Christin Boggs

01.27.12

2012-01-28T00:17:00.003-04:00

01.21.2012

2012-01-21T02:24:00.002-04:00

Foggy Bottom FARMFRESH Market, Sept. 2011

2012-01-13T18:57:00.003-04:00

First Day of Spring Semester / First Snowfall of 2012

2012-01-09T23:40:00.003-04:00

01.05.2012

2012-01-05T19:13:00.006-04:00

Dawson Gap Farm, Nov. 2011

2012-01-04T18:54:00.003-04:00

Baron Cameron Park, March 2011

2012-01-03T21:01:00.003-04:00

01.02.2012

2012-01-03T00:10:00.003-04:00

Picture Black Friday Exhibition

2011-11-18T00:18:00.003-04:00

Picture Black Friday presents:

Window Shopping

November 18-22, 2011

Curated by:

Elizabeth Barragan, Co-founder & Director of Finch & Ada NYC

Opening Reception:

Friday, November 18, 2011, 7-9PM

Location:

547 West 27th Street, 6th Floor, Room 628

Chelsea, NYC 10001

Gallery Hours:

Sat/Mon/Tues 10-6PM, Sun 11-3PM

Project Website:

http://www.pictureblackfriday.org/

Foggy Bottom FARMFRESH Market

2011-11-16T23:47:00.006-04:00

A dark, rainy night at the Foggy Bottom FRESHFARM Market:

New work :: Ag fás [grow]

2011-11-05T10:35:00.007-04:00

Ag fás [grow]

It's a work in progress, but I've finally posted the new project that I shot over the summer in Ireland. Head on over to my website to check it out. Thanks for looking!

Point Park University :: Speaking Light Lecture Series

2011-10-28T09:24:00.000-04:00

Capitol Arts Network Presents: Cornucopia

2011-10-11T21:24:00.004-04:00

Capitol Arts Network presents

Cornucopia: Food for Thought from Female Artists

at The Washington School of Photography

October 14 - November 4, 2011

The evening will include a program with price sheet, awards, and hors d’oeuvres with wine. The Washington School of Photography will also be collecting non-perishable food donations for Mana Food Bank in Montgomery County, beginning this Friday through Thanksgiving. While not a requirement, guests are encouraged to bring a small donation to help this effort.

Exhibiting Artists:

Jennifer Bishop

Christin Boggs

Frances Borchardt

Susan Callahan

Claudia Copeland

MT Deleyiannis

Jill James

Sonia Keiner

Cecelia Laurendeau

Emily Greene Liddle

Marla McLean

Natalia Melcer

Cathy Messina

Cindy Packard Richmond

Jacqueline Saunders

Sherry Smith

Opening Reception:

Friday, October 14, 6 - 9PM

Location:

The Washington School of Photography

4850 Rugby Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

http://www.wsp-photo.com/

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 3 :: Final Critique

2011-08-21T11:44:00.003-04:00

Art on the Farm 2011 :: The Dairy Farm

2011-08-18T08:15:00.005-04:00

I went to the neighboring dairy farm to photograph the milking process...

The cows walk to the barn:

Waiting in line:

Farmer Jim hooks up the milking machine:

Fresh milk!

The cows head back to the field:

Feeding time for the calves:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 3 :: Cork/Cape Clear Island

2011-08-16T04:58:00.010-04:00

We spent three days traveling to Cork City and Cape Clear Island last week. Here are some photos from our travels:

Blarney Castle:

Cork English Market:

We went to the Crawford Art Gallery and saw the current exhibition Gravity. The students are viewing a photograph by Adam Ekberg here:

We took a ferry to Cape Clear Island:

I went on a walk up a steep hill to Cleire Goat Farm, which is run by Ed Harper and includes 16 goats (including two brand new kids!). The goat's milk is used to make ice cream and cheese. Ed teaches courses on goat husbandry and hosts members of WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) at the farm.

I sampled the chocolate ice cream, which was pretty tasty:

Cows in a neighboring field:

A vegetable patch next door to a pub:

Back on the mainland, we visited James Turrell's Irish Sky Garden at the Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen, Co. Cork:

We walked through a path of trees, then climbed the stairs up to the crater:

Inside the crater:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 3 :: Dublin

2011-08-07T16:57:00.010-04:00

We were back in Dublin last week with the third session of students. We went back to the Irish Museum of Modern Art and met with resident artist Mary Ruth Walsh:

After walking through the museum, we spent some time outdoors, discussing the students' Dublin photography assignment:

After IMMA, I had a chance to break from the group and went on a search for community gardens and farmers markets. First I found the Dublin Food Co-op, which had a small grocery store area and larger open room for "meetings, markets, exhibitions, classes, workshops, art exhibitions, performances, social events and, of course, food events." There wasn't a lot going on when I went by, but I took a few photos of the space and some of the food:

On my walk, I happened upon the Bridgefoot Street Community Garden, which included chickens, veggies and some incredible scarecrows, all bordering a recreation area:

Sitric Compost Community Garden:

Fitzwilliam Square Lunchtime Market:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 3 :: Day 1

2011-08-01T15:45:00.001-04:00

Wexford Farmers Market

2011-07-31T05:56:00.010-04:00

I finally had a chance to check out an Irish farmers market yesterday in the nearby town of Enniscorthy. Overall, it was fairly similar to the farmers markets back home. Here are some photos:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 2 :: Final Critique

2011-07-29T15:57:00.002-04:00

Bike Ride to Rathnure

2011-07-27T16:18:00.007-04:00

We went on a bike ride today to the village of Rathnure.

First stop: the post office

View from the post office:

Second stop: Roseacre Soaps

(soaps made from goats milk)

The friendly goats:

The soap:

(available for purchase online)

Along the way, we passed a garden and nasturtium flowers:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 2 :: Co. Kerry

2011-07-26T06:00:00.013-04:00

We spent last Wednesday through Friday traveling in County Kerry. Here are some photos and videos from our time out West...

We stopped at a beach along Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula:

Farm land near the beach:

Gallarus Oratory, an early Christian church:

We stayed the night in Ballydavid, in an old Coast Guard lodge that has been converted into a hostel.

Tigh TP Pub:

Family performance at the pub:

A short hike from the hostel:

Muckross Abbey in Killarney National Park:

We took a boat ride out to Skellig Michael and climbed about 600 precipitous steps to a monastery that possibly dates back to the 6th century.

