2012 Workshops on Salt Spring Island

The new year is well under way. Spring leaves are just beginning to emerge from branches near my home.  I'm working indoors these days, under grey, rainy February skies. The quiet of this season feels important. At the same time, there is a vitality to it that I love -  a sort of hushed excitement with it's own momentum and promise, like music that slowly builds into a wildly triumphant crescendo (like flowers are!) by about August. 
We are a lot like plants, I think, in the way we go about life by the nature of the season. I look out onto the still bare earth in the garden, knowing that there is a tremendous amount of activity going on just beneath the surface. By the way, last weekend, our local seed exchange was packed. I take that to be very good sign for things to come. 
Speaking of planting seeds...my 2012 Photographic Art Workshops catalog is ready! You'll find the summaries and general information posted below. If you would like to receive the full catalog by pdf, please drop me an email request.
Information for additional workshops taking place outside of British Columbia will follow at a later date. 
My best wishes to all. May you see beauty in your life today.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE – SPRING/SUMMER 2012

March 11       Sharing Your Work            

April 21-22     Inner Landscapes         

May 11          Sharing Your Work          

May 12          Flower Portraits              

June 1           Sharing Your Work          

June 2           Printing Your Images         

June 23-24     Mounting  to Wood          

July 8-9         Inner Landscapes                   

July 10          In the Field                           

July 19          Sharing Your Work          

July 20          Printing Your Images       

July 21-22      Hand Painting          

July 27          In the Field                 

July 28-29      Flowers Extravaganza       

Mar - Aug      One on One Creative Photoshop: 

                    6hrs Private Training       

 

Sharing Your Work with the World

You have images. Now what?

Many people have an abundance of amazing images hidden away like a well kept secret.  The images live in computer hard drives, on discs, or in boxes in closets. Have you thought about what would you like to do with your images, and who might be waiting to see them?

This workshop is about discovering real options, and gaining insights about how to act on what you decide. I will present the most valuable aspects of what I’ve learned over the last twenty five years of practicing photography as my full time livelihood. I have been directly involved in everything I will teach you.

By the end of the day, you will have learned important vocabulary, and gathered useful resources to help you in taking steps toward sharing your images with the world for personal or professional purposes, or both. This information is intended to help you develop your own “roadmap” and an action plan.

Working as a small group will allow us to personalize our explorations by drawing on samples of your images, and you will be encouraged to voice your ideas and dreams for them.

We’ll discuss topics such as:  Representing your own work, approaching galleries, getting published, working with agents, contracts, internet platforms, arts & craft fairs, creating products, reproductions vs originals, and more.

$145 +hst   Four dates available: 

March 11, May 11, June 1 or July 19th. 

Participants are encouraged to bring a representative sampling of work. 

6 participants per class.

The Art of Photographing Flowers­

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, 

our whole life would change. -Buddha

 At the breakfast table, in the garden, on a hillside, at the market…with a mystical magnetism, flowers never fail to reach out and capture our imaginations, inspiring us to record and share their beauty.

But how can we possibly do them justice? That is our quest.

Working both in the studio, and outdoors, with cameras in hand, we will spend the day enjoying the company of flowers. You will learn the “must-have” contents of my gear bag, as well as the beginning, middle, and end of my approach to photographing flowers throughout the last twenty years. 

Flower Portraits: A one day intimate study of flowers, fresh from the garden! Part lecture and demo, part hands on photo session.


May 12     $145 +hst

Photographing Flowers Extravaganza!  A two day total immersion in the art of photographing flowers in studio and garden settings. We’ll begin at the Salt Spring Farmers Market where we’ll gather blossoms. Then, move on to the studio for comprehensive hands on photo sessions both indoors & out. Lecture and demo time will be interspersed, finishing with downloading and review of images. This is going to be a lot of fun!


July 28-29    $255 +hst

Mapping the Inner Landscape

Sometimes a single photograph speaks a thousand words. Other times, a photograph is just the beginning – a key to unlocking hidden stories.

In this two day creative intensive., we’ll use multiple images in Photoshop, as well as mixed media techniques, to explore and express dimensions of experience beyond the captured image. You will discover methods for articulating your vision, gathering its parts, and putting them all together, to tell your tale.

Spread your wings…

Participants will be asked to bring images and a laptop. All other materials are supplied. Participants should come with basic Photoshop skills for maximum benefit during the first day of this workshop.

