COLLECTIVE ISSUE 1 • 2008
The Visual Artist’s Collective of Henry County, Inc. (VAC) is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) focused on promoting the visual arts within our community. The VAC typically holds an official meeting every month, an outing, as well as a coffee and critique session. Historically there has been two or three contests every year to cover all mediums. The end of the year event, “Christmas with the Arts”, is a collaborative effort with the Henry Arts Alliance. While there is no requirement to be a member in order to participate in any VAC event, memberships are highly encouraged. The VAC offers low-cost membership options as well as discounted memberships for senior citizens, disabled persons, teachers, and students. There are also discounted rates when purchasing your multi-year membership plan. There are even discounts for membership referrals. The VAC is also a member of the Henry Arts Alliance(www.henryartsalliance.org) Drop us an email with questions at info@visualartistscollective.com to be added to the mailing list or find out when the next event is. Stop by and check us out!
Collective (ISSN: 1941-5281) was made possible by grant funding through Arts Clayton. The grant program is supported in part by the Grassroots Art Program of the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations of the Georgia Assembly and in partnership with Arts Clayton. This issue was also made possible by our fine advertisers and the incredible support of the local arts community. PUBLISHER Visual Artist’s Collective of Henry County, Inc. (VAC) CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jason Morrison DESIGN & LAYOUT Jason Morrison EDITOR Julie Hoover-Ernst CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS In alphabetical order: Joe Astacio, Cathy Brown, Linda Holtz, Lynn McMeans, Lanny Milbrandt, Judy Moore Mudd, Jason Morrison, and Stephen Shifflett. CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS In alphabetical order: Scott Ash, Ada Astacio, Joe Astacio, Cathy Brown, Karen Casciani, Lee Duncan, Sabine Fry, Linda Holtz, Nan McGarity, Lynn McMeans, Lanny Milbrandt, David Montedonico, Jackie Montedonico, Jason Morrison, Judy Moore Mudd, Ray Salvatore, Joe Schlemmer, Stephen Shifflett, and Timothy Stripling. PRINTING THP • Conyers, Georgia • (770) 483-5973 VISUAL ARTIST’S COLLECTIVE 2164 Highway 20 West # 181 McDonough, Georgia 30253 info@visualartistscollective.com www.visualartistscollective.com 2008 ORGANIZATION OFFICERS President – Jason Morrison Vice President – Ada Astacio Secretary – Lynn McMeans Treasurer – Sabine Fry Copyright © 2008 Visual Artists Collective of Henry County, Inc. (VAC). All Rights Reserved. No portion of this issue, including Publisher designed advertisements, may be copied, scanned, or reproduced in any manner without prior written consent from the Publisher. To purchase additional copies of this publication, please visit the VAC website at www.visualartistscollective.com for detailed information. Discounts for bulk purchases are available. Some articles in this issue include companion downloads which are also available on the VAC website. No promise or guarantee is made for the compatibility or availability of the website and companion downloads. All work presented in this issue is copyrighted by the respective authors and artists. To contact a specific artist, please visit the VAC website.
content Photography & Photoshop
Boogie
FE ATU R ES
Award winning photographer answers our questions
Will Photoshop render the true photographer obsolete?
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8 Pastels Cathy Brown explains several myths behind pastels
16 On The Cover
Israel: The Epicenter
Read an interview with the VAC featured artist: Joe Astacio
A photo essay by Lynn McMeans
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EXHIBIT • 54 View selected art provided by Henry artists, representing the variety of mediums and talents in your community.
40 White & Watercolor Judy Mudd explores the big deal over using white in watercolor
48 De-Restoration Learna new technique with Adobe Photoshop
90 Art Center Tour
COEXIST Joe Astacio Photography
Henry Commissioners take a performing arts tour
100 EDITORIAL • 84 Dr. Lanny Milbrandt explains the value and importance of the arts in relation to education
Falling For Henry Henry County’s premier art event
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Photographing Art
How To Buy Art
Learn how to properly photograph your paintings
Karen Casciani gives us ten helpful tips on purchasing art
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Fun With Watercolor Linda Foltz shows us ways to have fun with a tricky medium
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The Black & White Event A Creative Exhibition Celebrating Black & White Photography.
July 14th, 2007 ushered in the official opening and award reception for The Black & White Event, a creative exhibition celebrating black & white photography from the Visual Artist’s Collective of Henry County. This was the first photography competition held by the V.A.C. this year and it accepted traditional film as well as digital and digitally enhanced photos. 24 artists entered the show submitting nearly 70 entries. Sponsored by Willet Honda South, Apple Realty, Inc., Lambert Sand & Gravel, and Moore Bass Consulting, the event was hosted at the fabulous Redz Restaurant, home of some of the best service and fine dining south of Atlanta. When searching for a location to host the exhibit, Redz was a logical choice and Redz owner, Quinn O'Neill, was a major player and supporter for the event. “Not only did Quinn open his doors to us, but he opened them for the visual arts and generally seeks to improve the quality of life for Henry County citizens,” said Jason Morrison, who is serving his first year as V.A.C. president. The event differed slightly from previous photography contests held by the V.A.C. in that the grand prize, $1,000 for Best of Show, was not selected by an outside judge. Instead, Best of Show was selected by Redz patrons throughout the first week the exhibit was on display. Redz collected more than four hundred votes during the first six days. 4
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Morrison said “We felt it would make the competition a little more interesting. It also allowed visitors to do more than just view the work, but to be a part of the exhibit.” When asked of the black & white theme, Morrison said “It forces you to look at each photograph more carefully, especially since there is not a single dominating color photo. It leveled the playing field and I believe it made for a very interesting show and exhibit.” On the 14th, artists, friends, and family gathered at Redz for the announcement of the winners. Taking Honorable Mention for 1937 Bugatti was Lanny Milbrandt. Third Place was awarded to Tyler Andrews for his photograph Jack’s Window. Wormsloe by Lance Foster was awarded the second place prize. Lanny Milbrandt took first place with Castle dos Mouros. The Best of Show, awarded by Redz patrons, went to Scott Ash for his photograph entitled Keyhole, Paracas. The event marked a success not only for the Visual Artist’s Collective and Redz, but for visual arts within the county. Redz Restaurant is located in the McDonough Square at 32 Macon Street, McDonough, GA 30253. You can reach them for reservations, functions, parties, or other specials events via telephone at 770-914-5723 or on the web at www.redzrestaurant.com.
TOP: From left to right - Lance Foster, Jason Morrison, Quinn O’neill, Lanny Milbrandt, Tyler Andrews. BOTTOM: Photographs taken at Redz of the Black & White photography exhibit. CREDIT: Photo of the award winners was provided courtesy of Montebello Photographic Services mpspics.photoreflect.com COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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profile
nan mcgarity
“I have three requirements for my workshops: a good attitude, the desire to try, and the ability to follow instructions. That is all I ask my beginner oil painters to bring to class.”