The monastery at the top of the island. These three mounds most likely served a residential purpose:

According to the visitor's guide, the Skellig Islands "are two of Ireland's most important sites for breeding seabirds and are remarkable both for the size of their colonies and diversity of species... Puffins can be seen on the island until early August every year."

We passed Skellig Beag (Little Skellig) on the way to Skellig Michael. This island is home to the second largest population of breeding gannets.

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 2 :: Critique 1

2011-07-26T05:54:00.001-04:00

Quail at Cow House Studios

2011-07-19T06:06:00.004-04:00

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 2 :: Dublin

2011-07-16T05:19:00.005-04:00

A few highlights from our trip to Dublin with the second session of students......

We met with IMMA resident artist Mark Hamilton in his studio and in the Process Room to see his project 'Snare Drum at Blue Monday:'

We went to the Royal Hibernian Academy and saw the 181st RHA Annual Exhibition:

And we checked out the Gallery of Photography's current exhibition The Long View, which features work by Irish artists David Farrell, Anthony Haughey, Richard Mosse, Jackie Nickerson, Paul Seawright and Donovan Wylie.

Art on the Farm :: Session 2 :: Day 1

2011-07-10T18:28:00.002-04:00

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Final Critique

2011-07-08T12:19:00.003-04:00

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Fishing

2011-07-08T05:13:00.003-04:00

Blackstairs Mountain

2011-07-07T11:43:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, a group of us hiked up the nearby Blackstairs Mountain. It was incredibly windy at the top. A rain cloud came over the mountain and sent us quickly on our way back down. Here are a few photos and a video from the hike:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Galway / Aran Islands

2011-07-03T10:11:00.009-04:00

We spent last Wednesday in Galway, then took the ferry to the Aran Island of Inishmore. Here are some photos and video of our time out West....

Poulnabrone Dolmen and the Burren Drive:

Cycling to Dun Aengus:

We stopped at a beach along the way:

The hike to Dun Aengus:

The view from the top:

Dungaire Castle:

The view from the castle:

Inside the castle, preparations were being made for a medieval banquet later that evening:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Critique 1

2011-06-28T19:00:00.001-04:00

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Dublin

2011-06-27T05:02:00.006-04:00

There are two excursions during each Art on the Farm session. Each group goes to Dublin for an overnight trip during their first week of camp, then we'll go to a different destination during the second week, depending on the session: Galway & the Aran Islands, The Ring of Kerry, Cork & Cape Clear Island. Here are a few photos from our trip to Dublin last week....

We went on a walking tour, led by Lorcan Collins, co-author of The Easter Rising: A Guide to Dublin in 1916. This is in St. Stephen's Green, at the top of Grafton Street.

Our fearless leaders Rosie (left) and Frank (right). Zsofia (middle) is also a Visiting Artist this summer.

We went to the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and saw work by Barry Cooke, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. And we met with resident artist John Beattie in his studio:

Then we walked across town to the Ormund Studios: a visual arts initiative...founded by a group of 2009 graduates as a self-managed, centrally situated, affordable working space for emerging visual artists. The space comprises of artists studios and an project space which are spread over two floors of a georgian building.

We saw video work by Jackie Gray and Alan James Burns.

There are a bunch more photos from Session 1 :: Week 1 here.

Pigs at Cow House Studios

2011-06-26T07:40:00.006-04:00

A week ago, I tagged along on an adventure to purchase 2 pigs. We drove to a farm about an hour away, on the east coast, right by the shore. There were 2 goats, a bunch of pigs and chickens, and vegetable plants.

These are the 2 pigs we brought back to the Cow House, all snuggled up together in the barrel when we arrived.

Their new home in the woods at Cow House Studios:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Day 2

2011-06-21T13:12:00.006-04:00

Yesterday the students had a bookmaking workshop. They created journals which will be filled with ideas and observations during their stay in Ireland. I joined the fun and made a journal inspired from a page in an old art magazine - "The Colour Wheel."

Stitching:

Gluing the Cover:

Finished Product:

Art on the Farm 2011 :: Session 1 :: Day 1

2011-06-19T13:35:00.005-04:00

The first group of Art on the Farm students arrived at Cow House Studios today and we took them on a walk around the farm. Enthusiasm is high; we're all looking forward to spending the next three weeks together, making art!

Rain from the Studio Window

2011-06-18T18:23:00.003-04:00

Back in the Darkroom

2011-06-18T05:00:00.004-04:00

I arrived at Cow House Studios on Wednesday and was greeted by three adorable kittens and four friendly dogs. In addition to the cows, there are also quail, peacocks, ducks, and soon two pigs will make their appearance! The last few days have been cold and rainy - the perfect weather for getting some work done in the studio and preparing for the first group of students (they arrive tomorrow!). On Wednesday I went for a walk, shooting a roll of B/W 35mm film along the way. I processed the film on Thursday and yesterday I made this print. I haven't worked in the darkroom since undergrad ('07), so it's been really nice to revisit the analog photographic process. I'm also shooting color film with my Hasselblad, but that will take a little longer to process.

Kittens at Cow House

2011-06-16T18:31:00.003-04:00

Greetings from Ireland!

2011-06-13T17:17:00.010-04:00

I arrived in Dublin last Wednesday and I've been sightseeing for the last week. I'll be in Wexford for the remainder of the summer, as a Visiting Artist at Cow House Studios - a teen summer art program on a farm! I'll be taking pictures along the way and posting here as often as I can.

Before traveling to Ireland, I was hearing excellent things regarding the "Grow It Yourself" movement here. I've already noticed many locavore buzz words in restaurant menus and grocery stores, including "corn fed chicken," "free range eggs," "locally sourced produce," "organic," etc. And the food experience has been amazing! It's so refreshing to be able to walk into just about any establishment and find real food, that's delicious and healthy, without all the unnecessary additives and preservatives.

Here are a few quick cellphone snaps of food highlights so far:

Butternut Squash Soup and Goat Cheese Salad

at Avoca Cafe in Dublin City Center:

A statement from the menu at The Farm Restaurant

in Dublin City Center:

"the farm is about...affordable, tasty, homemade, locally sourced, as much organic and/or free range as we can, healthy vegetables + fresh herbs. All of our food is freshly prepared and cooked to order - this may take a little longer, we believe it's worth it! ps - the farm is owned and operated by a locally sourced Irish family!"

