this one actually gets the photographers out on the town and dressed up! Then is Photo Plus Expo, Oct 18-20 at the Javitz Center. I’ve been going to this for over 15 years, through various names and changes in the event. But it’s still a great event to play with the new toys, see presentations by many fabulous photographers, ask questions of the companies, pay too much for seminars, carry too much paper, do the old name-tag-scan when meeting people, and having fun talking shop. And let’s not forget the parties, if you can find them and get in the door… I’ll be signing books at Freestyle’s booth (number 1927, listed as FS Wholesale) on Thursday at 2:30.
Oh, and there’s that workshop thing I’ll be teaching this weekend and next at ICP. OK, actually, it’s a big deal! And very exciting! I hope I’ll be able to come back and teach one open to the public (this one’s for the General Studies Students) in the spring. And my newest Holga discovery, Brigitte Grignet, is going to be floating around ICP during my class. I’m going to have to kidnap her and show her off to my students, “Here before you is a brilliant photographer who happens to use a Holga!”
Of course, while in NY, I’ll try to squeeze in some museums, lots of galleries, shows, friends and family! It seems as the years go by (I’ve now been in Seattle for 15 years!), I know more and more people in New York. Not quite sure how that works, but it keeps me busy when I’m here!
It just so happens that it’s Clown month here in NY! Not circus-type clowns, but theater clowns, which I love! There’s a whole festival in Brooklyn, the New York Theater Clown Festival, at The Brick, and even someone I know doing a show! Nina Rolle was in an UMO show I photographed years ago; I can’t wait to see what she’s cooked up for this! And a favorite performer of mine, Avner the Eccentric, is doing a full-length show at Ramopo College in Mahwah this Saturday night. I’m hoping I can get to see that, in between everything else.
If anyone’s around for Photo Plus and wants to meet up, just get in touch!
~Michelle
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09.30.07
Posted in Photography at 7:02 pm by Michelle
This was a very fun week of talking, talking and more talking. Now it’s a rainy fall night in Seattle, and it’s night to be home and quiet.
I spent much of the week in San Francisco. I went into two MFA classes at the Academy of Art to talk about my work. It was nice to talk to them on a personal note about my process over the last 15 years, and show work from several different series, even non-Holga work (image that!). I’ve been speaking to James Woods’ classes for 10 years or so, and always get so much out of it. It’s really the mark of a great teacher (James) that I always learn things when I’m the one speaking in his classes!
On Thursday night I gave my talk on plastic cameras, my work and the book at SF Camerawork. When I began, most of the chairs were full, for a good crowd. Partway through though, I turned around from my spot behind my computer to see the entire room packed, and people standing against the back wall! There were 42 people there (and a couple more came afterwards, having gotten the time wrong). Afterwards, we sold a bunch of books and I chatted and signed. It was loads of fun – I have very enthusiastic readers! And a few friends showed up, making for familiar faces in the bunch. Thanks to SF Camerawork for a great evening! I hope to do more talking in SF soon!
Back home in Seattle was a different type of talking. Last night was the Photographic Center Northwest’s Photovision Awards and Auction. I was the announcer for the evening, reading off the titles of the pieces in the live auction and telling a little about the photographs and artists. I’ve been part of the PCNW community since I moved here in 1992, and it’s great to see how it’s grown and to help it out a little. And I got to get dressed up and have a great time!
I’m really enjoying speaking to groups and teaching, and am very gratified that I have things to say that people find interesting. The best though is when people tell me how inspired they get by the book or a class or talk to go out and create!
~Michelle
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09.12.07
Posted in NW Arts, Photography at 12:48 pm by Michelle
I can’t believe how much is going on these days, in both the worlds of fun and play, and how often they are one and the same!
I just got back from teaching at the Julia Dean Workshops in Los Angeles. This was a delightful workshop; the facility is right on Venice Beach, the weather was gorgeous, the staff is great, and the students were enthusiastic and ready to learn and play. The icing on the cake was running into my good friend Mik right there on the beach – she was also visiting from Seattle; what are the chances??? After my workshop, I sat in on Julia Dean herself teaching a class on pinhole photography (using 4×5 Polaroid film), Polaroid transfers and emulsion lifts.
Before that trip, I spent a dust-filled week at Burning Man, which is what I call the World’s Biggest Art Playground. It was a dusty year, and the city was full to the gills, and, as usual, there was tons of great art! Photos coming at some point…
In other news, “Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity” is going into a second printing! I just got the word from the publisher, so now the race is on to make corrections and tweaks for them. For those wondering – the first printing was 4000 copies! Imagine that, 4000 copies of the book off in the world in the happy hands of toy camera enthusiasts worldwide. Amazing. No word yet on what the second printing will be.
Coming up this fall are the talk at SF Camerawork on September 27th at 6pm, a talk at Powell’s Books in Portland on November 30th, the ICP workshop in New York, and book signings at Photo Plus. In December, I’ll be opening an exhibition at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, WA, an hour north of Seattle. This is a biennial photography exhibition featuring 9 photographers from the Northwest. Time to get into the darkroom once again!
Oh, and on September 29th, I’ll be the auction reader and sort-of host for the Photographic Center Northwest‘s Photovision Awards and auction. Fun!
Whew! That’s a lot to keep track of!
Thanks for all the great opportunities and support out there!
Michelle
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07.09.07
Posted in Photography at 9:57 am by Michelle
I can’t remember how it started, but I’ve been teaching workshops on playing with Holga cameras for almost 10 years at the Photographic Center NW. I’ve also worked with several other places to get workshops going over the years. But now, with the book out, things are really taking off, and I’m thrilled to be teaching around the country!