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Nan McGarity recalls as a child looking forward to receiving the monthly issue of Ford Times (a trade publication to which her father subscribed). She would flip through the pages which were full of colorful illustrations and art, dreaming that one day she would be able to draw and paint like the artists who created those wonderful visual images. Pursuing that dream did not happen until much later in life. Her love of special needs children lead her into a career of teaching. She obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education and taught children with orthopedic impairments for 30 years. At 47 years of age she discovered the dormant talent that had been lying within her. A friend, who is an artist, invited her to her home to paint a 5”X7” magnolia blossom. Her friend simply said, “Do what I do”. And she did. Her friend encouraged her to seek out the best instructors, study, paint and paint some more. And that she did. McGarity has been studying with several acclaimed artists including Gloria Perkins Satterfield, Johnnie Lilidahl and Karen Lostracco and continues to seek instruction from other master artists. McGarity’s favorite medium is oil. Her use of brilliant colors and broad loose strokes results in vibrant paintings, whether large florals, still lifes, or landscapes. She has been a featured artist of the Greensboro Arts Alliance and her work is on display in the library foyer. McGarity’s most recent honor is being named a finalist in the 2007 Brushdance Plein Aire Invitational at Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Clayton, Georgia. She has also captured best in show and placed in other shows. McGarity retired from teaching in November 2006, or so she thought. After renovating a 70 year-old, 2000 squarefoot building, which was originally the office of the historic Mary-Leila Cotton Mill in Greensboro, Georgia, McGarity opened the doors of Historic Mill Studio. Here she hosts art workshops taught by invited artists. “I had no plan to teach myself when I opened the studio. My plan was to invite other artists to conduct workshops for intermediate and
advanced students. Teaching comes naturally to me and I have had such overwhelming requests for beginner workshops that I have put together a series of six beginner workshops. These workshops are designed to advance anyone who has the desire to paint to a confidence and skill level needed to pursue more advanced instruction with my invited artists. I have three requirements for my workshops: a good attitude, the desire to try, and the ability to follow instructions. That is all I ask my beginner oil painters to bring to class.� In addition to painting and hosting workshops at her studio in Greensboro, McGarity accepts invitations from clubs, organizations, and small groups, to demonstrate oil painting. She also accepts in vitations to conduct out-of-town introduction to oil painting workshops. Rooster Trilogy II
Mrs. Mildred’s Daylilies
Contacting Nan McGarity To arrange a workshop or attend a class: E-Mail: nmcgarity3@bellsouth.net Phone: (770) 957-5023 Into the Courtyard
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editorial Could Photoshop Render Photographers Obsolete? How photo editing world of photography
software
impacts
the
By Stephen Shifflett
I am a young photographer, only twenty-four years old. I received my first camera at four and my first serious camera at age fourteen. Like all young people, I am supposed to love all things new, digital, and technology related. I do love it. I see its worth, but I also see its threat! If you have ever taken a photograph and then thought or said, “Oh well, I’ll fix it when I get home,” you are in danger of being lost! Digital photography is supposed to make it easier to see if you got the shot you wanted without waiting. If not, try again! Bracketing can get expensive if you are using film. Digital doesn’t cost anything but time. Some shots are hard to evaluate for metering especially if you have a great difference between light and dark in your subject. If you intend to take a “less than perfect” photograph and plan to fix it later you are giving up your photographic skills instead of trying to improve them. Skills are learned from practice, knowing your equipment, and being able to evaluate all the aspects of the situation. The less practice you get, the poorer your photographic skills will become. 8
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If you are the type of person that takes snap shots, dresses them up with Photoshop, and you are happy, that is great. However, if you are a serious person that takes photographs with the intent of “Art,” but you depend heavily on Photoshop to “fix” the art, you are not a photographer. You are a computer tech. You haven’t developed the serious skills to label yourself a photographer. The first three photographs that follow are unaltered by Photoshop and could not be taken on a camera program setting. The Dance (Opposite) was taken with a Minolta 7D digital SLR camera. Manual settings of F8 with a 4 second shutter, coupled with my studio lighting (ISO of 400) produced this image. I knew what the shot was supposed to look like; it just took some time and trials to get just right. I am very thankful to my cousin for her patience with me while I achieved the shot I wanted. God bless her for her time, and understanding, but most of all for her tremendous talent. The blurred colors around her figure are the different positions she is in during the shot.
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In the Stillness of Time This photograph was taken with a Mamiya 645afd medium format camera. I was again in manual mode at F11 for 1.5 seconds. I used Fuji Velvia 100 slide film. A tripod is required for this type of shot due to the long shutter. The late afternoon sun did not blow out the highlights because of the natural canopy provided by the trees. The long shutter pays off; you can see it in the water’s milky like appearance. 10
EDITORIAL SHIFFLETT
Cloud Nine Camera: Minolta 7D digital SLR Settings: F8 for 1/30 of a second shutter Lighting: Personal studio lighting ISO: 200 Details: Photoshop’s clone stamp allowed me to remove a small scratch on the babies face, which was the only digital alteration of the image. The remainder of the work was handled within the camera and adjustment of manual settings. As always, with portrait photography the key element is to please the customer. The biggest trouble I faced during this particular picture was keeping the baby from eating the feathers!
Infant Embrace Camera: Minolta 7D digital SLR Settings: F5.6 for 1/30 of a second shutter Lighting: Personal studio lighting ISO: 200 Details: This is one photograph where Adobe Photoshop assisted in the final product. My Minolta camera does not have a setting that allows me to photograph in black & white. The photograph was brought into Photoshop and converted to meet the requirements and request of the client.
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Enchanted Hydrangea Camera: Mamiya 645afd medium format Settings: F4 for 1/60 Film: Fuji Velvia 100 slide film Effects: I used black velvet to back the flower and a special filtering device of my own design to achieve the swirl affects.
Regarding the “Enchanged Hydrangea”, I do not personally know if this effect could really be achieved with Photoshop, Evidently, some judge thought that it could. I actually lost creative points in an art contest because the judge thought it had been “Photoshopped”. That was what the written critique said! Since then, I have taken to placing a small notification with this photograph and any others like it that says: “Traditional Photography, No Digital Enhancement.” With the notification in place, this photograph has won a “Distinguished Merit” award and traveled galleries throughout the state of Georgia for an entire year. If you are interested in learning more about photography and improving your skills, there are many ways to start that process. The easiest and least expensive is to surf the web and read articles. If you are a Nikon owner, there is a great site for you, www.nikonians.org, a site designed by and for Nikon owners. It has news, updates on cameras, links to helpful sites, and articles that are great and userfriendly. There are forums on the site that have places
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to post questions and get answers about your camera or a technique. There is most likely a similar site for Canon owners, but as I don’t own a Canon, I do not know its location. Photography magazines can also be helpful. Personally, I have two favorites. The first is called Outdoor Photographer. It contains gorgeous photographs, how-to articles that are easy to understand, reports about new gear on the market, information on photographic locations, “enter and win this” ads, photography contests sponsored by the magazine and other sources, as well as testing reports about new cameras on the market. You can subscribe to the magazine on the website www.outdoorphotographer.com for $14.97 and receive eleven issues (one year). They also have an eNewsletter that is very good and you can sign up to get it online. I got my first issue of this magazine off the newsstand at Wolf Photo in Stockbridge. Another magazine that I picked up off the same newsstand was Popular Photography. This magazine has the same type of articles and news, but it takes the
information up a notch. You can find it at: www.popphoto.com. You will see two magazines on this site; Popular Photography and American Photography. Popular Photography subscription rate is 12 issues (one year) for $14.00 or 24 issues (two years) for $24.00. You can sign up on their site. I recommend getting your first issue off the newsstand. That way you can decide if you like either magazine or both. Photography classes can be very helpful as well. My first class was through Clayton State’s Continuing Education Classes. You can sign up for the photography class via Clayton State’s website at www.conted.clayton.edu/onlineReg/index.html. It is a six week class that meets one evening a week from 6:30 till 9:00pm. At $104, it is a very good deal. They have a class starting at the end of April ‘08 and one starting in the middle of May ‘08. I think both of these are for digital photographers. Another route to learning in the classroom is through the Showcase School of Photography. I have taken numerous classes and workshops from them and have really
enjoyed them. The classes are enormously helpful; the instructors are professional and extremely knowledgeable. One of the best things about Showcase School is that their class sizes are small so you can receive much more individualized help. You can read about their class offerings and register for classes online at: www.theshowcaseschool.com/site/. If you don’t surf the web, you can call them for a brochure or call to register. Their address is 1135 Sheridan Rd, Atlanta, GA 30324. The phone number is (404) 965-2205. Showcase has four and six week classes in photography. The six week classes are about $150. Six week classes on software programs are a bit higher. Their six week class on Photoshop CS3 is currently $330. They also have a four week class on “Photoshop Elements 6” that is $260. I took a four week class on “Photoshop Elements 3” several years ago and there were only eight people in the class. It was amazing how much I felt that I learned! They have one day workshops on specific topics at the school as well as one and two day workshops that help you take photographs on locations like North Georgia Waterfalls, Sweetwater Creek, or the Monastery in Conyers. These workshops have instructors that are there to guide you in techniques. The workshops generally start at about $40 and go up from there depending on the amount of time involved and the location. A good photographer should aim to hone their skills to the best of their ability. The important aspects people should focus their efforts on include practicing skills, familiarization of equipment, and do the work in-camera. Photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop can be a helpful tool and component in your overall workflow, however, it should not be allowed to become a crutch for your creative process.