And Murphy's Ice Cream in Dingle:

"Murphy's Ice Cream uses milk from the rare, indigenous breed of Kerry cow in a bid to support it and because the milk is so wonderful."

stay tuned for many more posts from my summer adventures in Ireland!

Center Gallery Presents: Sustainability

2011-05-27T09:28:00.005-04:00

Center Gallery at the
Midwest Center for Photography presents:
Sustainability

May 27 - July 22, 2011

An exhibition speaking about local food production, locovore consumption, organic gardening and farming.

Exhibiting Artists:
Katharyn Addcox, Christin Boggs, Lee Fernside, Jimmy Fike,
Christine Garceau, Adrian Lesoing, Linda K. Robinson, Crystal Socha.

Opening Reception:
Friday, May 27, 7-10 PM

Location:
Center Gallery
111 S. Ellis St.,
Wichita, KS 67211

Gallery Hours:
Fridays, 12:00 - 6:00 PM
Final Friday Opening Receptions: 7:00 - 10:00 PM
Also by appointment

RSVP on Facebook

DC Urban Farm Bike Tour: Common Good City Farm

2011-05-22T13:49:00.006-04:00

The long-awaited DC Urban Farms Bike Tour finally took place yesterday, rescheduled from a rainy April day. I missed most of the tour, as I had farmers market obligations earlier in the day. But I made it to the last stop: Common Good City Farm (the urban farm made the news recently, due to a visit from Prince Charles!). Congrats to all the event organizers, volunteers and bikers for a great day! To view photos, click the above slideshow or head over to my Flickr page.

[Rescheduled] DC Urban Farms Bike Tour

2011-05-18T14:54:00.005-04:00

The DC Urban Farms Bike Tour has been rescheduled for this Saturday, May 21, 1-6PM, with happy hour to follow at Big Bear Cafe. The bike tour will include five stops: Neighborhood Farm Initiative, Washington Youth Garden, The Farm at Walker Jones, City Blossoms and Common Good City Farm. The full schedule is available here. The Facebook event page is available here.

Teacher Appreciation, Locavore Style

2011-05-15T18:31:00.012-04:00

In honor of teacher appreciation week at the beginning of May, the McLean High School PTSA (of McLean, VA) had the excellent idea to host a local lunch for their teachers. Produce was donated by Maple Avenue Farm and Bigg Riggs Farm; "time and talent" was donated by Maple Avenue Restaurant Chef Tim Ma, Joey Hernandez and crew, to prepare the lunch. PTSA volunteers braved a rainy morning on May 4, to harvest lettuce at Maple Avenue Farm in Great Falls, and I had the chance to document this portion of the event. (I didn't make it to the lunch the next day, as I was working at a farmers market, but I hear it was a huge success.) Here's to more events like this one that bring together local, sustainable, delicious resources!

Maple Avenue Farm is one of several projects run by Chris & Sara Guerre. Their produce is sold at two Farmers Markets in Northern Virginia and at their store in Vienna, VA: Maple Avenue Market, "a small, family-owned local foods store that is committed to supporting area farmers and producers and serving as a community resource for all of us who want to learn more about where our food comes from, and more importantly...where it should come from." They also work with Arlington County Public Schools, to provide local produce for students.

Incidentally, though the name is similar, Maple Avenue Restaurant is a separate entity, begun right around the same time as the Maple Avenue Market, in 2009. The two businesses are located just down the street from each other (as their names indicate). The restaurant uses local ingredients in its dishes, including chicken from the renowned Polyface Farm located further south in Virginia.

The volunteers harvest lettuce:

Chris (center) and Sara (red rain jacket) talk with the PTSA volunteers as the morning task of harvesting lettuce comes to an end.

The sun came out just after all the lettuce had been picked (of course!).

The farm has brand new chickens this year! (I've purchased a few dozen eggs from the Market and they've resulted in some delicious omelets!)

Find out additional information at the Maple Avenue Market website and Facebook page. And if you're a local, you definitely need to check it out!

DC Greenhorns Screening: Photos

2011-04-19T21:44:00.001-04:00

The Greenhorns is "a small grass-roots organization, based on a farm in the Hudson Valley of New York" with a mission "to recruit, promote and support young farmers across America." Naturally I'm a big fan, so I was really excited to learn that the group was organizing an event in Washington D.C. Originally, the event included an urban farms bike tour in addition to a screening of Severine von Tscharner Fleming's film The Greenhorns. The bike tour was canceled due to heavy rain storms, to be rescheduled for a later date (stay tuned!). But the screening still ran at Latelier Theater in Georgetown. The event included an impressive assortment of food, made with local ingredients, accompanied by a live performance from D.C.'s Second String Band. Curious to see the film? Request a screening in your area! You can also follow news and events at The Greenhorn blog.

Let's Do Lunch! Photo Book

2011-04-08T12:00:00.007-04:00

Back in January 2010, Photoinduced sponsored the Lets Do Lunch! Photo Contest, calling for photos that document meals. 20% of all entry fees went to local food banks. Such an excellent idea for a photo contest! The judges were Lou Manna, The chow.com editorial staff and James B. Wood. The grand prize went to Katya Evdokimova for her comical image of a woman in a panda costume, advertising a Chinese buffet.

The book is officially out, available in two sizes: 7x7 and 12x12! Like the entry fees for the contest, 20% of book sales go to food banks. Check out the book preview here. My Still Life #10 is featured in the book as an Honorable Mention!

PRICING: 7x7
Softcover: US $35.24
Hardcover, Dust Jacket: US $51.34
Hardcover, ImageWrap: US $55.94

PRICING: 12x12
Hardcover, Dust Jacket: US $118.95
Hardcover, ImageWrap: US $123.95

Photoinduced will be hosting the contest again, so stay tuned for the next call for entries and start documenting your food!

Root Division presents: TASTE 2011

2011-04-07T12:49:00.004-04:00

Root Division presents:

TASTE 2011

April 6 - April 23, 2011

Opening Reception:
Saturday, April 9, 7-10 PM

TASTE is an annual exhibit about food & food-related ideas that focuses on a different theme each year. This year’s theme highlights the humor and romance of our everyday encounters with food and includes 16 artists representing drawing, painting, photography, collage, sculpture, video, & installation.

