Photo by Alice Cahill: Sacred Space
Photo by Alice Cahill: The Gift
Photo by Dave Coronel: The Warden Block
Photo by Mimi Ditchie: Through the Arch
Photo by Mimi Ditchie: Yosemite Falls at Dusk
Photo by Peggy Jansson: Red Rose of the Ninth Ward
Photo by Peggy Jansson: Springtime in Central Park
Photo by Jon Lomax: China Girl
Photo by Linda Brownson: Mosaic
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October 2009
SLO Photography Exhibitions & Events
by Renée Besta
The advent of Fall on the magnificent California Central Coast sets in motion an artistic cornucopia, blessing photographers with an abundance of picture-perfect shooting opportunities combining perfect weather with magical light and shadow. October also brings a bounty of exhibitions and events sure to please the palette of any photographer. From the 11th Annual Open Studios Art Tour, the linchpin event showcasing the original work of over 200 local artists, to multiple photographic exhibitions, presentations, field trips and competitions, our majestic county has it all when it comes to the arts.
Thursday, October 8th
San Luis Obispo Camera Club (SLOCC) President Jon Lomax will present the main program for the Club's monthly meeting: China – Land of Contrast. This digital slideshow set to music will feature a diverse array of images taken during Jon's recent excursion to the mysterious and alluring People's Republic of China. China has one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than 6,000 years. It is the source of many major inventions, such as paper, movable-type printing, matches, gunpowder, the suspension bridge, relief maps, the propeller, and multistage rockets.
In the major cities, one can see the very latest in modern architecture and technology, yet if one travels outside the city, he or she may see a farmer plowing his field using a water buffalo. Hence the "Land of Contrast." The Chinese people Jon and his wife Gloria met in Tiananmen Square were much like us: families with their kids, cell phones, and digital cameras having a wonderful time. Jon has traveled to nearly every country on earth, and he remarks that the more he travels, the more he realizes that the peoples of the world are more alike than different.
SLOCC meetings are held at 7:30 pm on the 2nd Thursday of each month (except December). The Club meets at the Veteran's Memorial Hall in San Luis Obispo, located at 801 Grand Avenue near the corner of Monterey and Grand. There is a large parking lot next to the building. Our meeting room is in the lounge to the right of the main entrance, not in the main auditorium. Please "click" on over to the Club's web site at www.slocameraclub.org for more information.
Friday, October 9th
Award-winning nature photographer Alice Cahill will be one of two featured artists at the Gallery at Marina Square in Morro Bay in October. The exhibition, Cahill & Pruitt: Two Takes, Two Views, will run from October 1 – 29 with an opening reception scheduled for October 9th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Alice has received numerous photographic honors and awards. She has been published in the Breathing Space feature of Oprah Magazine, in the book Color Confidence by Tim Grey, and in many nature and photographic magazines. Alice has had multiple solo exhibitions and currently markets her work through PHOTO 24 Stock Agency. The Gallery is located at 601 Embarcadero Street #10 in Morro Bay. In addition to this exhibit, Alice is participating in the Open Studios Art Tour the weekend of October 17-18. Please visit www.alicecahill.com for more information.
Saturday, October 10th
Join members of the San Luis Obispo Camera Club for the October 10th field trip to the spectacular Edna Valley Vineyard located at 2585 Biddle Ranch Road in San Luis Obispo. Our photographers will be convening at 4:30 pm in the winery tasting room, which has incredible views of Edna Valley. The undulating vineyards cover most of the valley and should be in full color in October. With the Santa Lucia Mountains to the northeast taking on a purplish hue in the evenings, abundant shooting opportunities will abound along with delicious wine. To sign up for the field trip, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Malcolm Carlaw at malcolm.carlaw@yahoo.com.
Tuesday, October 13th
The October 13th meeting of the Central Coast Photographic Society will feature a special digital presentation by macro photography specialist Mimi Ditchie, who will showcase the most popular images on her Flickr website. Since 2007, Mimi has uploaded over 400 outstanding photos to Flickr, which have been viewed more than 80,000 times. 54 of her photos have appeared in Flickr's Explore, the top 500 interesting photos of the day. Mimi is also the recipient of many awards at past Visions exhibits held at the San Luis Obispo Art Center, as well as numerous photography contests. In 2008, one of her photos was awarded "Photo of the Day" in the online Smithsonian Magazine. The Photographic Society meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Nybak Wing of the SLO Art Center, with running times of approximately two hours. The Art Center is located at 1010 Broad Street at Monterey on Mission Plaza. Meanwhile, visit Mimi's website at www.flickr.com/photos/mimigd.