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how-to Don’t Be Afraid Debunking the popular myths regarding pastels By Cathy Brown By way of introduction, I am mostly a self-taught artist. For several years, I worked in oils exclusively until a good friend challenged me to try a picture using pastels. I was hooked at once on this medium and now do most of my paintings in pastels. This article attempts to debunk some of the myths associated with the pastel medium. In the past, pastel was considered by some to be only a sketching or drawing tool and not a true painting medium. One has only to see the works of Degas or Mary Cassatt to correct that thinking but some in the art community still wrongly link it to drawing alone. Myth #1: Pastels Are Chalk Pastels are probably the purest form of color of any of the mediums since they are comprised of pure powdered pigment rolled together with a binder of methylcellulose in a stick form. Most colors are mined from the earth in mineral form. No chalk here!
“Pastels are probably the purest form of color of any of the mediums.�
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Myth 2: Pastels Are Unstable Pastels have been in use since the 15th century and have been in regular use by artists since 1675. Many of these earliest pastels are still in excellent condition in museums worldwide. Colors remain vibrant and true to the artists intent unlike, oils or other mediums that can yellow and fade with age.
Summer Lightning
Myth 3: Pastels are only for Sketching Artists use pastels on all sorts of surfaces from paper and canvas to specially-treated boards to my favorite sandpaper. Only when most of the surface is left visible is it considered a sketch or drawing. So whether you are thinking of investing in a piece of art, or you are an artist trying a new medium, I encourage you to consider pastel paintings. Visit some websites such as the Pastel Society of America or the Southeastern Pastel Society and see some amazing work.
Mountain Fern
Contacting Cathy Brown For more information about Cathy’s work: E-Mail: marlabrown@bellsouth.net Related: pastelsocietyofamerica.org southeasternpastel.org
On the web: http://cathybrown.freeservers.com
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Photography has provided me with a way to express in one image what otherwise could take volumes to communicate.
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Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Probably being married to an artist might be my greatest asset in the sense that she has exposed me to the concepts of composition, rule of thirds, use of light, scale of values among others. Some of these apply to photography as well. While in college, I managed to balance my heavily science-oriented curriculum with several courses of appreciation of art and music. Most of what I know of photography is from the school of trial and error‌and a lot of reading and studying the work of others. When did you first become interested in photography? When I was a child, my father used to be a do-it-yourself kind of guy and whenever we were out, his camera was always around (Kodak Retina II which now I keep for sentimental reasons). It was probably then when the seeds of curiosity(how does this work and/or how can I fix it) were planted, as well as the desire to capture moments in time. Although now it is more like “How can I make this image work?â€? In college, I had the opportunity to work with microphotography for research purposes and I presented numerous (non-science related) slide shows during medical school that landed me the opportunity to be editor of our yearbook. What do you shoot with? For more than 20 years now, I've been using Canon cameras and lenses but will always remember the camera that got me started in this journey: a Minolta XG-7. How often do you work with Adobe Photoshop (or similar software) to edit your captures? I will quote what many times has been said in many photo publications and that is that every image should be thought of before pressing the shutter. Once that is done, every image can benefit from some sort of optimization and that depends on the workflow of each one. Film had limitations and so do digital sensors. I do use Photoshop and numerous plugins like Neat Image
Doors to the Future
and CSpro and Velvia vision from Fred Miranda. I also offer this quote:"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept." - Ansel Adams If you were given $5,000 to spend at a single photography supply store, what would you purchase? Cameras change every three to four years, lenses do go a little longer, but the creativity of others [photographers] is infinite so I would invest in creating a good library of master photographers. After that, I would upgrade to Photoshop CS3 and several after-market plug ins‌ and the books to master these!
The Prayer
What advice would you give to anyone interested in pursuing photography? I can only answer this question from my perspective of an amateur since I don't make a living from it. Photography has provided me with a way to express in one image what otherwise could take volumes to communicate. Hence the ability to connect with the viewer on another plane. Photography, like most anything else, requires practice and patience, but the rewards are timeless. Take the time to learn to use your tools. And lastly, you do not have to spend a fortune in equipment to create good images‌like the old Adagio F8.
LEFT: Twisted Reality
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...I force myself to always find a different way of seeing what might be otherwise ordinary...
Do you photograph any certain subjects or themes more than others? I believe that every photographer goes through an evolution, so to speak, as the artist finds him/herself through his/her work. I try not to limit myself to any specific genre - I'm still evolving. That said, I force myself to always find a different way of seeing what might be otherwise ordinary. Take for example the photo of a giftbow, "Abstracto" which was made with a macro lens and a polarizer and very little post-processing. What inspires you? Anything and everything. I believe Ernst Haas could had not said it better:“A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?” What's next for you? The next image. I'm always thinking what to tackle next, although my wife certainly does not like it if that involves new equipment… I would like to travel more and bring back my vision of these places. Tell us something about yourself that might surprise others. After my 40th birthday, I accomplished my goal and finally became a black belt in karate. This has helped me focus in regards to my goals with photography. You are never too old to learn to see.
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ABOVE: Abstracto
Contacting Joseph Astacio E-Mail: joeastacio@aol.com Web: www.joeastacio.zenfolio.com
PREVIOUS PAGE: Groucho, Colours, Spinning Around, Queen Victoria Agave, Windows COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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In October, artists, collectors, and enthusiasts alike will gather at Eagle’s Landing Country Club for Henry County’s premier art event. Welcome to The Falling for Henry Fine Arts Festival. COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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The Third Annual Falling for Henry Fine Arts Festival The Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Brings the Fine Arts to Henry County By Jason Morrison
The Henry County Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) is pleased to announce the 3rd annual Falling for Henry Fine Arts Festival. The event, which draws its name in part from the time of year it is held, attracts artists and visitors to the County and has them “Fall for Henry”. According to Sarah Robbins, Tourism Director for the Henry County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, the vision for the festival originated by visiting other small community fine arts festivals. “After witnessing their success, how they bring visitors to the community, and provide residents with a fun family event,” said Robbins, “we thought it would be a great addition to Henry County.” And they truly developed a great event. No stone has been left unturned when it comes to how the word gets out about such a great event. The 28
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Chamber & CVB market the event to residents and visitors through a wide array of mediums, including targeted direct mail campaigns, table tents in local businesses, lamppost banners in the City of Stockbridge, advertising in publications such as LifeStyles, Creative Loafing, and the AJC, as well as commercials on Henry TV14 and SCB-TV 15. The interactive Children’s area is promoted via flyers to the local schools. Last year, a high school art competition was added, and the event was promoted to all local high school art students. Newsletters, email blasts, websites, and speaking engagements (such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Henry Council for Quality Growth) are all vehicles used to promote the event to the community. A juried application process for artists wishing to participate was put in place to establish and
maintain the event as a “fine” arts festival. Planners wanted to differentiate the event from other arts & crafts festivals. The jury is comprised of three jurors who review images of the submitted artwork. A description of the first image is read aloud. During this process, called blind judging, the names of the artists are never revealed so as to avoid any discrimination or conflicts of interest. The CVB works extremely hard to ensure the quality of the event. Aside from having their work on display and available for sale at Eagle’s Landing Country Club, artists are also competing. There will be a total of $10,000 in prizes awarded to the artists. Additionally, artists are treated to an “Artist Party”. The event also offers security both Friday and Saturday nights for the
artwork, along with “booth sitters”. Lastly, artists are offered the very best in hospitality while they are at Falling For Henry. When asked where she sees the festival five to ten years, Robbins said, “I see this event as one of the best fine arts shows on the south side of Atlanta, known for being a quality event.” The Falling for Henry Fine Arts Festival will be held on the grounds of Eagle’s Landing Country Club. The event runs Saturday, October 11, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 6 pm and on Sunday, October 12, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information about the Falling for Henry Fine Arts Festival, please visit www.fallingforhenry,com or call Sarah Robbins at
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BOOGIE The award-winning, provacative, international photographer, now with two books under his belt, sits down with the Visual Artists Collective to answer a few questions. Interview by Jason Morrison
interview For those who might not be familiar with your work, how would you best describe it? I’m a documentary photographer, I work mostly in black and white, film only… I spent some time in and around New York’s public housing projects shooting gang members and drug addicts – that resulted in my first book, IT’S ALL GOOD. My second book, BOOGIE, just came out couple of weeks ago, and it shows my gentle side, normal street stuff.
proach people with your heart open – and real recognizes real, you give respect and hope to get the same back. Any close calls? Not really, I was very lucky.