CURATED BY:

Cathy Lu and Dana Hemenway

ARTISTS:

Alexis Arnold

Christin Boggs

Rebecca Foster

Lou Haney

Emily Heller

Beth Jacobson

Monica Martinez

Vincent Romaniello

Surabhi Saraf*

Kristin Spickard

Jen Susman

Hui Y. Tsai

Cristina Victor

Raymond Wong*

Jay Dion

Cathy Lu*

*Root Division Resident Artist

(Image by Kristin Spickard)

Location:
Root Division
3175 17th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Gallery Hours:

Wed. - Sat., 2-6 PM, or by appointment

Greenhorns: A Sense of Place Photography Exhibition

2011-02-04T16:23:00.004-04:00

18 Reasons and The Greenhorns present:
A Sense of Place

February 3 - March 31st, 2011.

Featuring images from Slow & Steady

The images of farms that we, as consumers of media, are exposed to are often taken by outsiders with no anchors in the land they photograph. In selecting works created by new agrarians who are emotionally rooted in their environment we seek to unearth a deeper layer of the changing landscape of agriculture.

Opening Reception:
Saturday, February 5th, 5-7PM

Meet some farmers. Meet some artists. Meet some farmer artists. Our new exhibition, A Sense of Place, contains the photographic work of 21 farmers from around the country, and we think that's a reason for a little celebration. We'll have live music, yummy treats, some drinks, and lots of good cheer. It's a great way to start your Saturday night!

Location:
593 Guerrero at 18th Street
San Francisco, CA

Admission: Free

I am so very excited about this show and wishing I could be there for the opening. Several images from Slow & Steady are included. If you are in San Francisco, check it out! And snap some photos while you're there! Additional information available on the Greenhorns blog.

Featured :: 180 magazine

2011-02-01T11:48:00.004-04:00

Happy February! Check out my photos in this month's issue of 180 magazine. Big thank you to Kim Taylor for making this happen!

Picture Black Friday :: Best in Show

2011-01-14T11:18:00.006-04:00

Sexton Family Christmas Trees, Great Falls, VA, 2010

I'm so excited to be included in this year's Picture Black Friday Project! Thank you to the jurors: Joel Meyerowitz, Brian Ulrich, Andy Adams, Amy Stein, John Feinstein, Shane Lavalette, Matt Stuart and PBF founder John Saponara, all amazing leaders in contemporary photography. Check out the full list of PBF finalists here.

Exhibition at Damiani Wine Cellars

2010-12-30T12:49:00.007-04:00

January 7 - February 21, 2011

Opening Reception:
Fri., Jan. 7, 2011, 7 - 9 PM

Meet Your Local Cheese Maker,
Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese:
Sat., Jan. 8, 2011, 2 PM

Wine, Swine, Dine:
Sun., Jan. 9, 2011, 1 - 4 PM

Damiani Wine Cellars
4704 Rt 414 in Burdett, NY 14818

RSVP on Facebook.

Slow & Steady: Brighton

2010-12-07T13:54:00.005-04:00

Slow & Steady: Brighton
On view through December 31, 2010

An exhibition comprised of photographs by Christin Boggs from the Brighton Farmers Market and Brighton Community Garden.

Location:
Brighton Town Hall
2300 Elmwood Ave.
Rochester, NY 14618

First Friday December

2010-12-03T10:15:00.006-04:00

I have work in three exhibitions that open tonight...

Banter: A Dialogue

Curating for a Cause, and L2 Lounge, and Dreams for Kids are pleased to present Banter: A Dialogue, an exhibition and art auction to benefit D.C. non-profit, Dreams for Kids. Banter will feature over twenty artists of a variety of mediums. The show is intended to be a dynamic conversation between the works from an exceptional group of artists. Artwork was jury-selected from submissions from an international open call for art. The exhibiting artists’ work will be shown December 3rd through the 6th at L2 Lounge, an exclusive nightclub in Georgetown. The opening reception will include live music by ONE BIG WOO between 7 and 8 PM, a silent and live auction of exhibited works at 8 PM, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Dreams for Kids, an organization that Curating for a Cause and L2 Lounge are proud to support.

Date: Friday, December 3, 2010, 7-9PM
On view through December 6, 2010.

Location:
L2 Lounge
3315 Cady's Alley NW (between 33rd and 34th off of M Street)
Washington, DC 20007

Admission: 21+
Suggested $10 donation
All proceeds go to Dreams for Kids.

Facebook Event.

________________________________

The Great Falls Foundation for the Arts presents:
Holiday Small Works Show

Date: Friday, December 3, 2010, 7-9PM

Location:
GFFFTA Artist's Atelier
1144 Walker Road, Suite D and G
Great Falls, VA

________________________________

Rochester Contemporary Art Center presents:
20th Annual Members Exhibition

First Friday: December 3, 2010, 6-10PM

Opening Reception: December 4, 2010, 6-10PM

Location:
Rochester Contemporary Art Center
137 East Avenue (between Scio & Gibbs Sts)
Rochester, NY 14604

________________________________

Also, 4 images from Slow & Steady are featured in F-Stop Magazine's Issue #44, as part of the online group exhibit Community. Check it out!

From November First Friday at the Hungerford...

2010-11-06T11:55:00.006-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to Slow & Steady and WE MAKE ART last night!

The opening reception of WE MAKE ART: an exhibition from the RIT photo community (Hungerford Building Door 7, Rm 306 1115 E Main St. Rochester, NY) :

I displayed these photographs in the exhibition:

Maple Syrup Pipelines, 2010
Sugarbush Hollow, East Springwater, NY

November First Friday :: Slow & Steady

2010-11-05T10:17:00.005-04:00

Slow & Steady will be open tonight, 6 - 9 PM, as part of Rochester's First Friday Citywide Gallery Night. Stop by and say hello! The exhibition will be on view through the end of November.

Location:
The Design Gallery at RRCDC
1115 East Main St. Door #4
Rochester NY, 14609

Gallery Hours:
M-F 9-5 or by appointment.

