Wynne Home Presents: Artist and Author Charles D. Jones

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

Charles Jones is a Renaissance man. He is a painter and a poet, a musician, sculptor and author who has had his hand in many books, creating images for multiple

Photography, leadership go hand-in-hand in Daniel Caron’s Six O’clock Series Seminar

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Photography

“Is your leadership just a 9 to 5 situation or are those possibilities out there 24/7?” Daniel Caron asked those in attendance at the first Six O’clock Series of the semester this past Monday.

Caron stressed the ties between leadership and photography, along with how one can impact the other.

He shared his definition of leadership as, “taking people to a new and better place.”

In the realm of photography, Caron suggests that leadership deals with taking a new stance. He then dedicated a portion of his seminar to showing students that the stance a photographer chooses to take can create a different photo entirely.

One of the main points Caron focused on in his seminar was the pressing moment of the window of opportunity. From that, he crafted an analogy describing the suggestion of jumping at opportunities and new experiences.

Many pieces of advice were given to the students at the seminar, one snippet of them being, “My question to you as students, why not create a piece of artwork that might end up behind a magnet on the fridge…. why not create something from your heart?”

Shifting the topic of discussion to the growing spread of AI in professional settings, Caron highlighted what his inspiration and fear might be. The use of common technology. Though easily accessible, technology in photography can take away from the experience that Caron, and many others, have lived through and thrived in.

“Family connections. I just think it’s just a powerful, special, thing, and I don’t ever want it to get any medium or any process to the point where it’s so common it doesn’t have value,” Caron explained.

“I realize the best photograph that I can take will never match the beauty of what it is. And that’s also part of the humbling thing,” Caron commented on why he so deeply enjoys the art of photography.

“I want to be the best photographer in the world, but you know what? It [the image] will never replace the real thing.”

The IUP’s six o’clock series is held every Monday at 6 p.m., usually in the Elkin Hall Great Room. Next week will be a roundtable discussion on the Constitution featuring the actual, literal Founding Fathers in the Ohio Room of the Hadley Union Building (HUB).

Hamed Ouattara’s Bolibana Reimagines Disposability + Possibility

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Design

Burkinabé multidisciplinary artist and designer Hamed Ouattara’s first American solo show – Bolibana – is currently on exhibit at Friedman Benda. Known as one of the most prominent voices in contemporary African design, Ouattara’s new body of high-design work has been unveiled in a residential setting in the Hollywood Hills. In the Bamana language of West Africa, ‘Bolibana’ refers to the unusual end to a journey, or a transformation. Ouattara is known for upcycling discarded industrial materials – like his signature oil drums – into colorful art that uses the debris to tell the end to the story of waste and global trade.

Afrika

Ouattara’s work combines the spirits of artisanal and industrial to create a culturally significant and visually striking result, questioning the disposability and reimagining the possibilities of material and design. Throughout the Bolibana exhibition, he celebrates traditional techniques and craft, with each work’s accumulated patina telling a story of its past.

Afrika

Ouattara approached the work in two ways – first by focusing on the reuse of waste from the increasingly industrialized Burkina Faso, and second by re-engaging with the craft and knowledge that’s been lost due to these same changes. The latter drew influence from the Sudano-Sahelian architecture of mythic cities, such as Timbuktu, Djenne, and Bobo Dioulasso, marking an exploration into new territory.

Afrika

Created and repurposed entirely by hand, the pieces of Bolibana are made using indigenous and ancestral metalworking techniques. Due to a limited supply and access to resources, all hinges, nails, and tools necessary to bring these works to life were crafted in Ouattara’s workspace, Studio Hamed Ouattara.

Afrika

Founded in 2002 in Ouagadougou, the studio uses materials that highlight patterns of trade and reflect the state of local development and economy. The studio collaborates with artisans in Burkina Faso to shine a light on these issues and more, like overconsumption, use of resources, the environment, and sustainability.

Afrika

Djeli Tradition Teller

Budu Ethnicity

sculpture and two paintings in an art gallery

Photo: Julian Calero Courtesy of the artist and Friedman Benda, Los Angeles

sculpture and painting in an art gallery

Photo: Julian Calero Courtesy of the artist and Friedman Benda, Los Angeles

two sculptures and painting in an art gallery

Photo: Julian Calero Courtesy of the artist and Friedman Benda, Los Angeles

In the installation images above, you’ll note a second exhibition that coincides with Bolibana, displayed by albertz benda. The art of the late
Wassef Boutros Ghali adorns the walls of the gallery.