Your photos have been taken from a variety of locations. Do you travel solely for the purpose of taking photos? What interests you the most about the subjects and Whenever I travel, and for whatever reason I travel, I scenery that you photograph? It’s changing all the time, I guess it’s evolving. Now take pictures. Some of my trips are for work, some of I’m into more subtle subjects, I like taking pictures of them for personal projects ... travels are a great source of inspiration, seeing how other people live and wall textures, pigeons, dogs … getting to know other cultures is priceless, inspires you to shoot, and changes you as a person. Some photos would indicate that you are possibly in a dangerous environment in order to get a particular What advice would you have for someone who wants photo. How did you get your foot in the door with to really push their photography to the next level, but a camera? There is no recipe for that – it varies from situation to does not have the ability to do much traveling? situation. I think the most important thing is to ap- Great photos are all around, you don’t have to chase
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after them, no need to travel to the war zone to nail a You shoot only film. Do you think you will ever good shot. Good shots are in your backyard, and right transition completely over to digital? Is there a around the corner. They are wherever YOU are, you reason you have chosen to shoot only in film? Yep, so far I've been doing film only, and the way I just have to see them... think right now, as long as they keep making it, I'll keep shooting it. But you never know, people change. You see a part of life that many never see. How has When you shoot film, the approach is different then this impacted your life? when you shoot digital, there is no instant gratification, While I’m shooting, I don’t feel anything, it’s like I’m and I think you're more careful in choosing your shots; not there – but it all comes back later – it can hit you also, you don't know right away what you have, so you hard. It was pretty hard to recover from all the keep pushing yourself. I think the work of many things I saw. famous photographers suffered from transition to digital. Are you shooting digital or film? What equipment do you normally carry with you? Film only. I carry a camera body + wide zoom + tele zoom; point and shoot. Holga.
Black and white dominates your body of work. Why is that? I think b&w works well with my subject matter – I also think that color is too much information, you can easily get distracted and lose the point COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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Boogie
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INTERVIEW BOOGIE
What would you say to those who might feel that your work glorifies violence, drugs, gangs, or even takes advantage of the less fortunate? I would tell them to look a little deeper … I’m not there You now have two books, have been published several to moralize or judge my subjects, only to show them times over in various well known magazines, worked the way they are. for big names, and traveled to other countries. What advice would you impart on those wanting to What is next for you? Any big projects on the horizon? accomplish the same with their work? I Follow your heart – everyone has their own path, there have a few more books coming out in 2008 and a lot more diapers to change. are no shortcuts and no formulas. Any color at all? Sure, I do some color when clients want me to.
Bord and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, Boogie began documenting rebellion and unrest during the civil war that ravaged his country during the 1990's. He moved to New York in 1998. He has published two monographs, and has three more on the way. His work has been exhibited around the world. He has shot for high-end clients as well renowned publications. You can find Boogie online at www.artcoup.com.
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Boogie
essay
Israel: The Epicenter Exploring the land of contradictions By Lynn McMeans
Israel is a land of contradictions. It is at once deeply spiritual and blatantly secular. It is a land of ancient history and a sure future. It is a place where good and evil, God and Satan have battled for control for thousands of years. You can see signs of battles, both ancient and modern everywhere in Israel. There are daily bombings in southern Israel in the area of Sderot and Ashkelon as Palestinian terrorists send rockets from the Gaza Strip. In Tel Aviv, scores of bombed out buildings that have not been repaired stand as reminders of recent wars with Arab Palestinians. Bullet holes in Latrun and Jerusalem from Israel’s 1948 war for independence are visible in sandstone buildings and in the original gates that mark the entrances to the Holy City. Tourists can travel up to the ruins of fortifications at Masada that were left by the Romans. The ancient tunnel built by Hezekiah to provide water during a siege by the Assyrians is still in tact. Modern Israelis go about their lives and conduct their business with a degree of caution, but at the same time with a determination not to let terrorists control them. All bags are checked with metal detectors in public places, and soldiers with 40
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machine guns walking the streets is a common sight. Necessary security measures are not a deterrent to a thriving economy or to fun as usual. And Israelis know how to have fun! Every ancient Jewish holy day is celebrated and participation is almost a must. In addition, there are several holidays that are part of modern Israel’s way of life. Shabbat, or the Sabbath, is a day of rest and family. Almost all stores and restaurants are closed from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. At sundown on Saturday, however, the fun starts up immediately, especially in Tel Aviv. It doesn’t seem to matter that Sunday is a work day. Americans tend to think of the current conflicts in Israel and the rest of the Middle East as a new phenomenon. Most Jews and Arab,s however, realize that the problems started thousands of years ago with the two sons of their shared father, Abraham. Only the weapons are new. Christians believe that the greatest battle of time and eternity took place in Jerusalem. God and Satan squared off on a hill called Calvary. The victory is marked by an empty garden tomb. He is not here, for He is risen as He said. {Matthew 28:6}
1948 Damage at Fort Latrun with Israeli Flag and Mennorah
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Dome of the Rock
It is a thrilling experience to stand on the Mount of Olives and realize that, according to God’s Word, the Victor of that battle, Jesus, will return to that very spot. He will enter Jerusalem by the Eastern Gate, which is now closed up by those who would seek to stop Him. As world events unfold before our eyes, Israel will continue to be at the center of the story. As wars are waged and peace treaties signed, the world will see Jerusalem’s destiny. The embattled land that has changed hands many times over the centuries will in the end all belong to God’s people, the Israelis. And Peace will reign.
Above: Israeli soldier in Jerusalem Top: Bullet holes in the old city gate 44
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Soldier goes shopping
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Israel: The Epicenter
how-to
Let’s Get White Down To It The Big Deal in Watercolor By Judy Mudd
For watercolorists, retaining white in their paintings is a big deal. Many would say it is the biggest deal. If you are a traditionalist or an admirer of English watercolors, then retaining white is one of the most important missions in the completion of a painting. So, why does this simple mission seem to strike fear in beginning watercolor students, and occasionally old-timers as well? It is the difficulty in mastering the techniques which retain the white of the paper. Even if you have mastered the techniques, remember, water has a mind of its own and it reminds you of that quite frequently. Retaining white doesn’t sound so difficult; you just paint around the white areas. Those who have not tried watercolors may think this sounds pretty simple. It is the loose, watery quality of watercolor which gives it its beauty and sets it apart from oils, acrylics, or any other medium, for that matter. It is also this loose, watery quality which makes this simple process so difficult. Learning the properties of water, along with those of watercolor paint, and keeping them under control is a constant challenge. There are many techniques used in keeping whites in watercolor. The main technique, as 48
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previously mentioned, is simply to paint around the areas you want to retain. Sounds easy enough, however, this is not always practical. For instance, if you want to paint a sweeping seascape with lots of billowing clouds and frothing sea, painting a loose wash while retaining the white highlights on the masts and ropes of sailboats would be difficult. Unless you have an amazingly steady hand and lots of luck on your side, this would require a different technique. Frisket or masque is a rubbery liquid, similar to rubber glue, which is used as a preservative of whites or lights. It is simply painted on the areas you want to retain and left to dry. Once you have finished your painting, you simply lift off the frisket. It does have its drawbacks, though. First, you cannot use your best brushes with it. You have to use an old brush, (treated with soap for easier cleanup), a toothpick, a wood cuticle stick, or purchase a tool especially made to use with frisket. Secondly, frisket leaves a hard edge and, once lifted, requires softening of the edges. For this reason, many artists are reluctant to use frisket unless there is absolutely no way to get around it. However, there are some artists who use it regularly, have incorporated it into their
An example of using the traditional method of painting around the white. Still Life 5 – Flowers & Duck • 15” x 11”
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Elephant Hug Size: 14 1/2” x 22” Details: In this painting, a credit card was used to scrape lighter trees and shape the rocks. Casein was used to put a white highlight on the elephant’s ear.