 $255 +hst   Two sets of dates are available: 

April 21-22  or July 8 - 9 

Hand Painting Digital Photographs

Learn to take your images to the next level, with the personal touch of your own hand.

Hand-painting is an inspiring and fun collaboration between artist and image.  With the first few simple strokes, an image takes on greater depth, and the heart of the author begins to emerge.

In a relaxed, bright studio setting, over the course of two days, I will work with you, step by step, and side by side, guiding you through the process of applying texture and color to digital photographs, using acrylic paints, pastels and pencils. Working in both color and black & white prints, you will learn techniques such as accentuating lines, enhancing highlights, tinting large areas, and more.

Tips for selecting optimal printing surfaces for your images, handling and presenting your finished artwork, and the option of using oil paints will be discussed.

July 21-22   $255 +hst  

All art materials are supplied.

You will be asked to bring work prints. Suggestions for selecting them will be given upon registration.

All levels welcome. 6 participants per class.

Mounting Images to Wood Panels

A mounted image holds a space in a room in a very special way, similar to the way an original painting influences the atmosphere far beyond it’s frame.

Freeing an image from the boundaries of a framed border can transform it from being an object, into becoming an experience.

Along with a mat and frame, glass is still traditionally used with photography to protect the print and display it elegantly. For certain images however, choosing to mount images to wood panels is especially effective because it allows for the elimination of the barrier, and distracting reflections, created by the glass. A beautifully mounted image allows the viewer more immediate access to the world within the image.

In this very hands-on workshop, you will learn to produce mounted artworks, from start to finish, using all archival materials and processes.

You will leave with a piece of your own work, ready to hang, and the knowledge to continue the technique at home with simple tools and easy to find materials.

This course is divided between two consecutive days to accommodate drying times.

June 23 - 24  $145 +hst

Participants will be asked to bring a selection of prints to choose from for mounting.

6 participants per class.

Most of  the materials used are water based. 

Please notify of any chemical sensitivities in advance.

Making Your Own Fine Art Prints

This is a high quality, relatively low-tech, approach to printing your own images on traditional and alternative media., using affordable equipment.

In this workshop you will learn what it takes to do all or most of your own printing in your own home or studio. I’ll teach you the basic vocabulary of printing, and will demystify the printers, media, and ink options available.

Using your images, we’ll experiment with a variety of papers and fabric samples. 

Emphasis will be on creating fine art prints with maximum archival properties.

We’ll also discuss why and when you may need the precise knowledge or specialized equipment of fine art printing experts, and you will receive resources for locating those services locally and beyond.

$145 +hst Two  dates are available for this one day workshop.

June 2 or July 20     All levels welcome.6 participants per class.

Into the Field with Cameras

Spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer it has chosen. 

-Minor White

The intention behind this day long photographic exercise is to heighten awareness, expand experience, and clarify how best you can gather up a strong image, that captures your experience, into that little frame, in the box we call a camera. 

Rather than being about “taking” a picture, this workshop is about how to be deeply receptive to the gift of the image that presents itself to you.

The day will begin in the studio with samples and a preparatory discussion on subjects such as seeing, light, color, depth, composition, narrative and presence. Then, we’ll put our walking shoes on and head out to photograph near the studio on Salt Spring Island.  In the afternoon, we’ll download your images, view your selections, and discuss the results.

$145 +hst  Two dates are available for this one day workshop.

July 10   or July 27  All levels welcome. 6 participants per class.

Creative Digital Techniques: One on One

When a little goes a really long way….

This season, I am offering a limited number of one on one sessions specifically focusing on creative techniques using Photoshop. To the photographers out there for whom this was designed….you know who you are. Here you go - this is for you!

I think of this very concentrated learning opportunity as being like a short bridge between where you are now, and where you might like to go next, with your work.

A total of six hours of customized personal training will be divided up into two or three sessions, according to personal preference.

The content of each session will be tailored very specifically to each photographer’s, starting place, artistic goals, and learning style..

Practice tasks will be assigned to follow each session, and detailed notes will be provided afterwards to use as an ongoing resource. A complimentary 1 hour follow up for Q&A is included.

$275 +hst  

Dates arrangement between March  - August 2012

Sessions will take place at my Salt Spring studio, unless other arrangements are requested. 

For sessions in other locations, or off island, additional fees may apply.

Skype sessions are an option.

There is a world within you no one has ever seen 

A voice no one has ever heard  -  not even you.                    

