Photoshoot for St. Thomas More School

At the end of last year, I did a quick photoshoot for my sons' school here in St. Paul. I didn't pick the kids, but that's my youngest 2nd to the right with some of his classmates:

Click here for a larger version.

A few days ago, that image appeared a 1/2 mile from school on a billboard on Grand Ave here in St. Paul:

A friend sent me a pic right away saying she saw my son on her drive home from work.

And today, I also spotted that image in the Villager, a newspaper for the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul:

Click here for a larger version.

I've never had a photo on a billboard before. It was fun working on something I'm not used to (or comfortable) doing.

But working with kindergartners also reminded me that I made the right career move by being a college professor. I'm happy to work with young adults any day. God bless kindergarten teachers!

Color Theory Joke

After a few generations, wouldn't they all just be a shade of brown?   :)

Winter Break

There's possibly some truth to this...

Grades are nearly submitted! My winter break will soon begin!

**looks around**    Now where's that "honey do" list from my wife?...

"Open Studios" 2019 at Hamline University

Last night was the "Open Studios" event at Hamline University. The "Digital Media Arts" (DMA) department and the ARTS department opened the doors of their studios to show off student work from the semester. Here are some photos I snapped throughout the evening:

[Click on any photo to enlarge.]

Trying out a VR project.


Kennedy exploring a VR space.


Design projects (conceptual movie posters) in the hallway.






Some short videos being screened in a room in Drew.


In my normal classroom, all the computers had web design and/or student designed games.






Some students and families taking a look.


Josh telling people about the projects.


Student photography work in a slideshow in the hallway outside of our classroom.




Outside in Studio C, there was a lot going on...


... students looking at projects and zines...


... a "creative writing" class doing some readings...


... and more readings among the art.






Sculpture work in Studio A and B.


Some cast figures.




In the Drew Fine Arts building, there was a 8' x 18' project by an
entire painting class representing recent forest fires in the Amazon.
(Each of those canvases is a different student, and they are 30" x 30" each.)


Here's 1 of many covered walls in the printmaking studio.


Back in Drew Hall, there was a conference room that was turned into a book design showcase.




"dreamBot" by Josh and Dave from the DMA Department.


Close-up of the bottled "dreams" of the interactive work "dreamBot."


Back in the Drew Hall basement, there was an interactive sound piece in the
"maker lab." You could put on headphones and speak into the blue (3D printed) ears.


Micah and Cole experimenting with it.


Listening to some of the recorded audio.




Some audio projects set up in the audio suite.


Chloe and Hannah listening/watching some audio projects.


Animations on display down the hall.


I'd never been in the room converted to a letterpress space until last night.


Anyone who stopped by got to ink up some type.


Pulling a print with Curt's help.


Curt showing some students the type.


My print at the end of the night. It had been previously inked in red, so I
rolled some purple on in spots to give it this stained/mottled look.

Thanks to everyone who came to check out the work! Now, good luck with finals next week!

"Open Studios" is This Thursday

The Art Department and the Digital Media Arts Department at Hamline University are having their 5th annual "Open Studios" event on Thursday evening.

Direct link: youtu.be/fkpUAeNJfTo

I hope to be there for at least part of it. My students will have some of their photography from this semester (and a bit from last semester as well) on display in the basement of Drew Hall (near the east end of that map above).

Thursday, Dec 12, 4-6 pm. Come check it out! Here's a link to Google Maps that will put you on Simpson Street at the east edge of that map - right next to a parking lot, Drew Hall, and Studio C.

Review Santa Fe

I recently got a catalog for "Review Santa Fe" in the mail. I was one of a 100 photographers who took part in this event 14 years ago (before I was blogging). Here's a bit from their website regarding what it is:

CENTER’s premier juried portfolio review event, the Review Santa Fe Photo Festival, is a weekend conference and festival for photographers who have created a documentary project or fine art series and who are seeking audience expansion, critical discussion and community gathering in a unique place.

[...]

This special weekend festival has been called one of the most effective professional development programs for photographers in the world. The reviewers and the 100 Photographers travel from around the world to take part. Hosting over 1,000 one-on-one portfolio reviews with curators, editors, publishers and international festival directors who each year come to Santa Fe to view the photographic vanguard.

I was lucky enough to get accepted right out of grad school, and I even was given a travel grant/scholarship to attend (most likely partly due to a great letter that Alec Soth wrote for me). Inside the magazine that recently came in the mail, they shared a listing of participants over the years, and I found my name:

The 2005 crew.


There I am!