painting process and style and have had tremendous success with frisket. If frisket is not the answer, another way to retain highlights in a watercolor is to use a wax resist, candle or white crayon. You simply rub the wax resist across the paper where you want to retain the white paper. The surface of the paper dictates how the wax resist adheres, i.e. wax resist would cover only the raised bumps of rough paper. The drawback with this process is that it is not reversible, nor is it tremendously accurate. The wax resist will not come off and paint will not adhere to the paper, so care must be taken in placement of the resist. However, it does work well on some subjects, such as the dimpled surface of a lemon. Another way to not necessarily retain whites, but to retrieve whites, is to lift or scrape the paint. When the paint is wet, especially with non-staining colors, scraping paint with an old credit card, palette knife, or even a fingernail works well and can reveal
a white, or near-white, paper surface. This is particularly useful for tree trunks or branches, weeds, grasses and rocks. Staining watercolor paints are more difficult to lift, but can often be lifted to a nearwhite appearance. When the paint has dried, using a wet brush and tissue to lift an area can get back near-white paper. Also, using a razor blade to scrape off the paint can be useful, especially in cleaning up edges. You would not want to do a large area with either of these techniques, but small highlights are possible. Both of these techniques require extra care to prevent damage to the surface of the paper. There are other inventive ways of retaining whites, such as cutting frisket film sheets to retain a particular shape, or using a round sticker to retain a white moon in an evening landscape. But the real question is, why not just use white paint? After all, oil and acrylic painters are not required to adhere to this constraint and manufacturers do make Chinese and
Even in small paintings, such as this, you can frequently paint around the whites. Number 8 in the 5th • 5� x 7�
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Titanium White watercolor paint. Here is where being a traditionalist or experimentalist comes in. In traditional or English watercolor, using white paint is simply not done. Every effort is made to retain whites without using it. However, many successful watercolor artists have not followed this practice, including master artists such as John Singer Sargeant. They chose to follow their hearts in their paintings and, if it required adding a little white watercolor paint, gouache, or casein, so be it. Which is more important in a painting? The art itself or the technique used in creating it? There are arguments for both sides of this question. Many feel that, especially in watercolors, the technique is part of the art itself and that mastery of those techniques elevates the art to a new level. There are others that are more concerned with the subject of a painting and how the artist expresses the emotive qualities of the subject. Many of today’s internationally successful
watercolorists use white paint for highlights and prefer using it to risking damage to the surface of the paper. So, if retaining white in a watercolor with all of its challenges is such a big deal, why do so many artists love the medium? Why not use a medium with fewer challenges? The beauty achieved in using watercolors far out weighs the challenges and makes the effort worthwhile. It is this difficulty which stimulates and surprises us and is so satisfying once mastered.
About Judy Mudd Judy Moore Mudd is a watercolorist and instructor in Louisville, Kentucky. She can be contacted through her website www.watercolordesigns.com. COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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EXHIBIT
ART BY THE TALENTED PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY
FISH Amy Allen Watercolor
JANUARY FOG David Montedonico Photography 56
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LEO Amber Cassell Graphite COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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PEACE BE WITH YOU Karen Casciani Mixed Media 58
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BABY CLOWN Lee Duncan Photography COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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SINTRA CASTLE DOS MOUROS Lanny Milbrandt Photography 60
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ABSTRACT FOREST Lynn McMeans Mixed Media COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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AMELIA’S FLOWER Jason Morrison Digitally Altered Photography 62
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BORN OF STONE Ray Salvatore Sculpture COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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KALIDESCOPE sabine Fry Stained Glass 64
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FLOWER WAGON Jackie Montedonico Photography COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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UNCERTAIN FUTURE Ada Astacio Colored Pencil 66
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MARBLE Joe Schlemmer Glass COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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TIGER Lisa Cassell Oil on Canvas 68
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BUMBLE BEE Lee Duncan Photography COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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SARA’S PASSION Karen Casciani Watercolor 70
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37 BUGATTI Lanny Milbrandt Photography COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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THREE WEIRD SISTERS Ray Salvatore Sculpture 72
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SAMANTHA FOX Amber Cassell Charcoal Grease Pencil COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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AT THE EDGE Ada Astacio Colored Pencil 74
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REACH Jason Morrison Digitally Altered Photography COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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ZEBRA KISS Lynn McMeans Watercolor 76
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FLOWER IN BLOOM Amy Allen Acrylic COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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BABY TURTLE David Montedonico Photography 78
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KALIDESCOPE Sabine Fry Stained Glass COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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MARBLE Joe Schlemmer Glass 80
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COMO PARK WATER LILY Jackie Montedonico Photography COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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THE COLONNADE Scott Ash Photography 82
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UNTITLED Timothy Stripling Pencil COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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opinion The Value and Importance of the Arts to Education Dr. Lanny Milbrandt dives head first into the value of the arts in relation to education By Lanny Milbrandt
The following is a series of brief comments regarding the significance of the arts in learning.
SAT Scores and Arts Instruction: Arts Students Score Higher SAT scores for college bound seniors have consistently been higher for those students with school involvement in the arts. The average combined SAT for students who had no involvement in the arts was lower than for those students who were involved in the arts. These findings are consistent with the same studies done in earlier years.
SAT Scores: Arts vs. No Arts No arts in school; Combined SAT scores: 971 Art involvements in schools: Combined SAT scores: 1054 *Year 2000
The data also shows that college bound seniors who take four years of art and music classes score better on their SAT than students who took only ½ year or less.
SAT Scores: Art & Music ½ year or less art & music: Combined SAT scores: 997 Four years art & music: Combined SAT scores: 1084 *Year 2005 84
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While there is a correlation between arts instruction and SAT performance, it does not mean that one causes the other. If I were a parent, however, I would surely want my child associated with those students who performed well on the SAT and would want them participating in similar instructional arts programs. Data from The College Board report on SAT performance.
Problem-Solving: Required and Expected in the Visual Arts An examination of the decision making/problemsolving processes of children will reveal that many, perhaps dozens or even hundreds of problems had to be solved or decisions made in the production of children’s artwork. A good way to understand the depth of decision-making in art is to simply try to count the number of decisions made; what color, how big, what’s include,the relationships and arrangements of color and shapes, spatial thinking,subject matter, etc.
The arts are an important ingredient of a child’s education. In any thoughtful review of educational programs, the arts should be considered essential.
behavior? To take the broad view, literacy is the process of recovering meaning or expressing meaning. The process of literacy is not limited to verbal and mathematical symbols. An artist may recover meaning by analyzing a work of art or may express meaning by creating a work of art; similarly, a musician may recover meaning by listening Higher Order Thinking Skills: analytically to music or may express meaning by The Visual Arts Utilize High Level Thinking composing or interpreting music. Meaning may be An examination of children’s behaviors in the arts, or recovered and expressed through reading and writing in art, reveals that they are quite often engaged in the but the process of literacy is not limited to words highest levels of thinking. Ben Bloom defines these and numbers. levels (from highest to lowest) as evaluation or judgement, synthesis or creating, analysis, Employment Opportunities: application, comprehension, and the lowest is Growth in Arts Related Jobs knowledge (may not comprehend or understand). An examination of current Department of Labor A child that creates an authentic artwork employment projection statistics for Georgia and the through weighing alternatives and making decisions United States indicates that growth projections in the is functioning at the synthesis level, a very high level arts exceed the national average of projected growth of creative thinking and problem solving. They are for all job categories. Some of the arts-related job putting form and color, content and expression, categories far exceed the average growth projections. together in new and personal expressions. When Although employment is not the only rationale for students look at and judge artworks for their success educating our youth it does have some importance. (or lack of success), for how an artwork meets their expectations or standards, they are functioning at the highest level of thinking. When children apply rules to SACS (Southern Association of Colleges the process of constructing a ceramic pot, a painting, and Schools) or producing an architectural rendering, they are SACS includes the arts in their assessment of school curricula as well as for the curricula designed to functioning at the application level. prepare teachers in the schools. The arts are included as a dimension to be investigated. As a major Literacy - What is its Process? Question: “What is the process of behaving in a accrediting agency, SACS does impact the shape of literate manner?” How do we recognize literate educational experiences for our youth. 86
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Reading and the Arts: A Relationship Between Verbal and Visual Learning For much of what we read, we create images in our mind (have you read a John Grisham novel lately?). If we cannot connect an image to what we read - or at least a good deal of what we read - reading carries little meaning. An example might be a poem by Robert Frost. Frost experienced the world; he saw the world and translated his visions into words that were written down and made available to us through the printed page. As we read his poem, we create a mental image of the content of the poem in our mind from our visual vocabulary that helps give meaning to the words of Robert Frost. A circularity and simpatico relationship therefore exists between the visual and the verbal. The visual arts are about building a visual vocabulary that connects to the verbal, noticing the world, and responding to it through the arts and literature. One of the best examples of the effects the visual arts can have on the child’s ability to read may be found in the R.I.T.A. program (Reading Improvement Through the Arts). The RITA program targeted below grade level readers who were placed in a reading program that combined the curriculum delivered by an art teacher and a reading teacher. The student’s authentic and personal art products were the central content of the reading and writing tasks of the children. What could be more interesting for children to read and write about than their art that is personal and significant to them? The children that were poor readers showed significant gain between pre and post testing (3-4 month time period), often improving reading by a grade level or more.
