Celebrating My Photo Professor, and Other Good People
Generally the crews were generous with their expertise, but I needed more support. That glimpse into the tv production world inspired me to take some vocational courses at the local college. There, I learned from a body of students who lacked prestigious art school pretension – and a cadre of professors who shared everything they knew. I had found my helpers, and continued to take courses there for years after the PA gigs ended.
Franklin Avery is a master of studio lighting and one of the most beloved professors of the Laney College photo department. Unfortunately, budget cuts led him to retire earlier than he planned, and yesterday was his last day as a teacher. He personally invited a bunch of past and present students to celebrate and say farewell. Though I wasn’t a student for nearly 10 years, we had kept in touch, and I was honored to be in attendance.
I am so grateful to Franklin and the many other helpers I have met over the years. They embody the spirit of community colleges: accessible, encouraging, and generous with their knowledge. This can be in stark contrast to the industry’s often guarded approach, and proof that creativity can thrive when it’s nurtured and shared.
MOMENTUM, 2024 EBPCO Member’s Exhibition
Oakland Photo Workshop, 312 8th St., Oakland CA, 94607
On View December 6 2024 through January 19 2025
Opening Reception December 6, 2024, 6-9pm
One of my photos was selected for this movement-themed exhibition at Oakland Photo Workshop. The photo features a boxer from my series about a boxing community in Cuba.
Momentum is a photography exhibition that captures the beauty, energy, and emotion of movement through diverse scenes and subjects. This exhibition is guest curated by Malcolm Wallace and features work from 36 artists in the gallery, and an additional 11 artists online.
Photo series: En La Luchita
More information about the here.
East Bay Photo Collective
First Experiences: NDA Photo Workshop and New Orleans
Earlier this month, I attended the 2024 NDA Workshop – my first photo workshop, and my first time in New Orleans. The experience was incredible, but also incredibly uncomfortable. I think real learning moments tend to work out like that. Then you emerge with some humility and inspiration to leap forward in your practice.
These photos are from my assignment with Sara Howard, owner of Kayak-iti-yat, one of New Orleans' first urban kayak tours companies. Rain hampered our shoot, but it gave me an opportunity to get to know Sara and this beautiful city.
Kayak-iti-yat, established in 2011, offers tours along Bayou St. John, catering to all skill levels. As a New Orleans native with a deep appreciation for the environment (and a self-professed “tree hugger”), Sara shares her vast knowledge of the bayou's history, wildlife, and ecological challenges. I think I fell in love with the area, thanks to her passionate sharing of both nature and people.
Kayak-iti-yat and other tourist-oriented businesses have struggled to regain their footing in the wake of the COVID pandemic and Hurricane Ida. To supplement her income, Sara bartends at the Three Muses, a restaurant and music venue off the popular Frenchman Street in the 7th Ward neighborhood.
In February 2024, Sara, Sophie Lowry (owner of Three Muses), and Lycia Ferguson launched the Foubourg House, a non-profit on the top floor of Three Muses. The space provides meals and serves as a venue for local artists, musicians, and community activists. With the NFL Super Bowl coming to New Orleans next year, Sara and her friends hope the Foubourg House can help contribute to the local economy and serve their community in novel ways.
Consider supporting these organizations if you're ever in the area!
Kayak-iti-yat
Three Muses
NDA Workshop
Artist Talk at the APAture Visual Arts Closing Reception
Arc Gallery & Studios, 1246 Folsom St., San Francisco CA, 94103
Closing Reception November 9, 2024, 12-3 PM
Growing up in the Midwest as a third-gen Chinese American woman, my heritage was primarily experienced within the walls of our family home. The passing of my maternal grandparents left a gap I didn’t fully comprehend until much later. Creating Juicy, a multimedia series spotlighting elder Asian American women, became a journey back to that heritage, sparking the intergenerational connection I yearned for with elders of the broader Asian American community.
Sharing Juicy at Kearny Street Workshop’s upcoming APAture Visual Arts Showcase – a preeminent space for emerging Asian and Asian American artists – feels like a true return, particularly as the organization celebrates its 25th anniversary and the festival explores the theme of “Return.” These photos have found their way to several gallery walls over the years, from SOMArts Cultural Center in 2017, to the Oakland Photo Workshop Gallery in 2023, the Joyce Gordon Gallery in 2024, and now at Arc Gallery of San Francisco. It's been moving to see different communities hear and react to stories from our elders, in their own words.
Join me for an artist talk at the closing reception on Saturday, November 9th. The reception program and a link to RSVP is below.
12:00 PM: Doors open to all artists and the general public
12:40 PM: Introductions and welcome by Kearny Street Staff
12:45 PM: Special music performance by Karinyo, music showcase artist
1:00 PM: Round robin artist talks, approximately 5 minutes per artist (13 artists)
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Food, drink, music, closing of show
RSVP to this event here.
More information about the APAture festival here.
Kearny Street Workshop