(photo by Lisa Adamucci)

Mud Creek Farm 2010

2010-11-01T13:09:00.003-04:00

This summer, I was a work-trade member at Mud Creek Farm CSA, in Victor, NY. The abbreviation “CSA” stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It is a type of farm that gathers members who pay a fee at the beginning of the season, then pick up a weekly share of vegetables and possibly meat, cheese, eggs, bread, etc. Through this system, the farmer and the customer work together to ensure that the farmer has an adequate income and that the customer has food provisions for the season. As a work-trader, I worked 4.5 hours every Monday morning, in place of the membership fee. I spent each shift harvesting vegetables for distribution. Last week, the season came to an end, so this is my first Monday off from the farm. With the temperature in the upper 30s, it's nice to be inside! Though I miss the farm and all my friends there. Each week, I photographed my share of vegetables:

Several of the photographs from Slow & Steady were taken at Mud Creek Farm, including the image on my postcard: Turnips in a Bathtub. Additional digital photos from the farm can be viewed on my flickr page.

Find a CSA near you!

October 2010 News and Events

2010-10-25T14:03:00.005-04:00

The last few months have been a whirlwind, as I've been busy finishing up my MFA degree at RIT. Here are a few announcements during this exciting time:

Slow & Steady will be on display through the end of November at The Design Gallery at the RRCDC (1115 East Main St., Door #4, Rochester NY, 14609). Gallery Hours: M-F 9-5, or by appointment. Open First Friday, November 5, 6-9PM.

Images from the series Digestion and Cheap Fix are currently on view at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science (350 S. Duval St. Tallahassee, FL 32301), included in APPETITE: Expressions of the Politics Encircling Food, coinciding with Grounded, the SPESE 2010 Regional Conference.

A framed print from the series Cheap Fix will be on view and available for purchase at the The 7th Annual Transformer Silent Auction & Benefit Party at The Mexican Cultural Institute (2829 16th Street NW Washington, D.C.). November 13, 2010, 7-10PM. Tickets: $175 each; $200 after Nov. 1. To purchase, call 202.483.1102 or email alison@transformergallery.org

I will be speaking about Slow & Steady at the SPE National 2011 Conference in Atlanta, GA, on Friday, March 11th, 2:25pm - 2:45pm.

From the Opening Reception...

2010-10-09T22:30:00.003-04:00

Check out photos and video from the opening reception of my thesis exhibition at the Slow & Steady blog. Slow & Steady will be on display through the end of November. Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM. The Design Gallery at the RRCDC will also be open for First Friday, November 5, 6PM - 9PM. 1115 East Main St., Door #4, Rochester NY, 14609

Photographs at the Farmers Markets

2010-09-25T22:56:00.003-04:00

I will have photographs on display at the Brighton Farmers Market (1150 Winton Rd. South) TOMORROW, 9AM - 1PM and at the South Wedge Farmers Market (Clinton Ave. S. & Alexander St.) on Thursday, Oct. 7, 4 - 7PM. Stop by and see a sneak preview of my thesis exhibition, opening this Friday!

Slow & Steady: MFA Thesis Exhibition

2010-09-03T22:47:00.004-04:00

OPENING FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010

The Design Gallery at RRCDC
Hungerford Complex
1115 East Main St., Door #4
Rochester, NY 14609

Gallery Hours:
9 - 5 M - F or by appointment
On view through November 30, 2010

Exhibition web page available here.

Produce: Full Success

2010-08-31T09:05:00.005-04:00

Last week I hosted a closing reception for produce: photographs by Christin Boggs at Great Falls Library. There was a great turnout, considering it occurred at a time when many are away on vacation. It was so great to catch up with longtime friends and to meet new people. Thank you to everyone who came out!

The reception included some local food dishes. Hollin Farms of Delaplane, Virginia, offered delicious peaches, at a discounted price. Potomac Vegetable Farms of Vienna, Virginia, donated a quart of mouth watering 'Juliet' grape tomatoes. I also prepared several dishes, including Baba Ganoush, Chocolate Beet Cake (substituting margarine with applesauce and all-purpose flour with rice flour), and Barbara Kingsolver's Summer Potato Salad, using vegetables grown either in Rochester, New York or the Washington D.C. area. My mom also made a fabulous spinach quiche, using a recipe from The 10 Things You Need to Eat. Compostable tableware came from Sustainable Party, at a discounted price.

The exhibition:

The closing reception:

Peaches from Hollin Farms:

Deviled Eggs made by my sister-in-law, Lisa Boggs.
Eggs from Potomac Vegetable Farms.

I made whole wheat bagels, using flour from Small World Bakery in Rochester, New York.

Reception photos courtesy of Lisa Boggs, of Lisa Boggs Photography.

Thank you to everyone who visited the exhibition!

Produce: Closing Reception

2010-08-19T20:22:00.006-04:00

The closing reception for "produce: photographs by Christin Boggs at the Great Falls Library" is a week from today: Thursday, August 26, 7-9 PM. Come on out to see what I've been up to in grad school. Bring a dish that features a local food product, potluck style. A few local farmers will be contributing food as well: Hollin Farms and Potomac Vegetable Farms. I hope to see you there!

Location:
Great Falls Library
9830 Georgetown Pike
Great Falls, VA 22066

Hey, Hot Shot!

2010-08-04T11:39:00.003-04:00

A huge thank you to Youngna Park for featuring my work on the Hey, Hot Shot! blog!

Sun Gazette

2010-07-29T16:58:00.003-04:00

A huge thank you goes to Brian Trompeter at the Sun Gazette, for his article about my show at the Great Falls Library!

Rochester Contemporary: 6x6x2010

2010-07-11T16:23:00.005-04:00

Rochester Contemporary's 6x6x2010 show ends today. I submitted two images, Brussel Sprouts and Kale. Thank you to those who bought the prints! Here are a few images from the show:

produce: now on display at Great Falls Library

2010-07-01T23:07:00.008-04:00

produce is an art exhibition featuring photographs by Christin Boggs, from the series Cheap Fix, 2009 and Slow & Steady, 2010. A native of Northern Virginia, Boggs has been studying photography since her sophomore year at Langley High School. She received her BFA in photography from George Mason University in 2007, and is completing her MFA in photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Her work is centered on the politics of food in the 21st century. Cheap Fix engages in a critique of processed foods, while Slow & Steady documents local, sustainable food production in Rochester, New York.

Stop by during library hours, or find out additional information online at http://www.christinboggs.com.

The show is sponsored by Great Falls Studios, a network of artists based in Great Falls, Virginia.

