The WVU College of Creative Arts announces a summer program in photography, led by Michael Sherwin, assistant professor of photography and digital imaging.

The Jackson Hole Photography Workshop from June 17-27, 2010, is a 10-day intensive field course that explores the diverse and remote region of northwestern Wyoming. The workshop partners with the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts.

Daily photo excursions exploring this stunning region will be complemented by darkroom and digital work sessions, critiques of work in progress, gallery visits and evening presentations.

The size of the workshop is limited and the registration deadline is April 16, 2010.

To view pictures and stories from the 2009 Jackson Hole Photography Workshop, visit http://jhphotoworkshop.blogspot.com.

The workshop will cover a broad range of photographic practices and principles, with an emphasis on instruction targeted to the individual level of the student. Primary instruction will include the use of digital and 35mm film cameras, along with color inkjet or black and white darkroom processes.

Students will also have the opportunity to explore work in medium and large format cameras, as well as alternative processes.

“Throughout the workshop, students will be encouraged to experiment with various forms of image making,” Sherwin said.

“Subject matter may vary from interpretation of the landscape, to nature studies, to social documentary and portraiture,” he added.

Among the locations to be visited will be Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, the National Elk Refuge, the towns of Afton, Freedom and Kelly, the historic Mormon Row homestead site, a working ranch and an authentic western rodeo.

There will also be presentations and technical demonstrations by professional artists working in the field.

Surrounded by pristine wilderness, iconic American landscapes and projecting a definitive Western identity, the Jackson Hole area has attracted photographers from around the world.

A number of well-known landscape and wildlife photographers have successfully established galleries in downtown Jackson, and in recent years the contemporary art world has taken notice.

In 2005 the Oswald Gallery opened, featuring an extraordinary collection of historic photographs of the American West, as well as a diverse showing of contemporary works by many renowned artists.

Workshop participants will get a firsthand look at master prints from the gallery’s impressive collection.

Due to its thriving art scene and strong support for the arts, the town opened the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts in 2004.

According to Sherwin, participants in the WVU workshop will have access to the center’s state-of-the-art photography facility. The 820-square-foot studio is fully equipped with the latest traditional and digital darkroom tools and technology.

Sherwin received a BFA in photography from The Ohio State University in 1999 and an MFA in photography from The University of Oregon in 2004.

In his own work, Sherwin combines still images with video and installation pieces that investigate the tenuous relationship between humans and the natural world. He has won numerous grants and awards for his work, and has been exhibited widely.

He has taught a variety of photography and digital imaging courses at community art centers and institutions across the country, including the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts, the University of Oregon and Central Washington University.

Sherwin is also an active and participating member of the Society for Photographic Education and the College Art Association.

The Jackson Hole Photography Workshop is offered through WVU Extended Learning, which enables students from other universities and the general public to enroll in the course. The workshop is offered for three credits and is pass/no pass only.

No prior photographic experience is necessary for students participating in the workshop.

Cameras and tripods will be available for student use, including several new Canon digital SLR cameras. Some paper, film and other darkroom equipment will be provided.

Enrollment is strictly limited to 12 students to ensure a significant amount of one-on-one instruction and attention.

To be considered for the workshop, an application and $500 deposit is required prior to the April 16, 2010, registration deadline.

For more information visit: http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/environment/jhpw.

Students may also contact Sherwin at (304) 293-4841 ext. 3138 or 3238 or Michael.Sherwin@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

03/05/10

CONTACT: Michael Sherwin, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4841 Ext. 3238; Michael.Sherwin@mail.wvu.edu

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