IMAGINE = IMAGE at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery June 24 – June 27, 2013
ABOUT IMAGINE = IMAGE Does your school picture do you justice? Want to say more about who you are? Looking at famous people and portraits, using cameras, smart phones and more you will create a portrait during this workshop. What will your portrait say about YOU?
The National Portrait Gallery IMAGINE=IMAGE Program uses the power of portraiture to prompt young people to closely examine themselves – who they are and who they aspire to be. Using digital media, students explore image-making by creating a portrait that reflects key aspects of what makes them who they are. The final portraits will incorporate techniques and ideas seen in portraits at NPG. The student portraits will explore issues central to the students in regards to self-image and what image they convey to the viewer.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes The NPG IMAGINE=IMAGE Program meets middle schools aged kids at a point when they are exploring their identity and focusing on the messages they want their image to convey. Middle school students are beginning to define who they are to the world – through what they wear, what music they listen to, how they are perceived by their friends, and how their relationships with their families are changing. Creating portraits that represent themselves is an ideal scaffold for exploring identity and the power of image-making. Participants use a greater understanding of how and why portraits are made as a launching point to more closely examine themselves and the people around them. Digital media practices enable participants to record their observations, make rough sketches of their ideas and test them, reflect on what they see and understand about themselves, and present their ideas and work to others. It also provides opportunities for participants to recognize the utility of using media to collaborate, reflect, and test ideas, as well as curate and exhibit those ideas to an audience. Sponsored by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the Pearson Foundation’s New Learning Institute.
Meet the Team Visiting Artist
Teen Mentor
Jenn Duncan
Morgan Williams
Jenn Duncan is a sustainable artist from Los Angeles, CA. She is formally trained in photography with an extensive background in fine art, film and digital photography. Jenn is informally trained and self-taught in many other disciplines of art and design including permaculture design. Sustainability is at the forefront of her lifestyle and comes naturally when working on projects. She is, currently, developing and teaching programs to elementary to middle school aged kids.
Morgan attended the 2012 Imagine=Image workshop and was invited to return this year as a teen mentor. “I walked away from this workshop with a much greater understanding of photography and portraiture. I had a better appreciation for photography and am still interested in it to this day. So much so, that this upcoming school year I am going to be taking a photography class to expand my knowledge and understanding further." - Morgan
Facilitators: Geri Provost (NPG), Briana Zavadil White (NPG), & Jane Drozd (PF)
Writing Using a series of questions, the teens explored their own interests and values. The final result of this writing was a simple statement of “My purpose is ____.” and “I am here to cause ______.”
“My purpose is...I am here to love God and to build great friendships and to live life full of smiles and to never regret what made me smile. I am here to cause many great things for myself because I have no control over any other person's life except for my own.” –Kyle “My purpose is to create and help others. I am here to cause unity (NOT uniformity).” – Elizabeth
Questions: Ø Write your top 10 values Ø What am I most passionate about? Ø What causes or issues is most important to me? Ø When have I been the happiest? Ø On an awesome day (not perfect), what am I doing? Who am I with? How do I look, feel? Ø What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail? Ø Then finally: My purpose is… And I am here to cause…
“My purpose is to be the best I can be and to cause leadership.” – Javon
“My purpose is to express my self through creativity. I am here to cause positive changes in my friends and families lives.” – Dermot
“My purpose is to save lives. I am here to become a doctor.” – Cooper
“My purpose is to make it to the NBA. I’m here to cause happiness to my family.” – Bryce
“My purpose is to make the world a better place. I want to cause happiness.” – Paul
“My purpose is to become aware of and understand society and to become intelligent. I am here to cause people to be enlightened about our global situation and internal and external issues we all face.” – Cecelia
“My purpose is to help people. I am here to cause a new basketball
“My purpose is to make a change in my family's bad history and be a part of the video game industry. I’m here to cause joy, love, and trust to others and a difference to show I’m not like everyone else in my family.” – Dwayne
legacy
” – Matthias
“My purpose is to.... be somebody important in life. I am here to...cause a change.” – Anthony
“My purpose is to create art using photography and film, and to live an exciting life while learning as much as possible. I am here to cause people to come together and experience life as it should be.” Lela
“My purpose is to invent something great. My cause is to create happiness for the world.” – Garrett
“My purpose is to create a healthier generation of people. I am here to cause peace and happiness!” – Elijah
“My purpose is... to inspire and succeed. I am her to cause determination.” – Jalynn
“My purpose is to: educate myself, and help others. I am here to cause: Change.” – AnnaMarie
Final Portraits & Artist Statements
Anna Marie
Anthony
Me AnnaMarie Otor (2000 - ) Digital Ink Printer, 2013
Anthony’s Portrait Anthony Jackson (1998 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
In my portrait I decided to portray two things I enjoy: music and relaxation. Music has been a large part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started piano when I was 5, violin when I was 10, and viola when I was 11. I'm also interested in pursuing guitar and cello. Relaxation is also important, with all the activities of everyday life, you need those moments to sit back, relax and smell the roses. As silly as it may sound, relaxation is a key factor to living. These two concepts are important to my life in various ways, they're a few (of many) things I do in my spare time.
