I am excited to be teaching a one-day workshop at AS220 in Providence, RI - November 9th, 2014. This class will discuss many techniques I used in connecting with my REVEALED subjects. It is a great opportunity for photographers to learn to connect with subjects on a deeper level and create dynamic portraits on-location.
Check it out and see you in class.
Yesterday, Reverend David Shire and I were guest speakers at the Palliative care Pharmacy class at the University of Rhode Island, URI. The 3-hour class engaged in thoughtful discussion around the meaning of spirituality and the importance of looking within.
I began the class by asking students to define inspired thought, exploring the emotions around inspired thought and understanding where it begins. We then transitioned to what the students would put into their REVEALED box after they had a few minutes to share their ideas with one another about what they'd put into their box.
Starting with my own example of an inspired thought (REVEALED), I encouraged the students to quickly go within and see what came from putting yourself on the spot to think about what represents your beliefs. Sometimes our best ideas come to us in an instant when we were thinking about something completely different.
We then viewed the REVEALED film and expanded our conversation, now that everyone had some time to truly contemplate what they would put in their box. One student felt their life experience wasn't long enough to find something of deep meaning to put into the box. I found this to be a very interesting comment ... one I had not heard before. I shared that REVEALED includes children from the fourth grade ... and those children have insightful revelations, even after only being alive for a decade.
Reverend David Shire then spoke about Spiritual issues in Palliative Care. By examining the Body/Mind/Spirit Triangle we can understand how mental illness may disconnect us from our deeper self, and how spirituality and religion can be used in the healing process. The questions and discussions around our topic were energizing and really brought inspiration and joy to me...I always enjoy the thoughts and discussions that stem from people going within.
Since this experience, I find myself searching to define my spirituality and evaluate my life experiences that are defining who I am and what I believe in.
2011 fly by with a tremendous amount of REVEALED news and activity. A book is now in production, art exhibits, and REVEALED additions...which happen to only be REVEALED Class subjects. This is a branch of REVEALED that I am very excited to see grow. In 2011 I photographed a class of 5th graders in the Spring and then a class of 4th graders in the Fall. The project begins by me visiting the class and meeting these eager students that are excited about a new art project... And maybe even having a guest artist. :) I return to the class two weeks later to photograph the children with their self designed REVEALED boxes that they get to keep.
I just posted the latest addition of 30 fourth graders and two of their teachers. More about the process and experience is available here.
You can also read what SouthCoast Today wrote about this latest addition of fourth graders.