To learn more about Hamed Ouattara’s Bolibana solo show at Friedman Benda, visit friedmanbenda.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Local photographer selected for Art For The Health Of It exhibit in Blessing Health Hannibal

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Photography

HANNIBAL — The September/October Art For The Health Of It exhibit at the Hannibal Arts Council’s satellite gallery in Blessing Health Hannibal features works by Hannibal photographer and Alliance Art Gallery member J. Barry Wright.

Wright combines the reality of photography and a selective focus of imagination to illuminate the beauty in everyday objects. The result is a work that celebrates repetition of forms and combination of colors, transforming the familiar into the fantastic. Wright received his first camera at the age of ten and immediately fell in love with the art of photography.

iOS 17 is getting two big new photography upgrades

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Photography

iPHONE 15: What you need to know

Two of Apple’s new photography options are coming to more than just the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, thanks to an iOS 17 update that will be available very soon.

Announced at the iPhone event this week, Apple now boasts two new photography options. There’s a new 12MP ProRAW option and a new HEIF Max 48MP option for taking photos.

The former lets you access the added editing power of RAW images without the massive size of those big 48MP images. RAW files have greater bit depth, allowing for more colors, which in turn leads to better variation in color and smoother gradients. Basically, the photos look better. The latter will let users take HEIF (high-efficiency image file format) photos in 48MP format, allowing users to capture larger and more detailed images without the huge storage drain. You’re average 48MP ProRAW image takes up 75MB of storage, a HEIF file only uses 5MB.

More flexibility

These are two welcome new additions to iOS 17 that will benefit users beyond iPhone 15. Notably, the HEIF Max photos (48MP) will let iPhone 14 Pro users show off that larger sensor without draining all of their storage. Meanwhile, ProRAW 12MP files will let budding photographers on older iPhones create even greater edits of their shots. iOS 17 is coming on September 18.

There were also a couple of big hardware upgrades to iPhone photography announced this week. iPhone 15 will get the stunning 48MP camera from the iPhone 14 Pro, a really welcome addition. Meanwhile the iPhone 15 Pro Max benefits from 5x optical zoom and some pretty wild image stabilization too. You can pre-order the iPhone 15 from Friday, and the release date is September 22.

We’re covering all the Apple iPhone 15 event news and reactions now that Wonderlust is over. Don’t miss all our iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, iOS 17and watchOS 10 coverage so far.

The Power of Creative Restraints in Photography

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Have you ever packed the perfect kit for a trip only to feel weighed down by too many lens options? Or maybe you’re wandering around with a trusty zoom lens and end up missing shots while deciding which focal length to go for? This video succinctly explains why creative restraints – not flexibility – are often the key to achieving creative focus.

In one of his shorter videos, Pat Kay takes less than six minutes to explain how creative restraints can fuel your output as a photographer. After breaking down the basics of creative limitations, such as using primes instead of zooms, he goes on to explain that deliberately placing creative restraints on your photographic approach can boost focus and accelerate your progress. So, more than simply picking up a fast 50mm prime to limit focal length choice, he’s talking about having clear goals and setting limitations that will push you in the right direction.

As someone who almost exclusively shoots with prime lenses, I spent a lot of time doing the former. Almost as soon as I bought my first camera, I shot with every prime I could get my hands on before I even understood the characteristics of focal lengths. As a result, it actually took me longer to reach the point where I had clear goals and could place informed creative restraints on my photography – not only in terms of gear, but also my approach.

Are you the kind of photographer who likes to work with creative restraints or is flexibility a better asset for you?

Herman Miller Releases Its First Nesting Chair Called Fuld

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Design

First previewed at MillerKnoll’s Design Days in Chicago, Fuld has officially been released. Herman Miller’s first nesting chair is designed in collaboration with German industrial designer, Stefan Diez and is like no other. What stands out among other nesting chairs is Fuld’s flexibility to reconfigure workspaces without sacrificing style, with a sleek, minimalist design.