Dates: July 1 - Aug. 28
Location: Great Falls Library
9830 Georgetown Pike Great Falls, VA 22066

Hours:
Sun: closed
M, W, F: 10-6
T, Th: 1-9
Sat: 10-5

Closing Reception: Aug. 26, 7-9PM

Slideluck Potshow DC IV

2010-05-28T16:54:00.006-04:00

Last Friday, May 21, I had the opportunity to attend another Slideluck Potshow, this time in DC. (Read about my first SLPS experience here.) Joshua Cogan's studio in Chinatown was packed with people, food, and drinks from Brooklyn Brewery.

SLPS founder Casey Kelbaugh introduces the show:

Below is a very small sampling of some work that was shown.
See additional work here.

Work by Dwight Eschliman:

Work by Bill Crandall:

Work by Kara Brodgesell:

Some images from my thesis project, Slow & Steady:

Complete list of artists shown last Friday night:

Masha Abapolnikova
Daniel Afzal
Keith Barraclough
Christin Boggs
Kara Brodgesell
Bobby Bruderle
Christina Clusiau
Joshua Cogan
Bill Crandall
Andrew Cutraro
Jen Davis
Peter DiCampo
Dwight Eschliman
Melissa Golden
Carling Hale
Robb Hill
Brendan Hoffman
William Knipscher

Alejandra Laviada
Emily Locke
Amanada Lucidon
Jacquelyn Martin
Lianne Milton
Carolyn Monastra
Jared Ragland
Seth Rubin
Jo Ann Santangelo
Allison Shelley
Brian Sliwak
Drake Sorey
Phillip Toledano
Greg Vore
Stephen Voss
Jay Westcott

Slideluck Potshow just launched slideluckpotshow.com v2.0, which looks amazing! Now slide shows will be available for online viewing, long after an event is over. There are still a few kinks to be worked out, so most of the slide shows from DC IV are not yet available. But keep checking back! And look out for future SLPS events.

I Made a Table!

2010-05-16T16:34:00.002-04:00

It's true. This past quarter at RIT, I took a woodworking class, in which I built the above table out of one piece of maple wood, purchased at Pittsford Lumber. The top of the table is a true bookmatch, meaning that it is one piece of wood, cut in half, opened up, and joined together, creating a mirroring affect. After much hand sanding, I applied two coats of Tried & True, an all natural wood finish, made from linseed oil and beeswax. I can't take all the credit, though. George Dubinsky, the course instructor, designed the table and provided much help, as did his assistant, Trevor Ritchie.

Table Dimensions: 16.5"w x 23"h

Spring Kick-Off Events

2010-04-26T10:22:00.010-04:00

The last week has been busy with farm and garden kick-off events in/around Rochester, NY. Below are a few quick digital photos from the last week.

Sunday Farm Drop-off Turns into Impromptu Farm Market, 4/18/10
Attendees stand in line for pre-ordered eggs and vegetables from Clearview Farm:

Garlic greens from Fraser's Garlic Farm:

The next drop-off/farm market will be this coming Sunday, 5/1, in the parking lot of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Ave. You can contact me for additional information, or check out the Rochester Farm Connection: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RochesterFarm/ for postings.

RIT Community Garden Kick-Off, 4/22/10

Volunteers work in the Rochester Roots Franklin Greenhouse, 4/22/10

Onion Planting Party at Mud Creek Farm, 4/24/10

GVOCSA Spring Kick-Off, 4/25/10
A walk in the woods, Kraai Preserve:

Photographer Lauren Greenfield Visits RIT

2010-04-24T10:24:00.004-04:00

Last Wednesday, RIT's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) had the great pleasure of welcoming photographer Lauren Greenfield to speak about her work. The auditorium was packed, as Greenfield presented an assortment of imagery, including the projects Fast Forward, Girl Culture and Thin. She also showed video clips from the feature-length documentary film Thin (first aired on HBO in 2006), and Fashion Show, a video which currently plays automatically when visiting Greenfield's website.

I first learned about Greenfield's work during a photo course in college, when reading Terry Barrett's 4th edition of Criticizing Photographs. The book includes a color plate of the above image (Alli, Annie, Hannah, and Berit, all 13, before the first big party of the seventh grade, Edina, Minnesota, about 2002), alongside an artist statement.

After a compelling presentation, Greenfield answered questions from the audience.

To learn more about Greenfield's multifaceted projects, check out her comprehensive website.

This Week in Rochester (and beyond)

2010-04-18T21:55:00.007-04:00

Food, Photography, and Farm events this week........

Dirt! The Movie Airs Tuesday, April 20, 10PM EST on PBS
_______________________________________________

Photographer Lauren Greenfield to speak at Rochester Institute of Technology

Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Time: 7-8PM
Location: Liberal Arts Bldg (6), Room A205
Cost: Free

Additional information available at RIT's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences Facebook event page.
_______________________________________________

FYI: Thursday, April 22 is Earth Day.
_______________________________________________

RIT Community Garden Kick-Off

Date: Thursday April 22, 2010
Time: 11AM - 1PM
Location: Southside of U-Lot near the tennis courts

All RIT community members are invited to come and look, visit with current garden members, ask questions, get your hands dirty digging, pulling or tilling, and its not to late to join!
_______________________________________________

University of Rochester: Earth Week

Check out the earth week link, to see a variety of fun activities at U of R this week, including a Local Foods Dinner and a screening of Fresh.
_______________________________________________

GVOCSA Spring Kick-Off

Date: Sunday, April 25, 2010, rain or shine
Time: 2PM
Location: 2231 Welcher Road, Newark, NY

Festivities will begin at the Maypole (near the farm parking lot) followed by a wildflower walk led by Local CSA member Leona Lauster along the trail on the Kraai Preserve. Leona is an avid birder so bring binoculars. Tours of the farm will be available. The celebration concludes with a potluck supper. Please bring a dish to share and your own place settings. The farm will provide beverages.
_______________________________________________

Do you know about any additional upcoming events? Post below!

Photographer Doug DuBois Visits RIT

2010-04-11T14:13:00.004-04:00

Last Wednesday, RIT's Photo House, in association with the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) presented Doug DuBois, the man behind the photo book All the Days and Nights. Doug was kind enough to spend two hours giving portfolio reviews to a few photo students, including myself. Here he reviews work from my fellow classmate Carly Miller:

After portfolio reviews, Doug presented a lecture in which he read the afterword from his book, then showed some new work made both in Syracuse, NY, and Ireland. This included his portrait series Arrival.

