I’ve just had two photos accepted to be exhibited as part of the Warrington Contemporary and Photography Open 2012!

The photos will be exhibited at the Pyramid Hall in Warrington town centre until the 27th October. For a sneaky preview see the pics below…

Links:

http://www.pyramidparrhall.co.uk/about-us/news/support-the-warrington-contemporary-arts-festival

http://warringtonartsfestival.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/WCAFbrochure_2012-FINAL.pdf

After 2 weeks of ‘Colour Pop’ workshops (see previous post), colourful prints were stripped off the studio walls and replaced with clean layers of black & white paper for Mini Art Club – how different it looked!

Families followed a trail up to Roger Ballen’s beautifully rich black & white square-formatted photographs in the current ‘Shadow Land’ exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery. Despite the slightly dark, adult-themed nature of Roger Ballen’s work, families with young children responded well to his photographs – making simple connections with textures, lines and imagery in photos in certain areas of the exhibition. Children particularly loved feeling feathers, twigs, drawing with wire and finding animals hidden in the photographs as well as in toy form on the gallery floor.

Downstairs, two studios were set up to recreate the rich aesthetic of Roger Ballen’s photos as children were invited to explore textures of key materials and, also, shadow and light on a large scale.

Links:

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/whats-on/exhibitions/index.php?itemID=87

http://www.rogerballen.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uee_mcxvrw

Here’s a selection of ace photos taken by people who took part in my ‘Imagine’ session at Manchester Art Gallery this weekend – playing with cameras, mirrors, angles, etc. Each month the session aims to encourage families to experiment with a chosen theme or ‘material of the month’ in a gallery space. In this case, the starting point was in the atrium – a light, airy space filled with views inside and out, tiles, shapes, patterns and plenty of things for a camera lens to focus on. Those who took part were set on a mission to capture some inventive shots!

Can you guess what’s in the picture? Can you also guess the age of the photographer of each photo?

BTW, a great big THANK YOU to Rob Blundell, Emily Songhurst and Grace Sutcliffe for all your help and bright ideas!

Manchester Art Gallery Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150833900339128.511567.68496394127&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/ManchesterArtGallery?sk=wall

I’ve just been reviewing my year in Flickr photos. I have had my Flickr account since 2006, although various hard drives and shoe boxes are crammed full of images I’ve taken throughout my life. What a peculiar exhibition that would make!

Basically, the rule is there is no rule. I like to have my camera near to me when I go out for walks, etc. and shoot subjects/objects of interest whenever I feel the urge.

Here’s my take on this photographic habit I have developed:

“I like to sow seeds for story-making and ideas, capturing traces of activity, movement, shadows, lights, blurs, figures, etc. I also like to respond to emotive landscapes and provoke curiosity when snapping strange details or interesting objects. I create intriguing titles to add another layer of meaning to the image. The words/titles work in relation to the images and at times the viewer must work to understand the connection. The photographic image is not neutral, nor is it a document of factual evidence. Rather it forms a gateway into a more subjective, super-imposed reality, which emphasises a particular observation, mood, emotion or personal response.”

To peruse my photos, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michikofujii

Here are some pics from the Crafty Fox Fair at the Brink, Parr Street, Liverpool last Saturday…. Thank you to Lisa from Lost Plots for taking the photos!

Other stallholders included: Lost Plots, Geekcycled, Chelle Shocked, Kizzy’s Unique Fashions and live music from Nick Ellis

Next up… I’m making some stuff and helping out with the ‘Grotto’ Pop-Up Shop at Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester, which opens this Friday 25th November  and coincides with the opening of Jessica Longmore’s exhibition:

http://www.chinese-arts-centre.org/general-news/grotto-shop-the-best-local-art-and-design/

http://www.facebook.com/grotto.shop

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200758710000819

As a break from running my usual workshops I will instead be running a market stall at The Brink, Parr Street, Liverpool city centre this Saturday!

I will be selling some hand-made cards, origami / paper folded decorations and framed / mounted photography (please see pics below for examples of origami stuff and photography!)

Please also see the Crafty Fox Facebook page for more info:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.101077593340792.70.101065683341983&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crafty-Fox-Fairs-Liverpool/101065683341983

The Brink, Liverpool:

http://thebrinkliverpool.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-15154646

After arriving in Krakow, Poland, I took a bus east, with my good friend Ula to the small town of Krosno, not far from the Ukrainian border. In preparation for a project taking place over the summer at Manchester Art Gallery, I decided to make good use of my time exploring forests and hills surrounding Krosno.

Whilst Ula and her friend Dorota hiked along the soggy slopes in the rain, I lagged behind with an old-school tape recorder and camera, capturing the sights and the sounds of the sloping woodland areas…