The Visual Thinking Series

Immersion and Challenge in MicroGroups (5 students max) at Russ and Wendy's Studio

 

 

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Thinking Abstract Photography

5 weeks, starting Mon 3 Sep 2018 - 7pm-10pm - sold out!

Tuition: $290 (includes all taxes)

Modern Abstract art has a century of history and tradition that closely parallels the rise of photography.  Even with this parallel, photography has yet to become a full partner in abstract art, largely because most photographers have been busy making accurate pictures of things.

Explore the many dimensions of abstract art and join the search for new photographic ideas in this world of non-figurative, non-representational visual language.  Find that elusive boundary where photographs stop being pictures of things and start being evocative images, suggesting subjects, emotions and relationships without actually showing anything at all.

Each week we’ll explore a facet of abstract art, consider ways photography can extend that facet and work an assignment for next week.  As always, work review is a central part of our classes – and the assignments are challenging, so be prepared to think!

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Thinking Surreal Photography

5 weeks, starting Thu 12 Jul 2018 - 7pm-10pm - sold out!

Tuition: $290 (includes all taxes)

Photography is one perfect medium for exploring the philosophy and psychology of the Surrealist art movement.  Surrealism began in 1924 with the publication of poet André Breton's Manifesto of Surrealism.  At the time, Breton believed Surrealism to be a purely literary art form because the psychological states he wished to explore could be only properly expressed in words.  The visual arts soon demonstrated the power of visual language to not only express psychological states, but the languages of dreams, madness and altered states.  Photography is perfect because it has one ingredient absent in painting, sculpture and film:  immediacy – a key ingredient to Breton's methodology.  Straight photography is just the start point for your exploration of surrealism: the true power of photographic expression is unleashed when you use all the post-exposure tools at your disposal to combine, flex and mash photographs into something entirely new.

Surrealism has a rich photographic history, which we will plumb in depth.  As always, each week will feature challenging and eccentric assignments, and there will be lots to think about in the work reviews and far-ranging talks. The padded room awaits!

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The Fine Print

A 100% deposit is required to hold your seat for a class. Class sizes are small, so they may fill fast. Payment is by cheque or cash.
Refunds will only be granted if: the course does not run OR we are able to fill your seat from a wait list.

 

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