This slide from the lecture shows the image on the cover of the book:

I first learned about All the Days and Nights last summer when Aperture Foundation and Flak Photo presented a book giveaway. It was a pleasure to meet Doug and to hear about his work!

ArtAwake 2010

2010-04-10T23:11:00.004-04:00

I just got back from the very eclectic ArtAwake event in downtown Rochester. The former First National Bank was transformed into a venue packed with food, music, and lots of art. All in all, it was really nice to see so many people coming together for the sake of art and community. Here's my documentation of the artwork up by myself and two of my classmates in the RIT MFA photo program.

Nick Marshall had a series of four images up. It's difficult to tell exactly what the piece looks like from my photo, because the work is so highly reflective.

Fiona Wilson had three images up from her series Macy Parade. Here's Buzz Lightyear!

And here are two images from my thesis project, Slow & Steady. The first is Turnips, Mud Creek Farm. The second is Earth Beds, South Wedge Community Garden.

Thanks to University of Rochester students for pulling off such a successful event!

This Week in Rochester, NY

2010-04-05T13:34:00.011-04:00

Here are two art/photo events happening this week in Rochester, NY:

Photographer Doug DuBois to speak at Rochester Institute of Technology

Date: Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Time: 6PM
Location: Carlson Auditorium, Bldg. 76 room 1125
Cost: Free

Additional information available at RIT's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences news page and Facebook event page.

_______________________________________________

ArtAwake

On Saturday, April 10th, 2010, from 5pm-2am, ArtAwake will transform the former First National Bank on 35 State Street in Downtown Rochester through a festival of art, music, and much more! There will be art of all forms and special installations, 21 bands and musicians performing on 3 stages, interactive exhibits of all types, a historical exhibit, and a variety of culinary art and other food & drink provided by a variety of local businesses. Tickets are available in advance or at the door, and will gain you unlimited access for the duration of the event along with special discounts at several nearby restaurants.

Date: Sat., April 10
Time: 5PM - 2AM
Location: 35 State Street, Rochester, NY
Cost: UR Students: $7 advance, $9 door
Other Students/UR Community: $8 advance, $10 door
Community: $9 advance, $11 door

Two of my photos will be on display, as well as work from my MFA classmates Fiona Wilson and Nick Marshall.

Easter Eggs

2010-04-04T14:45:00.004-04:00

Here's my little kitchen creation for the day. Sadly, for some reason I have yet to purchase paprika. I could have sworn I'd bought it long ago. Anyway, try to envision the eggs with the orange sprinkling of the seasoning. The free-range eggs were purchased yesterday at the Rochester Public Market, from a vender by the name of Old Home Farms. The recipe was a slight variation of this one. Though the addition of a few teaspoons of lemon juice is key! And I used a trick I learned last summer from a coworker: instead of halving the eggs lengthwise, I halved them at the width, but used a knife to take a sliver off the pointy ends of the egg. Then they stand up on their own, which is a nice little variation to the basic deviled egg.

Happy Easter! May your day be spent with family, friends and delicious food!

Livingston County 2010 Farmer Neighbor Evening

2010-04-03T17:32:00.005-04:00

While photographing the first day of Sugarbush Hollow's Maple Syrup Festival, I had the pleasure of meeting the president of Livingston County's Chamber of Commerce, Cynthia Oswald. Upon hearing about my thesis project about small scale, local food production, she generously invited me to attend the county's 13th Annual 2010 Farmer Neighbor Evening last Friday, March 25.

The event was held at the Genesee River Restaurant & Reception Center, which housed over 300 attendees. The entryway and reception room were lined with displays by such organizations as the NY Farm Bureau, the 4-H program, and even AT&T. Once Again Nut Butter, Deer Run Winery, and Eagle Crest Vineyards provided product samples as hors d'oeuvres. The main events of the evening were the dinner buffet, award presentations, and an address from guest speaker David J. Salmonsen, Senior Director of Congressional Relations.

IconUnited Q&A

2010-03-30T13:00:00.003-04:00

A huge thank you to Nate Abramowski for featuring my work and a Q&A on his blog! I met Nate a few weeks ago in Philadelphia during the Portfolio Walk-Through at the SPE conference. Look out for additional artist interviews on IconUnited and be sure to check out Nate's website, for his series quiet men.

Sugarbush Hollow Maple Syrup Festival

2010-03-22T12:48:00.004-04:00

Sugarbush Hollow's Maple Syrup Festival was the perfect way to spend the official first day of Spring. I dropped off my film this morning, to be processed. But in the meantime, here are a few photos from my digital camera:

Chuck Winship explains the tapping process during a walking tour on Sugarbush Nature Trail:

Attendees enjoy sunny weather and full stomachs (from syrup and pancakes) on the porch of the sap house:

The hollow's friendly canine mascot:

In case you missed Saturday and Sunday's festivities, the fun continues next weekend: 3/27, 28, 10AM - 4pm. 8447 Pardee Hollow Road, Wayland, New York 14572

Sugarbush Hollow

2010-03-16T09:55:00.007-04:00

During the last week of February, I had the delightful experience of photographing the process of maple syrup tapping at Sugarbush Hollow in East Springwater, NY. This was really exciting, because I first learned about the hollow back in the fall, when I met owner Chuck Winship at the Brighton Farmers Market. Since then, I've been patiently waiting for maple syrup season to begin!

Arriving at the hollow on a snowy day, I met Chuck at the syrup house:

The forest is located on an incline, so that the maple syrup can flow downhill, through pipelines. We took a snowmobile to the top of the hill and the tapping process began. Chuck drills a hole into the tree:

To maintain tree stability, a new hole is made about an inch to the right and slightly above the last year's hole. The tubing, connected to the new hole, declines to a tree further down the hill, allowing for the syrup to move downward, and eventually reach the syrup house. Outside temperatures must reach about 40 degrees Fahrenheit before the syrup starts flowing.

