Atlanta Celebrates Photography

The time of year when Atlanta is filled with photography events is going on right now.  There are excellent exhibitions and talks happening throughout the next 6 weeks or so.  Check out the ACP website to see the online guide.  When you are out -- pick up a copy.  This lists all the events by date.  My work is part of 6 events this year.  I feel as if I have scattered photos all over the city.  So far it has been fun and I cannot wait for other events.

I have one photo in the SlowExposures exhibit and one at the show at the Whiskey Bonding Barn.  The listing for this event is here -- and there is one weekend left to see these wonderful shows.  Along with 5 other photographers, I have a variety of work at The Art House Gallery in Buckhead.  The reception for this event is October 7.  Another event and reception on October 7 is at Arts Clayton Gallery.  My son and I have work in this show.  The Women in Focus show at Mason Murer Fine Art is titled "Illumination."  There are four of my photos there.  And for the last event -- juried by Fay Gold -- the Roswell Photographic Society's open competition listing is here.  The reception for this one is also Friday October 7.

If you see me out and about at a photo event -- say hi.  Or, if you see any of my photos, please email me to let me know what you think.

Atlanta

view from a parking garage

Yesterday I had some errands to run in Atlanta.  The busy season of 'Atlanta Celebrates Photography' is about to begin.  I was dropping off some work and picking up a couple photos from the In Your Dreams show at the APG Gallery.

escalator

I like getting above something to get a different view.  Standing above the bottom of the escalator the patterns and people make an interesting composition.

looking through the courtyard

From the same spot as the escalator photo -- but instead of looking down -- this is looking across.  Through the windows at the entrance of Crawford Long Hospital you see the trees inside the courtyard and trees outside.  I like the pattern on the large window and the buildings in the distance.

air vac at the bottom of the stairs

Sitting at a stop light, this was on the side of the street.  I love this photo.  

free

Another scene from the car.  The colorful paper boxes all begging you to take one for free.

Kitty

Yesterday morning we discovered Kitty did not make it through the night.  She had been looking quite frail lately.  She had been a part of our home for over 15 years.  

We brought Kitty home from a PetSmart adoption event.  She was my birthday present that year.  We were living in California at the time.  The adoption volunteer told me that she, along with her litter mates, were found in a cardboard box in a parking lot in Garden Grove.  From that bit of information, we called her Crystal for two reasons; her blue eyes and the Crystal Cathedral is in Garden Grove.  But after a while we did not think Crystal suited her and she became Pearl -- and Pearl became Kitty because she had no clue she had a name.

Kitty always had that cat attitude and would let me take her picture -- but you knew she really did not like it.  The photo on the blog was taken during a severe thunderstorm as tornado sirens were going -- she just sat on the couch.  One time we picked her up from a stay at the vet's office.  The tech made mention that she was so good and "did not live up to her reputation."  When I got in the car I told my family what the tech had said and we laughed.  We did not know Kitty had a reputation -- and from then on we said her theme song was Joan Jett's Bad Reputation.  So now -- think that song when you think of our Kitty -- we do.  

Southern Memories: Part Two

About a year ago I wrote a blog about Southern Memories: Part One.  Now I am knee deep in preparations for Southern Memories: Part Two.  Part One was about places -- indoors and out.  Southern Memories Part Two: The People is the second exhibition curated by John A. Bennette at The Whiskey Bonding Barn in Molena, Georgia as a part of SlowExposures 2011.  The show will consist of a selection of portraits taken in the region by local and national artists.  The community will also be invited to participate in this exhibition with a wall of historical images and snapshots provided by members of the community, with their notes and stories about life in the area and their families.  

I am inviting all who read this blog -- if you live in the south -- to contribute to the wall of images.  Please make an inexpensive copy of any old family photo. You may simply place a photo in a copy machine and create a copy for this show.  I printed one on plain printer paper from a digital file.  On the piece of paper you copy or print on, please write who is in the photo, where it was taken, and any other information about the family or photo.  If you live in the area -- please drop off these family memories at A Novel Experience in Zebulon.  If you do not live in the area -- email me for instructions on how to mail it in.

For a long time I have been restoring old family photos using Photoshop Elements  -- this blog post showing the changes to a photo of my great grandfather is a good example of an old family portrait and what may be needed to help preserve it for future generations.  I have given talks at The National Archives Southeast on this subject.  The old photos I have are safely stored in protective sleeves in archival albums.  The only old photos I use for display purposes are copies that I printed out myself.  The digital files are also safe -- in case I, or someone else, would like a copy.  As many long time readers know -- my Christmas tree is decorated with old family photos -- portraits of family and old homeplaces.  I am hoping to put together a small handout for this exhibit with tips on how to preserve old photos.  Time is precious these days -- I have a lot going on -- more about that on future blogs -- but preserving old family photos is important.

Artists participating in Southern Memories this year are:

Dave Anderson

Paul Conlan

Malgorzata Florkowska

Gary Gruby

Jessica Hines

Sarah Hoskins

Jane Robbins Kerr

Joanna Knox

Kendall Messick

Donna Rosser

Jerry Siegel

Marilyn Suriani

Jo Lynn Still

Hai Zhang

Opening reception is September 16 from 5pm to 7pm at the Whiskey Bonding Barn.