Thursday, October 15th
The next bimonthly photographic competition of the San Luis Obispo Camera Club takes place on October 15th at 7:30 pm. At this very popular event, members submit their work to the scrutiny of professional judges who give oral critiques along with scores ranging from 3 to 9 points, where 9 is "perfect." Although Competition is intended to be fun and educational, it is certainly "stiff" with the submission of dozens of exquisite images. At the end of the year the Club distributes six awards, including "Image of the Year." Please see www.slocameraclub.org/competition.shtml for more information.
Now Through October 30th
Photographic Society Treasurer and photographer Peggy Jansson is one of two featured artists in Ladies in Reality and Abstract, an exhibit at the Morro Bay Art Association Gallery, located at 835 Main Street in Morro Bay. Her images in this show document the aftermath of both 9/11 and New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina in styles ranging from stark reality to dreamlike expressionism. Peggy has been photographically recording rebuilding efforts in both cities since 2006. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and won "The Juror's Award" for Ground Zero and "Third Place Creative" for Evelyn Anne at the SLO Art Center's Visions photography show in October 2007. She is also participating in the Open Studios Art Tour the weekend of October 10-11. Further information is posted below.
October 9th – November 20th
The San Luis Obispo Art Center features "We Belong to the Earth: A Tribute to California's Indigenous Traditions," an exploration of how California's Native American heritage and sacred narratives relate to the landscape. This exhibit showcases the work of multimedia artist Linda Vallejo and photographers Robert Frear and Sheila Pinkel. This unique and moving project is centered around Vallejo's "eco-installation" of paintings, sculpture, and a mandala on the floor of the Gray Wing Gallery. Please visit www.sloartcenter.org for more information.
October 21st – November 21st
San Francisco photographer Henrik Kam's career has focused on unusual interpretations of architecture and man-made environments. His subjects have included ancient sites, fascist architecture, and experimental postmodern buildings by notable architects. "Henrik Kam: Industrial Mountains" will be on display in the First Gallery of the San Luis Obispo Art Center featuring images from his series Landscapes of Ambiguity. This collection of San Francisco bayside black and white photographs taken of urban demolition and construction sites is composed to appear as hills and mountain ranges, yet was derived from piles of crushed concrete from demolished industrial buildings and earthquake-damaged freeway structures.
October Open Studios Art Tour
San Luis Obispo Camera Club members and photographers Linda Brownson, Alice Cahill, Dave Coronel, and Peggy Jansson will be participating in this year's Open Studios Art Tour, the major fundraising event for ARTS Obispo (San Luis Obispo County Arts Council), which organizes the monthly Art After Dark event in downtown SLO. Open Studios is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, with over 200 artists opening their studios to the public during this annual Fall event showcasing the quality and diversity of art produced in SLO County. The Open Studios Art Tour features a full-color catalog that serves as a ticket to the event. The $25 tickets are on sale at ARTS Obispo and at locations throughout SLO County.
A preview exhibition featuring a 6x6 small work show and a digital presentation of images of work by each artist on the Tour will take place in ARTS Space Obispo now through October 25th. Please surf on over to www.artsobispo.org for complete details. ARTS Obispo is located in the SLO Creamery building at 570 Higuera Street, Suite 175 in downtown SLO. Contact information and artwork from each Open Studios' artist is available for viewing on the Online Visual Artists Directory at www.artsobispo.org/ovad/home.
The 2009 Open Studios Art Tour will take place on the following dates:
• South SLO County Weekend: October 10 & 11, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
• North SLO County Weekend: October 17 & 18, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
• County-Wide Encore Weekend: October 24 & 25, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
As if this is not enough, I haven't even mentioned the First Annual Morro Photo Expo, which will take place from October 23 – 25. Photo Corner columnist Jerry Kirkhart is covering this event, so please read his column for full details or visit morrophoto.com. As has been said many times before by locals and visitors alike, we are very fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, rife with photographic treasures in every nook and cranny of the County. From the windswept dunes to the foaming sea and majestic mountains, SLO County truly has it all. I feel truly blessed to live here, and am even more grateful for the profusion of art events and camaraderie of so many wonderful photographers. Now that's what I call Aperture Alchemy!
Renée Besta is President of the Central Coast Photographic Society and serves on the Board of the SLO Camera Club as Writer, Editor, and Designer of the Courier newsletter. A former biomedical professional, Renée now works in the areas of graphic design, fine art photography, teaching, writing, and digital printing for artists. She can be contacted at reneebesta@slocoastjournal.com or by calling 805.450.4640.
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