My connections with Los Angeles keep growing, thanks to the fabulous folks at Freestyle. At my show opening in February, they introduced me to Julia Dean, who runs a fabulous series of workshops out of Venice Beach. I happened to be around for the opening of their new space as well, and a partnership was born! I’ll be teaching Toying with Creativity, a weekend workshop there September 8th & 9th, and hopefully in San Francisco in the new year.
In October, I’ll be in New York, teaching in the hallowed halls of the International Center of Photography (ICP). This is a two-weekend workshop, and I’m very excited to have lots of time with the students, and the great facilities to explore shooting in the studio, printing in the darkroom, and playing with pixels in the digital lab.
And, next March (2008), I’ll be close to St Louis, at the Foundry Arts Centre. We’re putting on a national juried exhibition (I’m the juror!) with work based around plastic camera images, but not limited to just 2-D photography. I’ll post the call for entries when it’s out. The show opening is March 28th, and that weekend I’ll be teaching a workshop at this beautiful space. Sometime in there, we’ll have a book signing as well.
I’m really looking forward to these workshops, traveling and meeting people around the country. And I’m definitely working on setting up more, with several of the great folks I met at Photolucida (look for me in Colorado, San Francisco, Minneapolis and other places…). If you are interested in having me come teach in a city near you, let me know, and we’ll see what we can work out!
~Michelle
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06.29.07
Posted in Photography at 7:14 pm by Michelle
It’s not really an obvious outlet for a photographer, but here it is, I’m going to be a featured guest on Photo Talk Radio from 8-9 am (PDT) on Saturday, July 7th. We’ll be talking about the book, toy cameras, photography, and whatever else comes up. In fact, you can even call in and ask me questions! The phone number is 888-613-1612. Love to hear from you!
If you miss it, listen on the website at www.phototalkradio.com/ptr070707.html.
While we’re on the audio waves, I’m featured on the great photo website Lens Culture, with an article, 24 photos, and a long audio interview with me talking about the toys. Strangely enough, even I enjoyed listening to it, and I usually hate hearing the sound of my own voice! But I had such a great time chatting with Jim Casper, and playing off of his enthusiasm, that it really shines through in the interview. It was taped at Photolucida, in Portland in April.
Enjoy!
~Michelle
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05.08.07
Posted in Photography at 1:04 pm by Michelle
Talk, talk, talk. Look at photographs. Talk some more.
Photolucida is a delerious delight if you like to eat, breathe and talk photography for days. It’s one of the growing number of portfolio review events around the world, which bring together photographers and those who deal with photography – gallery owners, museum curators, book and magazine publishers, collectors, and more. The core of the event is the meetings: photographers and reviewers get 20-minute-long sessions to show and look at work. The photogs get 4-5 or these a day, adding up to about 20 over the event. But outside of the formal reviews, lots and lots of informal sharing and networking happens between the photographers and the reviewers. It’s a great, intense event!
Photolucida is in Portland, OR (a nice short hop from Seattle). Other events include the biggie, Fotofest, in Houston and Review Santa Fe (which is juried), and ones in Brimingham, England, Arles, France, and Prague. A slew of them are collected on the Festival of Light site.
I met with lots of interesting folks from around the country. The most fun stuff to happen was bring interviewed by Jim Casper to be featured on his website, Lens Culture, later this month, and being invited to speak at SF Camerawork this fall. I spoke to several regional photo centers about teaching as well – I’m starting to spread the Holga love around the country, but more on that in another post. And I met lots of wonderful photographers who were showing their work. It’s a great event for making connections with people who love photography at all levels.
~Michelle
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04.06.07
Posted in Photography at 3:53 pm by Michelle
Back again! This time from the trek across the country to Miami for the national conference of the Society for Photographic Education. Mostly, this organization serves photography professors and teachers and students, but it’s a fun group of social photographers that is also very open to folks like me, who teach occasionally. This conference (my 3rd national) was a blast. My interactions with people were consistently interesting: I got many slightly confused looks by people who couldn’t figure out where they knew me from, and then smiles of recognition when someone mentioned the Freestyle catalog (that one with me on the cover – scroll down to see it), which was out and about at the conference. Others recognized my name from the book, or saw the book I was usually toting around (yay for the snappy yellow cover!). Just to break the ice with anyone else, I had on me, either in my hand or around my neck, my ridiculously cute Rollei MiniDigi, which is was like an adorable puppy; absolutely irresistable to all the photographers in the room.
A few highlights of the conference: Signing my books at a table next to Henry Horenstein, whose books I’ve had forever, and Tony Mendoza, whose work is gorgeous. Meeting Kent Nunamaker, who wrote the first review of my book on Amazon.com, and his wife. Kent made a series of beautiful pinhole cameras and collects toy cameras used for advertising. They were wonderful! Also, had a great moment when Mary Virginia Swanson was shown the next Freestyle catalog – with her on the cover! I’ll throw up a photo of us – the two cover girls – when I get it.
I met lots of great people, including Angela Faris, who’s working on a book for my publisher, Focal Press, Dennie Eagleson, a professor at Antioch, and Jane Alden Stevens, a professor at the Univeristy of Cincinatti. It was great spending some time with great photographers, teachers, and accomplished women. I also got to hang out with Mary Ann Lynch, the Diana Queen, who was an incredible help in shaping up my book, and Robert Blake, another plastic camera afficianado, who runs the General Studies Program at ICP.
There was a lot of excitement by all the teachers and students about my book, which was very gratifying. Hopefully they’ll spread the word and keep the good ole book selling.
~Michelle
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