I did this pose for my final project portrait because I thought it was cool and I didn't really have any other ideas for the final image. I like to play basketball and also like to go out and have fun. I like to dress nicely. As you can see in the picture, I have on a Ralph Lauren Sport shirt, also known as RLX. My expression is plain because I am a chill person and I'm not really that complicated.
Bryce
Cecelia
Struggle For Justice Bryce Jones (2000 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
Bright above dark Cecelia Whettstone (1997-) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
I chose the photograph of Asa Philip Randolph as the setting for my self-portrait because it was interesting to me. Many groups of people have been treated unfairly, and as a result have fought for rights. I created a sign that said "Justice has been served!!!" because of the change from the past to now. My pose is serious in the picture because I am thinking about the seriousness of this time in history.
For this portrait I wanted to convey that there is always a light in every aspect of life. If you are engulfed in darkness, sorrow, and pain, a guiding light will come to relieve you from your agony and leave you in peace. It gives you time to rest but after that it’s your job to rise above the darkness from where you came and make it a point to never return there.
Elijah
Cooper DEEP THOUGHT. Cooper Tolbertsmith (2000 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013 I chose this pose because I think that this pose shows me thinking and people need to think in order to achieve goals in life. I decided to place myself here because the grey background gave a feeling of calm to the picture. The hat I chose drew attention to my face and body. My expression gave the idea that I was in deep thought. Lastly, I chose to do a close up because my face is most important to my portrait.
Self-Portrait Elijah Scott (1997 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013 The world is full of numerous issues and conflicts, many of them beginning with our health. Whether it be the lack of food in some countries, or the lack of correct nutrition in others, I believe that it is important to address these issues, and I am passionate about solving them. So, I applied my passion for good health to my portrait, placing myself among the beauty of "mother nature" such as sunlight, exotic orchids, sweet apples, and sturdy leaves. Overall, I hope to encourage others to embrace the Earth's resources, and put their health first.
Elizabeth I Come In Peace Elizabeth Shaw (1999 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013 The dress and window look painted, as if I'm emerging from one of the portraits that line the walls. Often, I feel as if I don't belong, or at least very different from everyone else. This self-portrait symbolizes that I am different, but in a good way. My peaceful expression and the morning light streaming through the window embody the joy of new beginnings. Also, the sewn on wings are meant to show that your life is yours and no one else’s, and you can choose to be whoever or whatever you want. I had so many great pictures, it was difficult to choose! This picture, however, invoked an almost overwhelming sense of serenity, and I really connected with the image it portrayed of me.
Garrett The Artist Garrett Brown (2000-) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013 In my portrait, I wanted to portray myself as an artist painting the wall with different designs because art is one of my passions. The black and white represents all of the things I have to learn and finish in order to become a great artist. The pallet is lit up so it catches the people's eyes and shows what the portrait is about. I’m wearing regular clothes because they make me feel the most comfortable when I'm painting. My expression is serious and I'm deep in thought so I can focus on painting.
Javon
Lela
keep PUSHING Javon McNair (2000 - ) Digital Ink Printer, 2013
Looking Through the Lens Lela Brown (1997 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
It’s NOT a sport it’s a talent.
My purpose in this world is to create art using photography and film. It is my passion to explore the world and capture parts of my journey with a camera. That way I can share my adventures with other people. Photography, in a way is kind of like time travel. The photo can take you back in time to when the photo was taken, which is fascinating to me. The photographer has control of whatever you see, or don't see. I often find myself studying the world around me, determining what is picture-worthy and what isn't.
Matthias
Paul
Let's Get Ready To Rumble Matthias Frazier (2000 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
The Two Sides of Paul’s Personality Paul Andrews (1999 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
The reason why I chose the pose is because I love boxing and I would love to be an announcer or a commentator. When I saw that there was a boxing match going on I just had to interrupt the match to be a commentator.
For my portrait I took a picture on the stairs leading to the Great Hall. The reason I took my picture in the Great Hall was because it is a nice place to make a self-portrait. I tried to capture two different sides of my personality [the fancy side and the casual side]. I think my portrait shows my two sides perfectly, because I am sitting casually on the stairs but I am in a big fancy room.