”I am thrilled to have designed the first nesting chair for Herman Miller,” says Diez. “There’s no other company that cares so much about engineering and quality. It’s very supportive, it’s quite unparalleled, very forward-thinking. The collaboration with Herman Miller never feels like it’s driven by constraints, but driven more by an idea. It’s clear what we’re working for: The product that comes out from the process is not a product that is a compromise, and that’s what I love.”

It was Diez’s commitment to the environment that led to Fuld’s design – a pioneering one-piece construction in an inverted Y shape – that results in less production waste. The chair’s back includes a bit of elasticity, keeping you comfortable as your body makes small shifts and movements. Only two materials were used to manufacture Fuld, and both are easy to recycle at the end of the chair’s lifetime. An optional 3D Knit textile seat is also available, made from 50 percent post-consumer recycled content. It’s knitted to the chair’s exact dimensions, so there’s no fabric waste here either.

“We’re excited to welcome Stefan Diez to the Herman Miller portfolio after his work for the wider MillerKnoll collective,” said Malisa Bryant, Senior Vice President of Global Product. “Diez prioritizes sustainability and innovation within his designs which have long been core values for Herman Miller.”

Fuld is available in dipped-in-color options that include the seat, seat-back, and legs in one hue as well as dual-color combinations.

Fuld is available to contract customers for purchase through MillerKnoll dealers. For more details, visit hermanmiller.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

‘Sexual experimentation was central to our lives’: Chloe Sherman’s best photograph

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Photography

I moved to San Francisco in my early 20s and fell in love with it: the vibe, the ocean, the hills. It’s a big city on small terrain and feels like nowhere else. But it also gave me access to something I longed for: a diverse, vibrant and radical queer community. It was shocking how many people made up the queer scene in San Francisco in the 1990s, which is when this image was taken. It all felt so fast; there was so much going on. I would walk out of the house and immediately run into people I knew. On any given night of the week, there was a club night, event or show that people would be at – often more than one.

We lived in tight circles of friends but our extended networks were vast and constantly overlapping. People moved in and out of your life; you drifted apart and you came together again. Our lives revolved around the Mission District, a predominantly Latin neighbourhood in the heart of the city.

I can’t recall exactly when I met Dusty and Mary, the couple in this photo. I lived with Dusty in a houseshare for a few years. Mary was a friend of a friend before becoming Dusty’s partner, and spent a lot of time at our place.

I carried my camera everywhere at the time. Photography was a casual, spontaneous, integrated part of my communication with somebody – it was built into the fabric of my life. On this day, we were leaving the house we shared when I saw Dusty and Mary sitting in this car and knew I had to capture it. The car was an old white Rambler that seemed to make the rounds of San Francisco’s queer scene. Few of us owned our own cars – we all shared. I was struck by how beautiful they looked.

I love the colour and composition. There’s a lick of red pulling from the right foreground into the centre of the image. It’s like an invitation into a new world, like looking into a snow globe. And there, right in the centre, you have Dusty and Mary, staring directly at you with this smouldering gaze. I took a whole roll of shots. In those pre-digital days, you never knew what you had. Taking rolls to be developed felt like an Easter egg hunt. But this image stood out because of its sheer emotional warmth.

Dusty and Mary loved the shot. It became a ritual among my friendship group to share images and hand out prints. We would sit and look at this archive of our lives. In retrospect, it was such a gift to have been able to reflect on our life as we lived it. I think it added a kind of excitement and pride about the lives and community we had built.

It’s not just their intimacy that strikes me now; it’s also how perfectly it captured a specific time in San Francisco’s history. Dusty and Mary were an iconic butch-femme couple, and their look is so distinctly 90s – Mary in the slip, Dusty in that archetypally masculine white vest. It’s both a document of my personal history and a document of queer life at a specific moment in the city’s history.

This was a time when a queer community couldn’t be located easily online. To find people like you, you moved to cities like San Francisco. It’s easy to see, in retrospect, that this was a turning point for LGBTQ+ rights: it was long before marriage equality, but I think we were aware, even at the time, that we were part of a broad cultural shift. The world we lived in was a pretty radical counterculture: experimentation in terms of sexuality and gender was central to our lives, and we were not embraced by the outside world.

