“Katherine” by Dale Sparage

As a photographer I’ve learned to pay close attention to the qualities of light, noticing the subtle details it reveals in color, form, and direction. This spring the light glows with a gentle intensity as it illuminates the birth of new growth. It brings to mind the seeds that I’ve planted within my own heart during the dark, cold seasons of past winters.

Seeds, or Sankalpa, is the Sanskrit word for intentions, or more poetically, “our heart’s desires.” Deep within I’ve been nurturing the desire to find new life, like new spring plantings, clearing my heart of barriers so I may live with greater presence.

To my delight, this spring I’ve realized some of these dreams, finding love in a new relationship, as well as blossoming with creative potential by renewing an old photo assignment into a new project.

Several years ago I was asked to do a series of photographs that documented yoga asana for Strut magazine http://www.strutmag.com . I completed the assignment, it was archived and tucked away. Recently, the owner of Karma Yoga ( http://www.karma-yoga.net ) asked if I would print and frame some of these shots to hang in the studio. As I dug into the photos, I was again inspired, realizing how yoga and photography were coming together for me.

Trained as a yoga teacher in 2003, I chose not to teach yoga but to return to the College for Creative Studies and teach Digital Photography instead. I noticed my yoga practice began to deepen after my teacher training.

Today I’m ready to begin a series of new photographs that combine yoga asana within landscape. Through my experience with yoga and photography, I’m aware that light remains constant, continuously shining, and expanding our consciousness even though at times it appears to be concealed from us. I plant the Sankalpa within my heart. I’ve learned to wait and be patient, knowing that even during challenging times…although I may not feel or see it…I know the light is there.

Cape Farewell
One place that grows darker and warmer as I write is Greenland. David Buckland came to Cranbrook http://science.cranbrook.edu/planetarium/featured/earlier this month to discuss this very fact. Speaking about the current exhibition, “Cape Farewell” curated by the artist, Buckland explained the eminent danger of climate change he’s been experiencing firsthand through expeditions to the Arctic with other artists, musicians, writers, photographers and scientists. As much as 28 percent of the ice is disappearing due to the release of carbon dioxide into the environment. Each of us creates a carbon footprint of about 22 tons carbon dioxide per year. Buckland is hoping to cause a cultural shift that will be initiated by his film and book, “Burning ICE” and the exhibitions that he and other artists are presenting around the world. More info can be found on the Cape Farewell website.

Saturday, May 1, 2010, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Through May 29th

Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography presents MAYDAY an exhibition featuring images by three contemporary fine art photographers: Olaf Breuning, Yisook Shon, and Woojin Choi.

Olaf Breuning is a Swiss-born artist who lives and works in New York. His most recent showcase was in March 2010 at the Whitney Biennale where he took inspirations from one of the exhibition buildings, the 18th century Upper East Side Armory for an installation called The Army, thirty miniature metal soldiers marching to war. In the Fall of 2009 he exhibited at Metro Pictures in NYC.

Yisook Sohn received her BA literature from the Ewha Womans University in Korea and completed her MFA in photography from the Graduate School of Art & Design, Sangmyung at Seoul in 2007.

Her work has been exhibited in Korea and in the United States, including 15th Griffin Juried Exhibition, International Exhibition of Fine Art Photography in the Center for Fine Art Photography, 19th Annual Juried Show in the Contemporary Arts Collective, Las Vegas, as well as featured on Women in Photography. Yisook was the recipient of Lens Culture International Exposure Awards in 2009 as an Honorable Mention, 3rd annual photography masters cup in 2009 as an Honorable Mention, and 1st edition of Hey, Hot Shot! 2008, Honorable Mention. She had her first solo exhibition Madame C in 2009 in Seoul, Korea.

Woojin Choi received his BFA in Filmmaking from Chungiu University in Korea also his BFA in Fine Art from University of California. Woojin is expected to receive his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2010.

Woojin has received Audience Award from Korea Youth Film Festival in 1999. His images will be shown at Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit as his MFA graduate exhibition through Cranbrook Academy Art.

Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography
7 North Saginaw Street
Pontiac, MI 48342
Gallery Hours Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 1:00- 5:00 Gallery aslo open by appointment

At Pontiac’s Creative Arts Center from May 1 to May 15, 2010
The reception will be held on Saturday, May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Exposed: The Art of Getting Published is a multi-media exhibit hosting the works of John Cohassey and Steven Mitchell. The reception is a “meet and greet” artist event. John and Steven will conduct a question and answer session exposing methods they employed to become published in the world of art.

Since the early 1990s, John Cohassey, has written music CD liner notes, and over fifty entries on blues and jazz for Gale Research Inc.  His articles have appeared in the Detroit News as well as trade jazz and blues magazines. His first book, Toast of the Town: The Life and Times of Sunnie Wilson (Wayne State University Press, 1998), which chronicled the glory years of Black Detroit, won an award of merit from the Historical Society of Michigan. John was also a consultant for the History Channel’s 2007 documentary, Hippies. In 2008 John published his second book American Cultural Rebels:  Avant-garde and Bohemian Artists, Writers and Musicians from the 1850s through the 1960s (McFarland Co. Inc.).