-Paul Moray


REGISTER:

Due to the limited class sizes, advance registration and payment is required

Registration by phone is preferred:   (250) 537-6120

To register by regular mail, please email to request the form.

IMPORTANT: For all mailed registrations, please be sure to call to verify that space is available.

When you call, a space will be held for you for five days, to allow time for your form and payment to arrive.

Payment: Visa/Mc or Checks accepted.

After registering, you will receive confirmation by email (please specify if you prefer standard mail). Confirmation will include a receipt, directions, and additional information and instructions for preparing.

Fees include all materials, coffee, tea & delicious light snacks.

Cancellation policy: Rainchecks will be given in lieu of refunds for registrations cancelled. However, In the event that extreme circumstances should force the cancellation of a workshop, all registered participants will be fully refunded.

*Apologies that the studio is not wheelchair accessible. 

                                                                                               Photo (above) by Elehna de Sousa. Thank you Elehna!


                                                                                               Bio photo by Shari Macdonald. Thank you Shari!

Gifts

The imagination always comes bearing gifts.


Wishing you all well this holiday, and throughout the new year.

Inspired

A beautiful, quiet winter day today...
The maple tree outside my studio is bare. It looks very elegant - Its branches strung with heavy beads of rainwater, and dozens of tiny birds who seem totally jazzed to have found the feeder.
I'm working on some new pieces, which I plan to bring to the annual Beaver Pt. Fair, here on the island this weekend. If you're in the neighborhood, it takes place on the evening of Dec 2, & all day the 3rd and 4th until 4pm. I love this event, and look forward to spending the weekend there every year.

I've also just finished making some hand made gift cards to serve as a really special version of a gift certificate. I made one that I hope will put a little magic into the moment when it's recipient opens it.
I have always believed that one of the best things art can do is to inspire someone else to tap into their own creativity. And, after a few people recently asked about giving the gift of tutoring, workshops, or artwork to their loved ones, I decided to create a menu of ways to make that possible.
If you're interested, or would like detailed information and pricing on any item or service, please give me a call or send an email. I will be able to mail gift certificates until December 16th to most places.

2012 workshop information will be posted in January. The one on one tutoring and creativity sessions are available year round, in person or via Skype.

A happy season to all!

Open Studio

Savour the Season

Art & Breakfast

Croissant Story

Greetings!

I could spend a lifetime photographing the stories of where our food comes from, all the way from the fields to the table. And, I love to meet people who put knowledge  and passion into what they do. 

These images are  from my recent series of hand painted acrylic transfer prints on wood. Not only are they hanging at one of our favorite local eateries "Barbs Bakery & Bistro", but they're also of  the bakery, and what goes on there in the wee hours of the morning. The show will be up until the end of July. 

If you're interested in learning more about how this series came about,

 I'll attach the show statement below.

I've been enjoying experimenting with acrylic transfer printing lately, and this technique seemed particularly appropriate for a subject that is all about hand made. The transfer techniques are tricky, but also a lot of fun to do. It takes me back to my days of working with Polaroid films,  producing similar effects, yet with all new latitudes. 

Slow food is happening fast every night in the Barb's kitchen....

This series of photographs came about thanks to a Christmas cookie.

A couple of years ago, during the winter holidays, my daughters and I made some cookies that we put a lot of love into. As a holiday greeting,  I posted a picture of them to my art blog.

Not long after that, Barb's owners, Jennie and Jason, began plans to build a new website for their bakery & cafe. Jennie came across my blog, saw my cookie posting, and thought she may have found a photographer who just might also be a foodie.  She was right. 

I have been coming to Barb's for years, and have been impressed by the incredible job Jason and Jennie have done to restore, and expand upon, something the legendary Barb started many years ago. 

I, for one, am really glad they have managed to turn it back into a place where locals enjoy gathering for coffee, good food, and a chat.  Long before these photographs were made, I admired the sight of the freshly baked loaves of bread, lined up neatly on the wood rack behind the pastry case, which is also always full of decadent eye candy. So - I was glad to accept the task of creating a body of work for Barb's.

Jennie, Jason and I sat down one day and made a plan for what they might need for their website. To get to know their products better, I came down one night last summer at midnight and stayed until morning, observing the whole process.