In preparing these images for the new book, I’ve been really struck by the reaction of the new queer generation. There’s a hunger for seeing and understanding their queer history, and for a glimpse of the lives that came before them. I hope my work helps to archive and contribute to our collective history.

Renegades. San Francisco: the 1990s is published by Hatje Cantz

Chloe Sherman’s CV

Born: New York, 1969
Trained: “Fine art photography degree at the San Francisco Art Institute”
Influences: Dorothea Lange, Mary Ellen Mark, Del LaGrace Volcano, Nan Goldin, Eugene Richards, Alex Webb, Lewis Hine, Henri Cartier-Bresson
High point: “Hearing feedback that my work has moved, inspired, or empowered someone”
Low point: “My transition from film to digital. I struggled with the new technology and gear – and missed the formatting and tactile experience of film”
Top tip: “A great shot is sometimes the quiet, ordinary or unexpected moment. Observe behind the scenes, where the story is often more intimate and intriguing”

How Bham Film Walk is making film photography popular again in Birmingham

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Local photographer Mack McCollum at the Bham Film Walk in August. (Nathan Watson)

By now, it’s no big secret that film photography—yes, like your parents’ old 35mm cameras—is making a huge comeback. Across the world, a growing community of photographers are setting down their new digital cameras in favor of their simpler analog predecessors. Birmingham is no exception.

Learn more about the Bham Film Walk and see how you can join.

The rising popularity of film photography

Local film photographers at a Bham Film Walk meetup near Lakeview. (Photo by Blake Calhoun, taken on a Canon P with Ilford HP5)

Over the past decade, film photography has seen a massive resurgence in popularity across the globe. Whether it’s the “film look”, the analog process, the anticipation of seeing your scans—or a little of all three—there’s something about film photography that is appealing to a new generation of photographers.

“I catch myself thinking that people just want to shoot film because they’re influenced by Instagram and YouTube, but there is more to it. A lot of young people have not experienced analog or physical forms of art, and I think they want to. Physical arts—like film photography, painting, hand/writing poems or journaling—have the ability to romanticize memory in a way digital forms can’t. I think a lot of people are looking to hold their memories tight in the modern world.”

Mack McCollum, Photographer and Bham Film Walk attendee

Seth Kuntz using a Yashica TLR at a Bham Film Walk. (Photo by Mason Criswell on a Fujifilm X-T3)

Unlike the instant gratification of digital photography, film forces the photographer to separate the moment from the results. In addition, the limitations of film—either 24 or 36 photos on a standard roll of 35mm film—requires photographers to choose each shot carefully and deliberately.

“Film photography has always intrigued me because it is tangible, organic and has a life of its own. Film is making a resurgence because technology consumes every aspect of our lives in today’s world. The art of waiting has been lost. I feel film helps keep patience alive in today’s instant world. There is value in that.”

Leigh Ann Edmonds, Photographer and Bham Film Walk attendee

Last year, local residents Jake Patrick and Jordan Higgins opened the first professional film lab in Birmingham in years—Electra Film Lab. In addition to developing and scanning film, Electra Film Lab has begun selling 35mm and 120 film that you can’t find anywhere else locally.

“All of the greatest photographers shot with film, and the medium’s chemical and physical nature brought life to their art and message. I think of all the artists who inspire me—Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, William Eggleston and Fan Ho—and how their use of film created art that matters. Each shot is precious and each story mattered. That inspires me to use it, too.”

Mack McCollum, Photographer and Bham Film Walk attendee

Enter Bham Film Walk

Local photographers Noah Ray and Blake Calhoun had the idea for a film walk community in Birmingham during a recent couple’s trip to Chicago with their wives (coincidentally both named Rachel!)

“The four of us brought our film cameras to a Chicago Bears game and got some great shots at the tailgate and walking around the streets of Chicago. When we were walking back, I asked, ‘Why don’t we have something like this in Birmingham?’ Chicago is a lot like Birmingham—sure, the streets of Birmingham aren’t as crowded, but the architecture is there.”

Noah Ray, Co-Founder, BhamFilmWalk

Local photographers meeting up before embarking on the film walk, taken with Ilford HP5 in a Nikon F2. (Nathan Watson)

Noah and Rachel—who run a successful wedding photography business in Birmingham—put out a poll in their Instagram to see if anyone else would be interested in a community film walk in The Magic City.