Steven Mitchell began his photography career in 2003.  His “Off the Wall” collections are known industry-wide and sold in national-chain department stores as well as through independent retailers.  Steven’s images are the blending of media.  They are “a recipe of flavors and colors found in the world around us.  I blend and knead the various elements of the art world that result in an explosion of the senses,” stated Mitchell.  Steven recently began Mindgasmz, a GREEN greeting card collection sold Michigan-wide. The cards pair Steven’s “Off the Wall” photographer with his “Off the Wall” sense of humor.  They project a delicious slice of life without the calories.

The Creative Art Center is located at 47 Williams Street in Pontiac, one block south of Huron (M59) and one block west of Woodward Avenue southbound.  There is free, lighted parking in the Center’s lot on pike Street, behind the Center.

Saturday, April 24th, 2010 9 am-1 pm

Do you have a nagging feeling you can manage your images better and faster? Are you insecure about your archiving and backup systems? Are you ever disappointed in the final output of your work? Join ASMP and learn about dpBestflow, the definitive digital imaging resource for gaining efficiency, profitability and excellence.

Seminar Topics
* Make informed decisions about choosing the best workflow for your needs
* Maintain the color intent and quality of your work
* Preserve your digital image files (and the work that you do to them) for the short and long term
* Communicate more effectively with clients, printers, digital labs or anyone else handling
your files
* Work more efficiently so you can focus on creating great images and growing your business

The Presenter
Prolific author, provocative speaker and Adobe Photoshop Certified Expert trainer Jay Kinghorn guides companies in strengthening their workflow processes and envisioning creative uses for photography. The second edition of his book Perfect Digital Photography, which he co-authored with Pulitzer-prize winner Jay Dickman, was released in June 2009.

Details of the seminar

This event is free of charge, but space is limited to the first 100 people who register. Register for the seminar.

Saturday, April 24, 2010
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Doors open at 8:30 am

Regular Gallery Hours:
Wednesday-Sunday, noon-5 pm
www.scarabclub.org
313.831.1250

The Scarab Club, 217 Farnsworth St.
Detroit, MI 48202

Show dates :  March 31st – April 30th 2010
Reception:  Friday, April 9, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Lawrence Street Gallery presents their fourteenth annual photography exhibit, a juried show expected to draw submissions from approximately 100 area photographers.  Exhibited works will include 35mm black/white and color, digital, and enhanced/experimental images. Visitors to the show will see photos of great beauty as well as the humorous, political, and those that push the limits of the medium.

Hugh Grannum, the juror for this show, retired from a career as a staff photographer at the Detroit Free Press after thirty-seven years as a prolific image-maker.  He has taught at several area colleges, and his work has been exhibited internationally and nationally in venues such as The Studio Museum of Harlem, New York; Toyota, Japan; Toronto Art Gallery and the Detroit Institute of Arts.  Grannum has received many awards including an Emmy in Broadcast Journalism as a still photographer and awards from the Michigan Council for the Arts and the National Press Photographers Association.

Visitors at the opening  on April 9 will enjoy refreshments while meeting many of the photographers in the show and viewing the awards presentation.

Gallery Hours are Wed, Thurs & Sat, noon – 5,  Fri, noon – 9
Lawrence Street Gallery is at 22620 Woodward, Ferndale (east side of Woodward, two blocks south of 9 mile).
Telephone 248-544-0394, or visit us at www.lawrencestreetgallery.com

Senior Photography Students from College for Creative Studies exhibit their work
March 20 through April 3, 2010
Reception Saturday, March 20th from 6-9pm

The camera is the photographers’ medium to express their observations and interactions, in response to the world and their impulse to reveal it. The photographs by these selected will provide viewers with the early opportunity to experience the work of these student artists, whose passion for art is revealed by the fresh expression of both developing talent and, already, an eye to see beyond the camera lens.

MONA.
7 North Saginaw Street
Pontiac, Michigan
T +44 (248) 210-7560
http://detroitmona.com/index.html
detroitmona@aol.com

Through May 28, 2010

Thomas Frank continues his exploration of non-referential photography with a current solo exhibit at University Commons in Ann Arbor. Twenty six new works are included, many in square formats and multiple squares. He has been making images filtered through a glass block since 2000. The newest work heightens color brightness. All works are archival pigment ink jet prints on fine art papers. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. It runs through May 28.

University Commons, 817 Asa Gray Drive,
Ann Arbor, MI
Phone 734-332-1221. Ask at the office for exhibit location.

Recent photo works of his can be viewed in the Members Gallery at www.hatcharrt.org.

Daniel contributed creative ideas and an artistic point of view to the shoot, making it a fun and unique experience. To view the complete portfolio of Yoga Dan go to http://www.dripbook.com/dalesparage/book/yoga-dan/. To see Yoga Dan’s profile you can visit Facebook or Twitter.

Looking ahead to February, I’ll bring you more about love and longing, including the scoop on artist Chido Johnson’s project, “Let’s Talk About Love, Baby,” part of the artists books show at the Oakland University  Art Gallery.  The exhibition was curated by Dick Goody.

I also want to fill you in on an exciting venue in Royal Oak where artists, musicians, poets and writers are paid to perform and showcase their work. Check back soon, and remember…“The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.”