Historical and Cultural Learning Through the Arts The knowledge of civilizations and cultures past and present has been revealed to us largely through the study of the art and the artifacts of those cultures. Certainly all or most of what we know of man before recorded history comes to us through the study of the arts of those early times. The history of art reflects the political, social, economic, and cultural characteristics of the time, and the cultures in which art was or is produced, thereby generating opportunities for an understanding of past civilizations, as well as between cultures of the present day.
Technology and the Arts The arts play an important role in the development of visual or musical applications of technology in numerous venues such as web site design, computer animation, video post-production, digital music production, digital photography, technology laden performing arts production, desktop publishing, medical illustration, scientific imaging, desktop publishing, and print production. The arts have been very much a part of new technological developments and have contributed significantly to them.
A Content Based Curriculum Study in and of the arts is heavily content based, and should be. The tremendous body of knowledge that accompanies rigorous study in the arts should be a part of every child’s educational development. That study might include content found in the historical/cultural study of art, as well as the making of art, analysis of art, and critical thinking in the arts. The content of art also includes the knowledge of the processes necessary to create works of art in paint, clay, metal, drawing, prints, etc. with traditional and contemporary media. The content of art may be heavily laden with information about composition and design. Content might be derived from investigations of artist’s lives, their works, and those factors that seemed to influence their expressions. The content of art is also integrative; it brings fields of study together (the study of history, mathematics, science, architecture, sociology, anthropology and other fields can be facilitated through arts study). It is the binding element that may knit together learning for our children.
The Arts as Visual Thinking When one visits a museum and sees artwork, or simply reads through a magazine and takes in illustrations, there is a different kind of thinking process going on than one would experience with other fields of knowledge. When one reads a story, they read one word after another, over time, sequentially, one sentence after another, one paragraph after another all made up of sequential information. The same sequential nature of learning is also true of music (sequences), of mathematics (sequences), and of other types of learning (or languages). The linking together of these
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sequences in some coherent way results in meaning being conveyed. The visual arts are not limited to sequential perception. A painting may be perceived holistically: or at a time rather than over time. The person seeing a painting, sculpture, etc. sees many multiple relationships all at once rather than over time. This type of thinking is an advantage in being able to hold in the mind, all at the same time, many relationships of the parts of an artwork; its colors, textures, shapes, subject, etc. This holistic- at a time rather than over time (sequential) kind of perception may have been the appropriate kind of perception for Albert Einstein in the development of his famous theories. Einstein’s mother provided something akin to Montessori schooling for her son. He had many opportunities to play with shapes & forms, manipulating and arranging them. Einstein described his mental processes in a letter to the French Mathematician Jacques
Hadamard in which he said, “The words or the language as they are written or spoken do not seem to play any role in my mechanism of thought. The…(mental processes include) certain signs and more or less clear images which can be voluntarily reproduced and combined. …(the mental processes include) elements (that) are visual and muscular (kinesthetic). In other words, Einstein thought like an artist thinks, with mental images that allowed him to see in his mind’s eye the results of his investigation (The Creative Process, Brewster Ghiselin, ed., Penquin Books, 1952). The arts are an important ingredient in a child’s education. In any thoughtful review of educational programs, the arts should be considered essential.
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classroom The Derestoration Movement Adding age and defects to your photography using Adobe Photoshop By Jason Morrison
You surely have seen those who have found an old family photograph and paid to have it “restored” to appear newer, repair scratches, rips, and tears, and to even convert a black & white photograph into something with more color. How about the reverse process, taking something new and making it appear aged and worn? Taking a bright and vivid photo, we will use some basic techniques in Adobe Photoshop to do just that. For the purpose of this tutorial, you could actually get away with using a program other than Adobe Photoshop. Programs such as Paint Shop Pro and Adobe Elements offer similar features that, when learned, can be applied to achieve much of the same effects that we will cover here. You also are not required to have a specific version of Adobe Photoshop. With all of that said, this tutorial was 90
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written using Adobe Photoshop CS1, so it will be easier to follow along if you have that application. I like to start off any tutorial that I write with a standard disclaimer. This is not the only way to achieve these effects. Much of what I accomplish is done through trial and error, which creates an original image, but also makes the process much more difficult to document. The workflow can be automated to simplify the overall process, however, you might want to reconsider that. OK, so let’s get started. Photo selection is critical to pulling this off. Not every photo will work
worn with a few mouse clicks. The drawback to this method is that it is not easily customizable. Sure, you could sift through some of the steps in the action set, make changes, and work on top of the final result, but you still have the same base effect and the more you use it, the more of a “template” or “processed” feeling it will have, removing the originality. More importantly, learning the techniques to do it yourself opens the program up to be applied across other projects more readily. Don’t get me wrong, though. I am not implying filters and actions are bad by any stretch of the imagination. They should just be used as a portion of your process and not the process itself. So let’s move on to our own process. You can find free stock photos on Stock Exchange (sxc.hu) or the weekly free image on iStock Photo (istockphoto.com) to work with. For this image, I am Original Image using a free image from iStock Photo. I have already brought the image into Photoshop, removed the If you want to follow along with the exact images I original black background, tilted it at a slight angle, have used here, feel free to download the files at and added a subtle drop shadow. In the original www.visualartistscollective.com/collective/Derestorati download, you will find the layered Photoshop file so onFiles.zip. that you can make any changes before following Now, I am sure some of you might be along. This provides us a decent foundation on which wondering why we need a whole tutorial on this when to work without having to recreate any of the paper’s there are filters and actions available that can do what we want to do without all of the hassle. You are right. There are many filters that offer similar effects and they can even be downloaded at no charge. A great example is the “Tintype” action created by Dave Ward (www.daveward.net) and available through Adobe Studio Exchange website at the following address: www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/. broken down and aged, so having the right image with which to begin is a very important step. This image already has a washed feeling to it, so it should fit right into our tutorial.
textured effects on our own. Step 1: Stock Photograph With both images open, make sure the photograph is the active window. Using the Move Tool, hold down the shift key and drag the photograph into the paper photo window. Holding down shift while you drag the image brings it into the new image as a new layer and also centers it for you. If you ever plan on coming back into this image and working it again, it is helpful to properly name and organize the layers and groups Very quickly, you are able to reduce your so that it is easy to make changes after you have photograph from vivid and colorful down to old and forgotten what you originally did. In the Photoshop COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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you will see I have already created a group named “Paper” which contains the texture and drop shadow. Create a new group above the Paper group and name it “Image”. Move the layer with the color photo into this group and name it “Color Photo”. To trim away the image that extends the boundaries of the paper group, select the Color Photo layer. Holding the Control key, click on the Paper layer. You will see the marching ants around the paper. Promote this selection into a new layer by selecting Layer > New > New Layer via cut. To keep things consistent, you will need to delete the Color Photo layer and rename the new layer (which is currrently named Layer 1) to Color Photo. You could have easily inverted the selection and pressed delete, which would have removed the excess image as well. However, it didn’t remove the portion of the image that extended outside of the boundaries of the file size. Meaning, if you had resized or moved the image at all, you would see artifacts from the original image. By promoting the selection into a new layer and deleting the previous layer, you are keeping only that with which you need to work. Now, we need to scale down the colors a bit so the image fits more naturally with the paper. Duplicate the “Color Photo” layer by clicking on it and dragging it down to the “Create New Layer” icon in the Layers Palette. The new layer will be named Color Photo. The layer underneath it should be named B&W Photo. Select the B&W Photo layer and convert it to black and white. There are several ways to do this, however, the quickest method is to use the Desaturate option (Image > Adjustments > Desaturate). After you have done this, change the blending mode for the B&W Photo layer to Multiply (with an opacity of 75%) and change the blending mode for the Color Photo layer to Soft Light (with an opacity of 40%). This will mute the colors down enough to allow the texture to show through.
