04.22.08
Posted in Photography at 5:05 pm by Michelle
I just spent a fabulous weekend in St Louis and St Charles, Missouri. Not a part of the country I know much about, or have any connections in, But I got sucked in by one Mark Fisher. From his first idea of a Holga Polka Invitational, we ended up with “Unrefined Light: Images by Plastic Cameras and their Friends,” at the Foundry Art Centre, with me as juror, and a two-day workshop at the Foundry and a community college darkroom. It was a stellar trip all around.
Me with Mark Fisher. He’s usually a lot smilier than this!
First there was arriving at the space, which is just fabulous. It’s an old train repair building, converted in true style to an arts center, with grand center hall, with stage, galleries lining on both sides, and 20 artist studios above the galleries, perched over the main hall.
Thanks to Mark Fisher for all the photos!
The exhibition is in a huge lovely space, very well hung, and looking fabulous. The opening was Friday night, and I met several of the included photographers during the evening, and had the challenge and pleasure of choosing 5 artists to show more work at the Foundry.
Over the weekend, I taught a workshop to a great group. We had several extra people join in for the talk Saturday morning, when I show a selection of images and a bunch by other toy-heads, and talk about everything plastic – subject, equipment, technique, etc. Then we took a tour through the gallery checking out all the work and discussing the same things, plus thoughts on presentation. It’s a great combination, to run the workshop during relevant exhibitions. In the afternoon, we trolled around the neighborhood shooting with our Holgas. The light was kind of bland, but it was fun in any case.
On Sunday, we met at St Charles Community College, where 3 of my students teach. They have a nice darkroom facility, so we hung out there all day. First we reviewed the photos from Saturday (processed and contact printed by Mark, Kate, Alison and Paul – thanks!). Then everyone got the chance to make a print or two, with the experienced folks helping out the newbies. Finally, I did a brief demo of scanning and fixing up a few images in Photoshop, in the digital lab. By the end, everyone was full up with information, but no one was leaving. I’m sure we could have played for another whole day in there (with a good night’s sleep in between)!
Monday morning I stumbled on a place that is a dream come true for me. City Museum, with its strangely unprepossessing name, is one of the most amazing buildings I’ve ever seen, full of treasures everywhere you look, from the floor tiling (fishes!) to the walls (covered with old printing plates), to the ceiling ( thousands of flags of white, like an anemone bed upside down). And everything in between. I can’t even begin to describe it! And, as a very special treat, I was there with Joyce Rosen, Director of the Foundry, and she ran into a sculptor she knows, who happens to be one of the folks constantly adding more fabulousness to City Museum. He gave us a tour of the museum, but even better, we got a special tour of the Art Lofts they’re building above the museum, full of curvy rooms, glass bottle walls, and endless other wacky details. Then, Paul Bayer, The Man with Keys, took us to the workshop he uses, and some other behind the scenes places. I was absolutely giddy the whole time! I had chosen City Museum over St Louis’ fancy sculpture park, and Joyce and I were both entranced by the whole place.
Back in Seattle now, I’ve survived 3 weeks of the wacky world of the Moisture Festival, which was a blast, as usual.
Couple of cool articles about toy cameras have popped up recently: The Brooklyn Rail and The Independent.
Now getting over that nasty cold and getting ready for more trips!
~Michelle
Permalink
03.25.08
Posted in Photography at 11:59 am by Michelle
March 1st started off the month with an interesting and fun photo day. I taught the second half of my photo workshop at the Photographic Center Northwest in Seattle, with a great group of students. Right after that, I buzzed my little van up north to Bellingham, where I was part of a panel of 6 photographers out of the 9 in the Whatcom Museum‘s Photo Biennial. There was a large crowd (50 people, perhaps more?), and Scott Wallin led the discussion. It was great to hear the other photogs talk about their work, as we all sat surrounded by it. It’s really a cool show, with 9 full shows in a great space. It’s up until April 27th, so check it out (and I’m teaching a workshop there on April 26th).
The next day, I zipped back to Seattle, and then east to NYC for the opening of the Krappy Kamera show at Soho Photo Gallery. I’ve heard about this one for years, but had never made it there for the show (March isn’t really my favorite time to visit…). But winning first prize was very exciting, so I set up to give a talk, let the friends and family know I was coming, and off I flew. The opening night was jam packed! Toy camera mecca! Lots of cool photographs in all 3 sections; the front for members of the coop, the back for those chosen to be in the competition show, and the upstairs for all the other entries that weren’t selected, hung in an endless collage.
A couple of nights later I gave a talk at the gallery, which was fun as usual, with a nice group of about 25.
Me with my prize-winning Monkey. Look – I got a star!
The Krappy Kamera Competition, 2008 at Soho Photo. click on image for a larger version
This past week I was in Denver for the national Society for Photographic Education conference. I’ve enjoyed this conference the last 3 times I’ve been, but this was definitely the best. The hotel was set up very nicely, and located on a pedestrian street, so we could actually get out and eat and shop and enjoy the town a little. The theme and presentations were great, I had some friends to hang out with, and made some great new connections and contacts. For anyone who’s wondering how to get your work out there in the world, I can’t emphasize enough how great these events are for making things happen!