To say I was impressed would be a massive understatement. Jason, and his amazing assistant baker Kai, moved like athletes non-stop all night. The whole event (and it is an event!), in a few words, was all about experience, teamwork, efficiency, and care. With the stereo playing, Jason and Kai stayed in perpetual swift motion. Glancing from time to time up at the clock all night, and with few words spoken, they turned scoops of flour into an incredible variety of  picturesque breads, croissants, & pastries. They worked with the urgency of being up against the clock, yet with an amazing gracefulness and quiet confident artistry. 

When the sun began to come up, they literally ran the hot loaves to the wood display shelves, and filled the baskets with pastries. 

Without a doubt, what I most appreciated observing was the utter care with which each and every single pastry and bread loaf was handled. I could see that Jason gets truly excited when the dough is just right, the edges of the bread are exactly the right brown, and the danish pastry is perfectly tender -"real butter is key". He held each pastry like he was putting a baby bird back in it's nest, and as if he didn't have 500 more to make.

In a world that has gone way too far down the road of mechanized mass food production, I am relieved that this island is one oasis where reverence for food and it's origins is still alive and well. That's

easy to see at the market on Saturdays. Not so easy to see what happens in the Barbs kitchen, six nights a week. That's why I wanted to show some of the photos. Trust me, the show is not a Barb's ad. That's not necessary - you're already here. 

The show is to pay homage to Jennie and Jason for keeping it real. Speaking of which, the barley levain bread - toasted...wow!

PS The Barb's website was completed, thanks to the expertise of Morgan Donnelly, and it looks great!

Workshop Descriptions

Hand Painting Digital Photographs

Learn to take your images to the next level, with the personal touch of your own hand.

With the first few simple strokes, discover how to reveal the heart and depth that exists in the collaboration between you and the image.  Hand-painting is an inspiring and fun process, transforming each image into a one of a kind artwork. Working on both color and black and white prints, we will enliven images by accentuating lines, enhancing highlights, tinting large areas, and more.

In a relaxed, bright studio setting, I will work with you, side by side, guiding you through my own particular process of applying texture and color to digital photographs, using acrylic paints, pastels and pencils.

Tips for selecting optimal printing surfaces for your images, handling and presenting your finished artwork, and the option of using oil paints will be discussed.

Three dates available for this one- day workshop:

May 15  Sunday

June 26  Sunday

July 11   Monday

10 am – 6 pm

$145

You will be asked to bring a few work prints. Suggestions for selecting them will be given upon registration.

All levels welcome.

6 participants per class.

Photographic Alchemy

Alchemy: A power or process of changing one thing into another; esp., a seemingly miraculous power or process of changing a thing into something better.

This workshop explores the creative process of transforming any photograph into something beyond the original capture, bringing it closer to your vision.

We will discuss ways to identify, and visually emphasize, your original inspiration for a photograph, as well as reveal possibilities for using the original image as a launching point for your imagination.

Through a slideshow of before and after examples, lecture, discussion, questions, answers and samples, you will become aware of an inspiring and infinite world of possibilities for your images.

Emphasis will be placed on the use of Photoshop techniques, hand-embellishment, and alternative printing surfaces.

This inspiring day is about planting seeds of creativity. We will not be attempting to create finished products.

Participants should come prepared with several images* to be used in discussion, and a notebook. A laptop computer is optional.

Three dates available for this one- day workshop:

May 21  Saturday

June 24  Friday

July 9     Saturday

10 am – 6 pm

$145

Open to all levels of experience. Knowledge of Photoshop is helpful.

6 participants per class.

*Details regarding images will be given upon registration.

Layering Images in Photoshop

This workshop is an inspiring digital adventure for Photoshop users who would like to explore the immense creative potential that lies within every image.

You will learn to combine the original photographic capture with additional images for added content, color and texture. Layering images an art form in itself, yielding unique artworks with endless possibilities.

I will instruct this workshop as a step by step process, with all of us working on a common image, at the same time, on laptops. In the first half of the day, using a projector & screen to guide you through the process, I will share my favorite tips and techniques for layering. As we proceed, during the second part of the day, you will have the opportunity to work with your own images.

With an emphasis on creative play, artistic integrity, attentiveness to detail, and a respect for the subject and “story” of the image, you will be well on your way to a whole new world of image making.

Printed notes will be supplied, so that you can review the information, and continue the techniques at home.

Participants are asked to bring a camera and a laptop. Basic knowledge of Photoshop is required. CS versions recommended.

Three dates available for this one-day workshop:

May 22  Sunday

June 25  Saturday

July 10   Sunday

$145

6 participants per class.