If you are looking for a more refined method for converting images from color to black and white, try Alien Skin Exposure. www.alienskin.com
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You should have something relatively similar to what I have below:
Now, let’s experiment with some of the colors and change them up. In the Paper group, create a new layer above the others and name it “Grass”. Using the Polygonal Lasso tool, make a selection around the bottom of the image, selecting the grassy area. Fill the selection with a bright green (I used a green with a hex value of # 00FF0C). Change the blending mode to Multiply and drop the opacity down to 85%. You can adjust the blending mode and opacity of the layer (as well as moving it above the actual images) to give you various results. Since the original image was a little washed, let’s add some subtle clouds to the image. In the download package you should have found a JPG named “Clouds.jpg”. Open that image and Shift + drag it into our image. Trim the excess baggage as we did in the previous steps and then name the layer “Clouds”. Change the blending mode to Hard Light
and drop the opacity down to 30%. You should have something close to what I have: How about that shack? Let’s change it up by adding some new tones of orange to it. Create a new layer above the Grass layer and name it “Shack”. With the Polygonal Lasso Tool, create a selection around
the shack and fill it with a bright orange (I used a hex value of # F65312). Trim away the excess orange, change the blending mode to Multiply and drop the opacity down to 40%. Follow the same process for the trees using a darker green (I used a hex value of # 446903). After cleaning up the area, change the blending mode to Overlay and drop the opacity down to 30%. You should have something similar to this image:
Next, a bit of stains and splatters will help with the defects and aging. These effects are best added by using custom brushes. For this tutorial, I have used coffee stain brushes created by Jelena Jovovi (getbrushes.com) and watercolor brushes created by the fine folks at Bittbox (bittbox.com). All of these brushes are freely available and easy to install into Photoshop. Create a new group above the others and name it “Grunge”. Using white as your foreground color, select the Brush Tool. Select the custom brush you would like to use. I really have no method behind the madness with regards to this step. Trial and error, adjust the blending modes and opacities will be your best option. For the coffee stain layer, I have a blending mode of Normal and opacity of 46%. For the splatter layer I have the blending mode set to Soft Light with an opacity of 75%.
The last step is merely an accessory to the image. This step involves forking out some money, however, which is why I listed it last rather than up front, in case you do not want to proceed any further with the tutorial. You will need to purchase a vector pack from Go Media’s Arsenal (gomedia.us/arsenal/). You will need “Set 5 - Flock of Birds”, however, I highly recommend purchasing an entire collection as these vector packs are extremely useful in a wide array of projects. The files are EPS files, which are meant more for Adobe Illustrator, but Adobe Photoshop will open them without any issue. Select one of the flocks to bring into the image. I selected the following flock to work with.
Go Media Vector Stock
Shift-drag the bird image in and rename the layer to Birds. Depending on how much you want the birds to stand out or blend in will be determined by your placement of this layer. I added it to the Image Group above the other two layers in that group. As you can see, they are a very sharp black and do not fit
in at all with what we are doing. To correct that, we need to size them down proportionately, unless of course gigantic birds are your thing. COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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Control-click the Birds layer to select it. Setting your foreground color to a dark gray (I used a hex value of #303030), press Alternate + Backspace to fill the selection with the foreground color. Next, press Control + T to use Free Transform, which will allow you to scale down the image. Once you have the birds where you want them, drop the opacity of the layer down to 50% and change the blending mode to Multiply. Apply a very subtle blur to the layer (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) using a Radius of 1.0 pixels. With the toned down color, proportioned size, and slight blur, the flock should now fit better with the overall mood of the image.
One last tip: select some of the birds and reposition them. One of my pet peeves is when resources are downloaded and inserted without any modification. I try to make some adjustments or customization whenever possible so that it fits more with what I am doing and doesn’t have that “dropped in feeling”. Moving the birds around will give this a more customized feeling and hopefully make it a bit more natural.
Final Image: McDonough Landscape
About Jason Morrison Jason is a 30-something dad, amateur photographer, professional graphic and web designer who enjoys Mexican food and debating on the best method for surviving a zombie outbreak. He has co-authored a book on Photoshop and been published in several US and UK based magazines. You can read more of his tutorials, view his photography, or download his own custom Photoshop brushes at www.dubtastic.com
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Mc Do no u g h La n dsc a p e Jason Morrison
how-to How to Photograph your Artwork Bringing your Traditional Art into the Digital World With Ease By Joe Astacio
Nothing hurts so much as receiving a letter that your artwork has not been accepted to a show or competition. We all have been there and understand it is part of the process of growing up as an artist. As an insider of this process at a local gallery, what hurts the most is that good art is left behind because of poor presentation. For most, if not all shows, you need to submit an image of your work, whether as a slide, photograph or, more recently, a digital file (usually in JPEG format) burned into a CD. I’ve seen photographs of good art get Figure 1 disqualified due to of out-of-focus issues, major color shifts that do not reflect the original, keystoning of the image and worst of all, fingers on the corners or shoes on the image.
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With some basic instruments and some tips, this can be changed for the better. You will need, first and foremost, a tripod and a digital camera. You could use film cameras, but keep in mind that most recyclable film cameras have a preset focusing distance that might be too limiting when working close to your subject such as taking a picture of your artwork while on a tripod. Point and shoot cameras can be used ,although the best capture can be attained with a DSLR. If you want to be more professional, a double bubble level (Figure 1) can be of great help keeping your camera leveled with the ground. Your digital camera also provides post processing software where you will make final adjustments of your second work of art! It is good to plan to make your image on a bright non-windy day. Watch where shadows fall as you set up your tripod. It is best to work with artwork that has not been framed and is not under glass to keep unwanted reflections. A tripod that allows for the leg to hyperextend is very important, particularly for
Figure 2
large artwork (Figure 2). Some tripods even allow you to displace the center column 90 degrees (Figure 3). All this flexibility pays off in the end. Now the size of some art work will force you to crop the image in post processing. Try to fill the viewfinder with as much art as you can. If you can set the aperture of the camera to a high number, more will be on focus (this is important if the artwork is not completely flat). Take several images adjusting settings such as aperture or, if you set the camera to manual, varying exposure as well. Remember that the eye can see what the camera might miss. Once your images have been taken, it’s time to boot up your computer and upload the files for final adjustment. Remember to save copies of the originals in case something goes wrong while editing. Once on the editing suite, crop to the image edges. Adjust overall exposure (levels) (Figure 4), and monitor for color shifts. Add a punch to color saturation, being careful not to overdo it. The final adjustment should be sharpening and then burning them to a CD. Some competitions require a maximum image size that you
Figure 3
should resize to, not to run the risk of disqualification. Usually this is 1080 pixels on the larger axis. If your software can not do some of these adjustments, you might want to consider Adobe Photo Elements. You can also download for free Picasa, a software application provided by Google. Remember to open the actual files from the CD to confirm they are viewable before submitting them, and good luck!
Figure 4
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art scene A New Home for the Arts Henry County Commission and Local Arts Leader Take Performing Arts Tour
The Henry County Board of Commissioners, together with local arts and economic development leaders and County staff, went on a tour of metro performing arts facilities in April. The purpose of the day-long tour was to see first-hand several successful facilities of various sizes located throughout the metro area to help the Board better define Henry County’s needs and what would be feasible in this community. Information gathered on this tour will be applied toward ideas for the design of a Civic Center for Henry County under the SPLOST III program that was approved by voters in November. The tour was organized by the Metro Atlanta Arts & The Roswell Arts Center. Culture Coalition, of which Henry County is a member, to provide successful, diverse examples of arts centers in the area. Four facilities were visited, including the South Fulton Arts Center, Roswell Arts Center, Gwinnett Performing Arts
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Center and the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville. The South Fulton Arts Center features an acousticallydesigned auditorium that seats 375, as well as a separate Black Box Theatre which allows more versatility for improvisational and stand-up comedy performances. This theatre can seat up to 104, depending on its configuration. The Roswell Arts Center is located in historic Roswell and has an architectural style that mimics the adjacent City Hall. It seats 600 with a balcony to make efficient use of space and uses its entry hall as gallery space for Visual Arts. The Gwinnett Performing Arts Center is adjacent the arena and seats 702, including a balcony and “box seats” along the sides of the theatre. This facility also boasted the largest stage of those included on the tour, with sufficient wing and fly space for large “road” productions. Lastly, the Aurora Theatre is located in a renovated church just off the
The Henry County Board of Commissioners, together with community arts and economic development leaders and County staff stand outside the South Fulton Arts Center - the first stop of their day long arts tour.
town square where it has done much to help to revitalize downtown Lawrenceville. The main theatre seats just 250, though this facility also makes great use of a separate black box theatre for its more innovative performances. In addition to theatre space, Henry County’s Civic Center is also projected to include banquet rooms for conferences, corporate dinners and receptions. Henry County does not currently have a facility large enough to handle many of its corporate events. “Arts and cultural programs and amenities add a great deal to a community’s quality of life, in addition to attracting tourism dollars that help our overall economy,” said Julie Hoover-Ernst, Henry County Communications Director. “Last month’s tour helped the Board to better determine the size and scope of a facility for Henry County to ensure that it will successfully serve the needs of our citizens for many years to come.”