“We got a really good response, so we were looking forward to our first official film walk in January. Then, the day comes and it’s terrible weather—17 degrees and sleeting. Only two other people showed up, and we walked before it started raining so much we were forced to go inside. After that we thought the film walk was a terrible idea, but we decided to give it one more month. February rolls around and we’re meeting at Paramount. When we turned the corner, we saw more than 25 people standing outside—we knew then that it was really happening.”

Noah Ray, Co-Founder, BhamFilmWalk

What to expect at a Film Walk

Noah Ray (second from the left) talking with Blake and Rachel Calhoun. (Photo by Brandon Chalmers, Ilford HP5 on a Canon A1)

Held each month, the Bham Film Walk is an opportunity to meet new people interested in film photography, to ask and answer questions, to be inspired by incredibly talented photographers and—most importantly—to take photos.

Typically, a Bham Film Walk event kicks off at a local establishment, such as Black Market Bar & Grill in Five Points South, Paramount in downtown Birmingham and The Lumbar in Pepper Place. After giving attendees some time to arrive and catch up, Noah and Blake will give a short introduction to any new members before the group embarks on the walk.

(Photo by Russell Marbut, Canon AE-1 Program + Portra 400)

Although Noah and Blake plan out a tentative path for the walk, attendees are encouraged to explore the area on their own or with other members of the group. Eventually, the Film Walk attendees will reunite at another local establishment for food, drinks and visiting.

“Whether you’re an experienced photographer or its your first time picking up a camera, I want people to know that everyone is welcome at each Bham Film Walk event. Its a place where you can feel free to ask any questions you might have about film photography—sometimes I don’t even take any photos because I spend the whole time catching up with friends and meeting new people!”

Blake Calhoun, Co-Founder, Bham Film Walk

Want to join the next BhamFilmWalk? Here’s what you’ll need.

Obviously, you’ll need a film camera. Film cameras can range in price from $40 plastic Holga 120’s to $50,000 special edition Leica’s, so what’s the best option for you? First, I’d recommend reaching out to family to see if they have an old film camera laying around. If not, check local Facebook Marketplace listings and antique stores—you might find one! If that doesn’t work, eBay is usually a safe bet—just make sure you read the description carefully.

Pro Tip: Want to buy a film camera locally? Check out B Photo Supply and Framing in Pell City or Chris Barrett’s showcase at Hanna’s Antiques Mall in Birmingham.

Some popular film cameras for beginners include:

Canon AE-1 or AE-1 Program
Olympus OM-1
Minolta X700
Pentax K1000
Pentax Spotmatic
Nikon F

I’d recommend testing the camera to make sure it works before buying it. Google is your friend here. Once you have a camera, you just need a few more things!

That’s all you’ll need! Watch some videos to figure out how to load, use and unload your camera. Then, drop your film off at Electra Film Lab or send it off in the mail. Indie Film Lab and Southerland’s are both located in Alabama as well.

The next Bham Film Walk event is scheduled for Sunday, September 17th! Follow the Bham Film Walk Instagram to learn more about the upcoming event!

Edinburgh Printmakers – exhibition explores relationship between Scotland and India

Sep 13, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

The new exhibition at Edinburgh Printmakers will delve into the relationship between Scotland and India. From Where I Stand is a mix of prints and multimedia artworks by seven international contemp…

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Wynne Home Presents: Artist and Author Charles D. Jones

Photography, leadership go hand-in-hand in Daniel Caron’s Six O’clock Series Seminar

Hamed Ouattara’s Bolibana Reimagines Disposability + Possibility

Local photographer selected for Art For The Health Of It exhibit in Blessing Health Hannibal

iOS 17 is getting two big new photography upgrades

More flexibility

The Power of Creative Restraints in Photography

Herman Miller Releases Its First Nesting Chair Called Fuld

‘Sexual experimentation was central to our lives’: Chloe Sherman’s best photograph

Chloe Sherman’s CV

How Bham Film Walk is making film photography popular again in Birmingham

The rising popularity of film photography

Enter Bham Film Walk

What to expect at a Film Walk

Want to join the next BhamFilmWalk? Here’s what you’ll need.

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