Dermot
Delon
Leaning Pole Dermot O'Leary (1999 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
Hall of a Champion Delon Smith (1998 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
This portrait was created to show my creativity, dedication, originality, and appreciation for art. With this portrait I used the National Portrait Gallery’s courtyard for my portrait. I chose the courtyard because of its soft lighting to give my photo a cool, airy, and light effect. I chose to lean against a post because the shade would provide good lighting and the pose would express my creativity and make my photo unique. The reason why I chose to do black and white was to provide a less distracting picture with its lack of bright colors. I hope this portrait will give the visitor a view of my style, values, and taste.
I selected this pose because I have seen great basketball players before me take on the same position when they receive their Hall of Fame status. I thought it was kind of cool to photograph myself in this way. It was a special type of look for me because I love to play activities and achieve a lot. My dream was to have my face next to the greatest leaders of basketball in the world. The whole point of this image was to attract viewers to my self-portrait. I strive to be a great basketball player, who will earn many honorable awards for my talent. In my self-portrait, I illustrate this by placing myself with a Hall of Fame basketball player
Jalynn Memories Jalynn Howard (1997 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013 My portrait is being represented as something that is not only enjoyable to me but also peaceful in a way. I chose a black and white portrait and chose to leave the color in my shoes to stand out more. Everything around me in my portrait is peaceful, natural, and simple. Taking and keeping photos leads to memories. They can be from the past or the present, happy or sad. Either way they're all still memories right? Memories are one of the things I value, without them what would we have to look back on? What would we remember without pictures of those times?
Dwayne Yin Yang, Good Bad, Different but Equal Dwayne Melchoir (1997 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013 When thinking about an idea, a symbol came into my head. The yin yang symbol. I thought DARK (mean,enraged,hateful) people always show their DARK side. But they have a LIGHT side as well. My LIGHT side shows joy, love, and respect. My DARK side shows shadyness, anger, rage, and emptiness. There are things that trigger which side you are. Like childhood traumatization, fears, family, people, mood or attitude. Everyone sees my LIGHT side because I contain my DARK side. The expression I have is plain, no anger or sadness or joy. My face is divided so I show LIGHT and DARK sides. The setting was to show I'm alone in my own world and all focus is on me. "Yin Yang, Good Bad, Different but Equal".
Kyle
Jordan Violoncello Jordan Bretzfelder (1997 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
Kyle’s Portrait Kyle Mathewson (1997 - ) Digital Ink Jet Printer, 2013
I am a cellist and play for both my high school's Orchestra and String Quartet. I began playing when I was in the third grade and continued playing until seventh grade, when I moved to playing the piano instead. Two years later the music teacher at my high school convinced me to begin playing again and this eventually led me to play for his orchestra and later the quartet. The cello represents both beauty and a challenge as it is a difficult instrument to master and constantly presents me with obstacles. However, the cello is also beautiful with its rich sound and wide range of notes. The image is meant to represent the effect music has had on my life and how it has helped me grow into the person I am today.
This picture describes my personality pretty well. My happiness is very important to me because when I am happy I feel like I know how to make other feel the same way. I like new and exciting things and I like to try new stuff. Making others happy I feel is a priority in my life because I am not a selfish person. Happiness is a key to life and nobody wants to be sad so why should anybody be? I pointed at the camera to represent the friends that I have rather than posing for myself.
Reflections from Teens: Elijah: “During this week, I have learned that the Portrait Gallery isn't just a museum that contains photographs, paintings, and other forms of art. It is a place that tells a story of this country's history through each portrait, and gives people an insight into American lifestyle/culture throughout the past and the present. Having visited many of the galleries here before, I was expecting to look at many of the portraits as I always had. But because of this more intimate experience, I looked at many of the portraits through a different lens, and begin to realize that the simple objects, lighting, color, postures, and expressions were what made the portrait a success. In terms of photography I learned how to position objects, find great locations, and more importantly, adjust for great lighting. I found that these factors can make or break a picture. Lastly, I realized how important my values truly are to me, and that that is how I want to define myself.” Anthony: “What I learned about the portrait gallery is that is contains very interesting photographs of many important people. What I learned about photography is that there are many ways to edit. There are also many ways to make sure that u take a good picture. One rule to use in order to take a good photo is the rule of thirds. What I learned about myself is that I don’t have a problem with taking pictures and I like taking them.” AnnaMarie: “I have learned a lot about the portrait gallery these past few days. I learned that every element of a portrait is important, it always has some sort of meaning. I also learned about all the different kinds of portraits made, and got to see an extensive collection in the gallery. I have also learned many many things about photography this week. I learned about the rule of thirds, about how objects that appear in threes in a photo is more pleasing to the eye. I also learned about the depth of field, and the importance of lighting. It will definitely be helpful to remember these things in the future. I'm not sure I honestly