A new article just came out in The Independent, a London newspaper, about the toy camera craze, and features a new image of mine, taken last summer in Glacier National Park in Montana (during the Chautauqua tour), with more images of mine and by others (click on the goat).
This Friday I take off again for St Charles, MO, for th “Unrefined Light” exhibition, which I juried, at the Foundry Art Center. Right after I land, I’ll get whisked off to the gallery, where I get to choose the winners (with some big prizes!) before the opening. They’re expecting a huge crowd, and I’m really looking forward to it! Teaching a full workshop of serious toy camera enthusiasts all weekend – yipee!
The postcard for the “Unrefined Light” show. Click on the image for a larger version and the backside
More talks and workshops coming up in Seattle, New Orleans, Minneapolis and Maine – check out the rest of the site for details.
~Michelle
Permalink
03.06.08
Posted in Photography at 7:57 am by Michelle
Angela Faris-Belt is a new friend, who I met at last year’s Society for Photographic Education conference, and has her first book coming out! The Elements of Photography: Understanding and Creating Sophisticated Images (Focal Press!), is going to have its coming out party at this year’s SPE conference in Denver. The shindig is Friday, March 14th at the The Art Institute of Colorado’s John Jellico Gallery. There’s an exhibition of work from the book up too, and I have one image there.
I haven’t gotten my hands on a copy yet, but I just got the PDFs of my pages – I’ve got a bio, and 4 images! It looks great! Congratulations Angela!!!
The conference itself looks fabulous this year; the theme is “Agents of Change: Art and Advocacy.” The speakers, panels and keynotes look much better than other years I’ve gone; I might just have to get up early and make sure I get to panels all day!
The conference also has all that other great stuff: shmoozing, informal and formal portfolio reviews, a booth area, photo gallery shows all over the city to see, openings, parties, keynote talks, etc. This is how you get your work out in the world, everyone – you gotta show up!
See you there!
Michelle
ps – I’m in New York now for Krappy Kamera heaven at Soho Photo. Giving a talk tonight! Report and photos when I get back to Seattle.
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
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
Permalink
08.14.07
Posted in NW Arts at 6:16 pm by Michelle
It’s well into August already, but I spent a good chunk of July running around northwest Montana with the fabulous New Old Time Chautauqua, and wanted to let y’all know about it.
You may remember last year we traveled to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi & New Orleans on the Jambalaya Tour, performing for battered communities and relief workers. That was a powerful experience, unusual for NOTC in leaving the Northwest. This year’s Big Sky Tour was back on more familiar territory for most of the group, but new for me. Instead of being parked at one campsite, this time we spent 2-3 days in each town, did our thing, and then moved on. Now, “our thing” is no small deal. We set ourselves up to camp in a field, or a school, or some other place with room for 50, created a kitchen, group space, and a little community. For the communities we were visiting, we started out with a full spectrum of workshops, including juggling, a song-swap, mask-making, drumming, instrument-making, acrobatics, and quilt-making. At some point in the day, sometimes twice, we paraded through the town (often through the town’s one supermarket), the Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Chamber Band/Orchestra in full chaotic glory, along with jugglers, stilters and a variety of other colorfully dressed troupe members handing out flyers for the show. In Hot Springs, we shocked the old folks by parading through the halls of the local nursing home. That was loud.
The grand finale in each town was the show. In the smaller towns, the shows were free, while in Spokane and Missoula, the cost of admission was donated to local non-profit organizations that helped bring us to town. The shows were quite an eclectic collection of acts, as usual. This time, they kicked off with a rock band, The Planets, part of the huge under-25 contingent on this tour. For a nice counterpoint, our matriarch, Faith Petric, came next, her voice and guitar playing still lively at 91. Then there were the jugglers, several, with very different styles and acts, acrobatics, aerialists, musicians, magicians, an abbreviated version of The Inconvenient Truth, and usually a local act thrown in (these ranged from a bagpipe band to a one-armed guitar player to a girl who did the darnest manipulation with what looked like a dangerously loose pocketknife). The evenings always capped off with the stunning Nanda, a group of acro-juggly-fighting-fabulousness. They’re kind of hard to describe, but never fail to impress.
Most of the shows were outdoors, in varying degrees of sun and heat. In Spokane, we enjoyed the luxury of a beautiful old theater, The Bing Crosby Theater. In Polson, we were in a high school auditorium, and in Browning, on the Blackfeet Reservation, we were in their high school gym. That show was interrupted by a pulling of the fire alarm, with a brief interlude of music and juggling in front of the school, and ended with a Chautaquans vs Blackfeet basketball challenge. Of course, they won.
Other highlights of the tour for me included a hike in Glacier National Park, swimming in Polson, huckleberry shakes, and getting to know a fantastic group of people!
Of course, I was photographing the whole tour; photos are here. Check back in for a link. And I can’t wait to see what NOTC has up its sleeve for next year!
~Michelle
Permalink
« Previous Page — « Previous entries « Previous Page · Next Page » Next entries » — Next Page »