Mounting Images to Wood 

Mounted images hold a space in a room in a very special way, similar to the way an original painting provides an atmosphere far beyond it’s frame.

Freeing the image from the boundaries of a framed border can give it the potential to be transformed from being an object, to becoming an experience.

Also, choosing to mount images to wood panels allows you to eliminate the glass that is traditionally used with photography, but can be distracting not just because of reflections, but also the fact that there is an actual barrier in between the image and the viewer.

In this very hands-on workshop, you will learn to produce beautiful, polished mounted artworks, using all archival materials and processes.

You will leave with a finished piece, built to last a lifetime, along with the knowledge to continue the technique at home with a minimum of tools. 

This course is divided between two consecutive days to accommodate drying times needed for glues, etc.

Three sets of dates available for this two- day workshop:

May 29-30  Sun-Mon

June 27-28  Mon-Tues

July 12-13   Tues- Wed

2 – 6  day one, 10 – 2  day two

$145

You will be asked to bring a selection of prints to choose from for mounting. Instructions will be given upon registration.

­­­­

6 participants per class.

REGISTER:

Registration by phone is preferred:   (250) 537-6120

All workshops are $145, less $5 each for multiple registrations.

Due to the limited class sizes, advance registration and payment is required.

Accepted forms of payment: Visa/MC, Check.

Fee includes HST, all materials except for prints, coffee & tea.

After registering, you will receive confirmation, a receipt, directions, and additional information, by email (or standard mail if preferred).

Workshop Schedule-Spring/Summer 2011

Voila... The WORKSHOP SCHEDULE for the coming spring and summer is ready!

I am excited about this series of small group sessions, all of which will take place here on Salt Spring Island, in the new studio.  

The workshops are designed around the kinds of things some of you have asked for, as well as being subjects I particularly like to work with.

Every session is limited to six participants, to provide each of you a very personal, focused learning opportunity.

My approach is always to teach what I do. I do my best to distill many years of exploration and practice, down to what works, and share that with you.

My goal is to provide you with skills and ideas, that will unlock the door to the potential that exists in each of your photographs. I trust that every time you have lifted your lens to photograph something, you did so as a response to inspiration. That initial inspiration is the key, and will be an important focus of our time together.

I’m really looking forward to these workshops. We’re bound to have some fun. 

I've also been working on putting together workshops in southern California, and the Santa Cruz area  because of requests, followed by kind offers of help with logistics, from some wonderful people in those areas. Look for those workshops  in the fall catalog, when it comes along around late May or early June.

If you are interested in any of the workshops this spring/summer here on this beautiful island, send me and email, or give me a call to request the full catalog by pdf:

amylmelious@gmail.com

(250)537-6120

Cheers,

Amy

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE: SPRING/SUMMER 2011

May 15 Sun          Hand Painting Photographs

May 21 Sat           Photographic Alchemy

May 22 Sun          Layering Images in Photoshop

May 29-30 S-M     Mounting Images to Wood

June 24 Fri           Photographic Alchemy

June 25 Sat          Layering Images in Photoshop

June 26 Sun         Hand Painting Photographs

June 27 –28 M-T   Mounting Images to Wood

July 9 Sat             Photographic Alchemy

July 10 Sun          Layering in Photoshop

July 11 Mon          Hand Painting Photographs

July 12-13 T-W     Mounting Images to Wood

Painters Lodge this Weekend

Just a reminder that Photographers at Painters is coming up this weekend. There are still has some spaces available for the weekend workshop extravaganza in beautiful Campbell River, Vancouver Island.  Here's the link: Photographers at Painters

Bound to be at least as much fun as the royal wedding!

Momentous!

I'm thrilled to share that I've recently moved my art studio to a bright new cabin in the trees, here on Salt Spring Island!
I'm incredibly grateful, and proud of the fact, that for nearly twenty years, I have been able create a life that included a home studio. I have made art while the soup simmered, the kids did their homework, the cat wanted out...and I wouldn't have had it any other way (okay, maybe less laundry).
Now, all of my daughters have grown into beautiful women, gathering their own creative momentum. At a certain moment, I realized it was time.
This new studio is perfect for what I do, and plan to do in the future. I feel so fortunate to have had it come my way.
My daughter, Chloe, described the excitement of it very well when she said "It's like when the winds came, and Mary Poppins arrived with the umbrella, you know?!"  She called me the next day to say "Momentous! That's the word for it!".