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how-to
Have Fun While You Paint Let Go and Enjoy Yourself with Watercolor By Linda Foltz
I LOVE watercolors. Love them! When you paint with acrylics, you put them on the page and they stay there. When you paint with oils, you put them on the page and they, too, just stay there. If you use pastels, same thing – whatever you put on the page stays where you put it. But if you put watercolors on a wet page, they run all over the place! YEAH! When I paint with watercolors, I don’t feel like I’m alone – I feel like I’m one of two participants – the other being water. And that other part is unpredictable. You never know what you’re going to get. It may bleed in a way that looks awful and muddy, or you could have beautiful marbling that is impossible to get any other way. It’s always an adventure. As a little girl growing up in south Florida, me and my best friend, Debbie, would spend hours laying on the lawn, looking up and finding shapes in the clouds. I loved that. So it’s not surprising that one of my favorite things to do is to pour watercolors all over a wet piece of paper and watch the colors merge into one another and run off the page. You may want to add saran wrap and/or salt to give it texture and interest. Let it dry and then look at it. Does it look like a mysterious forest? Good – then negative paint in the leaves and roots (“Midsummer’s Night Dream”). Does
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it looks like an iris? Great – make several flowers by negatively painting around the shapes (“Dancing Irises”). These two paintings were created just that way – pouring first and seeing what it looks like and then painting it in. There is not a pencil line on either one of them. This is my favorite way to paint. Then, there’s the type of painting where you put tons of different colors on a page wet-on-wet and let them blend, and then wipe out shapes. After the paper dries, you can paint some details in on the shapes. This, too, is a very fun way to paint (“Goldfish Around the Sun”). Another fun way to paint is simply to get a brush and some colors and put them on the page – letting them blend on the page together, drawing with the brush and creating the shapes as you go. You let the painting evolve as you go – not planning, but letting it become what it will be. This is the way I created “Flower Play” and “Field of Flowers”. If you feel really bold, just get different colors and pour them on the page. Pick up the paper and let them run the way you like it. Let it dry and do another pouring. Let it dry and pour again. I created “Lady in Red” with three pourings. I never touched it
Lady in Red Linda Foltz COLLECTIVE MAGAZINE
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Midsummer Night’s Dream Linda Foltz
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with a pencil or a brush. It won two awards for me! Happy accident! You can also paint “found” objects, such as leaves. Put them on the page and lightly trace them. Then paint them onto the page in all different colors and styles. Hold them over the page and paint their shadow. Have fun. (“Dancing Leaves in Blues and Greens”, “Dancing Leaves in Blues, Greens and Purples”, “Dancing Leaves on Gold Background”, and “Hand Tossed Leaves”). Make a design that pleases YOU. Don’t paint to make a masterpiece. Don’t paint to meet someone else’s standards. Paint to enjoy yourself and your paintings will have life and energy that can’t come in any other way. All of the paintings I’ve mentioned here were not planned in advance – they were created as I went. The ones I’ve drawn and labored over don’t receive the praise – judges who critique them say they’re overworked. It’s the ones where I’ve let the colors dance on the page together
About Linda Holtz Linda Foltz is an award-winning watercolor artist and creator of “Linda’s Watercolor Creations”. For questions, comments, or to view more of Linda’s wonderful work, please visit her online at www.lindafoltz.com.
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Hand Tossed Leaves
that are the most well-received by everyone. It seems the viewers know that I was having a blast and my fun got magically transmitted to the page. So, the next time it’s pretty outside, take a piece of paper, some water and paints out onto your back deck, wet the paper, pour the colors and watch them run! Who knows what you’ll see?
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opinion The In’s and Outs of Purchasing Art Choosing your very first painting. By Karen Casciani
When purchasing art for your home or office, you don’t have to be an art expert or an art critic to be able to make your purchase. There are a few things to consider of course - price, personal style and subject matter, just to name a few. Not everyone can afford a Picasso, but you may well be able to afford a really nice original piece from a talented local artist. There’s no need to go to the north side of Atlanta to find your painting, Henry County has many artists and paintings to choose from. When determining your personal style, look around in a location that showcases many different artists or go online to Art.com or similar sites to see what styles you lean toward. You may like contemporary, abstract, or perhaps you appreciate realism, representational, or photography. The softness of watercolor or pastel may appeal to you, or the drama and richness of an abstract in oil. What if you can’t find “the” painting you want ,or you have something in particular in mind? You can always commission an artist whose work you like to paint something special just for you. Regardless of your personal style, subject matter and your budget, I have some tips on how to make the right selection for you.
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Top ten rules of purchasing art 1. I shall not look for a painting to match my sofa. Ten years from now, I'll probably have a different sofa, but I will want to live with the painting forever. 2. I shall only consider art that makes me feel something, think something or somehow touches me. It should take my breath away or make me happy every time I look at it. 3. I shall buy an original piece that I love, not one that I think will impress the neighbors. 4. If my partner doesn't love it, we will be mature and take turns, he can choose the next one. My beloved will probably grow to love it and we will both learn to compromise. 5. If I love it, it will work somewhere in my home or office. If it doesn't go in the space that I have in mind, it will live happily in another space. 6. If I really love it, I won't wait to decide to own it until someone else purchases it. 7. If I don’t like the frame, I can always take it to the local frame shop and reframe it to my taste. 8. If the painting is too small to fill the space I had in mind, I’ll purchase another later and make a grouping of like subjects or colors. 9. If my grouping doesn’t look good together, I can always frame them alike to unify them. 10. And lastly, I will keep in mind, when I purchase an original work of art; I’m supporting an artist as well as the gallery in my hometown, contributing to the vibrancy and culture of my community.
Parting Shots A Message from the VAC President
When I was first elected President of the Visual Artist’s Collective, I am sure I had the deer-in-the-headlights look about me. Unsure of how to be “President” was something I had to grow into. Learning how to guide the organization and move it forward has been a learning experience for me and one that I am fortunate enough to have had. This publication was a part of that learning process. I had never applied for a grant, until this project. I had never been awarded a grant, until this project. I had never collected content on a large scale, until this publication. I had never been responsible for the creative direction and layout of such a big project, until now. What you hold in your hands is my vision. I wanted a tool for the creative community to reach out and inform others of what is happening and allow those interested in the arts to connect in a new way. Many believe that in order to have a decent art event, you have to drive into Atlanta. That is a belief that needs to change, as Henry County is home to many talented people who are more than capable of holding quality art events in our own community. I believe that if we work together toward a common goal, we will find people driving to Henry County from Atlanta for quality shows, events, and exhibits. In a way, that was how the name of this magazine was chosen. Obviously “Collective” is in the name of our organization, but it also represents more than just our name. It represents the need of a collective effort to improve art awareness. It represents a collective of mediums, talents, people, backgrounds, interests, and desires. The name just seemed to fit. I want to thank our sponsors and advertisers who have continually supported our organization and the visual arts in Henry County. I want to thank those artists who were patient with my over-documentation and deadlines which were needed in order to make this a reality. I want to thank organizations such as Henry Arts Alliance, Arts Clayton, Southside Arts Agenda, Georgia Council for the Arts, who are continually working to promote the visual arts within our community.
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