learned a lot about myself this week, but I did learn that I really do love photography! I guess in my self examination answering all those questions, I just thought of things I already knew about myself.” Jordan: “I learned about the gallery with the portraits from the competition, last time I was here I didn't see that gallery. I also learned that there were numerous other galleries I didn't remember from when I used to come here a lot with my dad. I learned about the Rule of Thirds, how to properly use those light modifiers and how to adjust depth of field. I learned that I really hate carrying my cello around and that I definitely have room to grow as a photographer.” Javon: “What I learned about the portrait gallery is to have self expression. Be open to all angels and higher achievement. What I learned about photography is to use composition. I also learned to also use the rule of thirds, and how shutter speed effects your photo. What I learned about myself is to have fun.” Dwayne: “I haven’t learned really anything new because my father brought me to this museum before. I’ve learned photography isn’t just keeping a camera still and taking a good picture but all about lighting, shadows, the director and model. I’ve learned that I continuously fight myself on the inside to make the right decision.” Jalynn: “In the Portrait Gallery I’ve learned that there can be more meaning to a photo or painting. Looking deep into a portrait can tell you a lot about the person who is either in the portrait or the creator of it. A portrait can also tell a story or the personality of someone. For photography I have learned that there is a lot more you can do to a photo (editing, one-third rule, etc.), and many other set-ups for photography. There are many different styles of a photo, settings,
poses, layouts, etc. What I’ve learned about myself is that I actually enjoy photo taking now that there's other things I can do with them.” Lela: “I have learned many things about the portrait gallery. I have learned about the art of making portraits. The portrait gallery holds many historical and modern portraits of many people. Each portrait tells a story about whoever is in the portrait, and it has been exciting to learn and discover those stories. I haven't learned what I didn't already know about photography, but it was good to relearn some things. Photography is an art form that should be taken just as seriously as painting or drawing. During these past four days, I was able to rediscover myself and my purpose in life. It was also fun to practice my skills in photography.” Garrett: “This was my first time at the portrait gallery so I learned a lot about many different artists and their work. I've learned a lot about photography too like the rule of thirds, how to use grids, Photoshop, natural and artificial light and making your own portrait. What I learned about my self was that photography is one of my passions and I enjoy taking photos of nature and using Photoshop.” Bryce: “The things I learned in the portrait gallery are a lot photography words and how it takes time to make the paintings and take the pictures. The things I learned about photography is to take your time with the photo, try to make it the best picture you can. The things I learned about myself is I thought I didn’t like photography as much but since I took this workshop I like photography a lot. Thank you for all your help!!!!!!!! Maybe I’ll see you next year.”
Paul: “This week I have seen a lot of amazing photographs and paintings in the Portrait gallery. I have learned about the Portrait gallery's mission to preserve the works of famous artists. I have learned a lot of good techniques for taking photographs. I learned about the rule of thirds and how to change the lighting in a photograph. I also learned how to express myself through photographs. This week I have also learned a lot about myself. I have learned more about the kind of person I wish to be.” Cooper: “I learned that the portrait gallery has many different themes and great architecture. I also learned about the rule of thirds and how to manipulate lighting to improve your photo. Lastly I learned that I can express my self through photography.” Dermot: “My experience at the portrait gallery has been great I have learned many things during my time here. During my experience I have learned about the different eras of portraits, the moods they reflect, the people many portraits were portraits were taken of, different ways to present portraits, and different types of portraits. I have also learned more about photography during my time here. I have learned about exposure, hard and soft lighting, position of props, ways to take a picture, the rule of thirds, stop motion photography, settings, and editing. Finally I learned about my self. What my values are, my style, what I wish to do in the future, etc.” Cecelia: “I have learned that the portrait gallery owns some art but a large amount of it is borrowed from artist. I have learned about special lighting and shutter speed in photography. I have learned that I can take pretty good photos.”
Thanks from Parents: “Elizabeth has been having the time of her life this week! Looking forward to seeing the showcase tomorrow! We really appreciate all of your hard work.” - Amy Shaw
“I just want to thank each of you for your role in this memorable experience for AnnaMarie's summer of 2013. You must be proud if the works that were displayed earlier today. All the participants did an awesome job in just 4 days with your guidance.” - Uche S. Uchendu, MD (Mother of AnnaMarie)
“Thank you, Cooper enjoyed himself and is very proud of his portrait. I hope the rest of your summer goes well, your efforts with Cooper are much appreciated.” - Courtney Tolbert
“Thanks so much for offering this workshop! My daughter (Elijah) and nephew (Kyle) really enjoyed their experience at the camp. I know it's not always easy to engage teenagers, so I was impressed with how much they absorbed in such a short time about composition and light, and just "seeing" in general. I enjoyed the final presentation on the last day. What a treat to get to know so many kids through their art and words!” - Nicole Scott