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jim kitchen
7-Mar-2009, 16:25
Last spring, a new director from Calgary's Alberta College of Art and Design reviewed my portfolio and my gallery images, during a month long exhibition at a local gallery. At the end of the review, the gentleman asked whether I would be interested in conducting a lecture series and, or a set of workshops at the college to assist their photographic art program, going forward. Unfortunately, I declined the invitation, because my sporadic, yet energetic workload would periodically position me in a very remote area, or at a distance from my home town during my contract, therefore, disallowing any formal commitment.

That said, the college was persistent, and because my 2009 contracts are close to my home, we decided to continue our discussion, regarding the proposed lectures and the proposed field workshops last week, and where this time I agreed to participate with immediate effect. The college shall introduce me to the second-year students before the 2009 fall session, where I will try to produce a short productive workshop, during the second, and third week of April 2009.

So, it looks as though I have an opportunity to try to brighten a few restless brain cells, within a captured class of younger passionate souls. I believe I shall have fun being in college again. Then again, I remember what I did in college... :)

jim k

D. Bryant
7-Mar-2009, 16:39
Last spring, a new director from Calgary's Alberta College of Art and Design reviewed my portfolio and my gallery images, during a month long exhibition at a local gallery. At the end of the review, the gentleman asked whether I would be interested in conducting a lecture series and, or a set of workshops at the college to assist their photographic art program, going forward. Unfortunately, I declined the invitation, because my sporadic, yet energetic workload would periodically position me in a very remote area, or at a distance from my home town during my contract, therefore, disallowing any formal commitment.

That said, the college was persistent, and because my 2009 contracts are close to my home, we decided to continue our discussion, regarding the proposed lectures and the proposed field workshops last week, and where this time I agreed to participate with immediate effect. The college shall introduce me to the second-year students before the 2009 fall session, where I will try to produce a short productive workshop, during the second, and third week of April 2009.

So, it looks as though I have an opportunity to try to brighten a few restless brain cells, within a captured class of younger passionate souls. I believe I shall have fun being in college again. Then again, I remember what I did in college... :)

jim k
Good show Jim. Your students will be the lucky ones, IMO.

Don Bryant

Richard M. Coda
7-Mar-2009, 17:21
Congratulations, Jim. Sounds like a great gig.

I was asked by my daughter's (high) school art department head to come in a give a presentation last semester. I enjoyed showing (all BW) prints and talking with the kids. A lot of them only know digital so they were quite surprised when I set up the 8x10 Arca and had them take a peek under the hood. I heard one young man utter "This is really cool!" while he was under the cloth.

I have been invited back to show color one day and possibly a darkroom demo another day. We may even do a weekend field trip to a local location to photograph.

I went in the other day to say hello and saw some of the student's new work (since I first presented). I was very surprised (and pleased) to see some of the things I talked about (line, tone, shape, balance) show up in their work. Even some of the same subjects, too.

Keep us posted on your class experiences.

Brian Ellis
7-Mar-2009, 17:43
After taking classes for two years I was asked to fill in for a photography professor on sabattical and teach the Beginning Photography course in the University of South Florida Fine Arts Department. I did it for two semesters and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. USF is the second largest university in the State system but many of its students have jobs so they're going to college and working at the same time. Doing all the work demanded of them in the course wasn't easy but for the most part they did good work and I was very impressed with most of them both as photographers and as people. I'm sure you'll have a great time and probably learn as much from your students as they do from you.

bspeed
7-Mar-2009, 19:04
That's great :)
As a 52 year old Photo student, I know your contribution will be of significant value.

Eric Rose
7-Mar-2009, 21:04
Great maybe you will be able to convince them that cross-processed E6 does not automatically equate to "art".

aphexafx
8-Mar-2009, 02:36
Great maybe you will be able to convince them that cross-processed E6 does not automatically equate to "art".

Ahhh, yes, lol! Worse are the digital, over-processed shots of girlfriends in minimal clothing. I cringe at some of the digital work at school, but then I see what comes out of some of the metal casting/sculpting classes. Oh my god.

I would kill to attend one of your worshops, Jim - I hope you enjoy it!

Pfeiffer Duckett
9-Mar-2009, 08:55
Ahhh, yes, lol! Worse are the digital, over-processed shots of girlfriends in minimal clothing. I cringe at some of the digital work at school, but then I see what comes out of some of the metal casting/sculpting classes. Oh my god.

I would kill to attend one of your worshops, Jim - I hope you enjoy it!

Tri-x pushed to 6400 of roadkill!

jim kitchen
9-Mar-2009, 12:58
Dear Eric et al,

Thank you for your comments and obvious suggestions... :)

I believe my presence among the students should be very interesting going forward, and although I have an old school mindset regarding the image making process, I must remain aware that the college's core instructors motivate the students to have an uninhibited, boundless approach, while capturing and presenting an image.

For the moment, I believe the students are skewed to a creative environment, and I also believe that they are not using their digital and, or their darkroom tools in an effective, value added manner. Acquiring a value added skill set requires time and continuous patience, which very few young college freshmen seem to possess, and although there are exceptions, I do remember my own impatient attitude as a young architecture, and engineering student, and I do remember the resultant misfortunes that followed. I am constantly reminded that our digital age seems to promote instant gratification and to enhance the impatient "how come it did not work" mindset.

That said, the director asked me to present my large format film process during the introductory session, where he indicated that many students may not appreciate the time, and the effort required, but a few self-aware students may be intrigued by the non digital approach.

Anyway, I know I will have fun, and I will see whether I can introduce a technical term, or two that won't elude them...

jim k