Pam Masterson, owner of Canadice Kitchens, poses after tapping a tree:

At the end of the day, we rode back down the hill on the snowmobile. Standing on a tow sled in the back (as if I were leading sled dogs), I took a few photos with my digital camera:

Sugarbush Hollow is hosting Maple Syrup Weekends this Saturday, 3/20, and Sunday, 3/21, and next weekend (3/27, 28). Each day, festivities will run from 10AM - 4PM.

Come join us for maple syrup demonstrations, a pancake breakfast by the Springwater Gala, taste the flavors of maple syrup & hike into the Sugarbush on our new Sugarbush Hollow Nature Trail. Great old fashion outdoor fun and education for families and friends! Free tours, demonstrations and tastings. Pancake Breakfast by Springwater Gala $5.00 adult $2.00 children. Culinary Breakfast prepared with local butter, eggs, pancake mix, apple juice and fresh maple syrup from Sugarbush Hollow.

Address: 8447 Pardee Hollow Road, Wayland, New York 14572

For those who can't make it to the event, their products can be purchased here.

SPE 2010

2010-03-12T22:36:00.004-04:00

The past two weeks have been very busy due to my spring break travels home to DC briefly, then up to Philadelphia, PA, for the Society for Photographic Education (SPE) conference, then back to Rochester to begin the spring quarter at RIT. This was my second consecutive year attending SPE and oddly enough, my first trip to Philadelphia (it's a mere 3 hour drive from DC!). The conference was a wonderful time to reconnect with former photo professors and colleagues, to meet new people and to see a little bit of Philly (including the Liberty Bell, of course!).

In addition to socializing and sitting in on lectures, one of the highlights of the weekend is the opportunity for portfolio reviews. During the Friday student portfolio critique session, I had the great pleasure of meeting with four different reviewers: Anni Holm, Heather McClintock, Amie Potsic, and Walter Bodle. I was thrilled for the opportunity to meet with each of them.

Anni Holm is director and curator of People Made Visible, Inc., in West Chicago, which according to the organization's website, is a "non-for-profit with a mission to facilitate community while fulfilling the artistic, social, educational and cultural needs of the community through an innovative physical and web based presence." ...sounds amazing!

Heather McClintock is a documentary photographer, who according to her website bio, seeks "a deeper, more intimate connection to humanity" in her work.

Amie Potsic is an artist and current Director of Career Development at The Center for Emerging Visual Artists, in Philadelphia.

Walter Bodle is the founder of Youth in Focus, an organization with a mission "to empower urban teens, through photography, to experience their world in new ways and make positive changes in their lives."

In addition to the one-on-one portfolio critiques, Saturday night was the Curator Portfolio Walk-Through (see above photo), in which students and professionals cover the very crowded room with work, resulting in a delightful chaos of sorts. During this time, I displayed work prints from my current project Slow & Steady. A few people I met during this time: artist and contributor to the online magazines Fraction and photo-eye Melanie McWhorter, Photo Center NW Education Director Ashley Siple, and recent SCAD MFA grad Nate Abramowski. Toward the end, I walked around a bit to see what others were showing. Last year, I remember seeing a surprising amount of black and white photos, but this year color photography had a much more significant presence.

Because I spent most of Friday afternoon in portfolio reviews, I missed a lot of the lectures and panel discussions. Though I did sit in on "Seeing Beyond Dirt: The Language of Working-Class Photography," a lecture by RIT English professor Janet Zandy. I also caught RIT Photo professor Suz Szucs' presentation in the panel discussion for "Self as Object: Perspectives of Identity." On Saturday, I attended the graduate student presentations by Kelly Flynn, Garrett Hansen, Gazelle Samizay, Travis Shaffer and Leilani Wertens.

Friday night, while walking in Old City for First Friday gallery events, my RIT buddies and I stumbled upon what was for me a very exciting art space called Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, a namesake for Walter Benjamin's essay. The store/gallery is currently showing The Farm, a narrative exhibition documenting daily life and new initiatives at the Art in the Age Farm in Tamworth, NH, presented by artist Robin McDowell. The below photo shows the storefront window.

So that sums up my 2010 SPE experience. I look forward to next year's conference in Atlanta, GA!

Postcard!!

2010-03-03T18:49:00.003-04:00

Okay, these are not the 'official' thesis show postcards, just a sort of practice run, so I'll have something to pass out this weekend at the Society for Photographic Education (SPE) conference.

Front:
Slow & Steady
MFA Thesis Exhibition by Christin Boggs

Back:
Slow & Steady
Photographs by Christin Boggs
MFA Thesis Exhibition

October 2010

This is the photograph on the front:

The show will be held at the Rochester Regional Community Design Center's Design Gallery, with an opening scheduled for Friday, October 1. Stay tuned for the official card, which will have specific information regarding the opening reception and thesis defense. In the meantime, feedback is welcome and appreciated!

Todd Hido Visits RIT

2010-02-18T14:01:00.006-04:00

Last Thursday, RIT's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) had the great pleasure of welcoming photographer Todd Hido for a portfolio review and lecture.

Each student participating in the review had about 12-15 minutes to discuss their work. I showed my thesis work-in-progress at the review and received some great feedback! Here are my work prints, laid out on the table, before Mr. Hido's arrival:

Before reviews began, Todd was kind enough to show us the book dummy for his upcoming book A Road Divided.

My fellow classmate, Lisa Adamucci shows her work:

Thursday evening, Todd presented his work, as part of the Charles Arnold Lecture series:

A fantastic pairing: Mr. Hido's images grace the covers of the new editions of Raymond Carver's collections of stories such as Cathedral and Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?

I'll never forget my first introduction to Todd Hido's work as a junior at George Mason University, in my professor's PowerPoint presentation about contemporary photographers. I immediately fell in love with the nighttime portraits of houses, which influenced the creation of my Abandoned Houses series. It was delightful, to say the least, to meet the man behind the photographs!

Elizabeth Henderson Visits RIT

2010-02-16T21:51:00.003-04:00

Rochester's "local legend" Elizabeth Henderson, author of Sharing the Harvest: A Guide to Community Supported Agriculture and co-founder of the Genesee Valley Organic CSA (GVOCSA), visited RIT's Anthropology Global Econ class last Wednesday. Professor Kray was kind enough to invite me to sit in on the class. (See my previous post with information and photos from the GVOCSA's Peacework Farm.) Elizabeth presented a slideshow of images from Peacework Farm, provided students with an historical context to community supported agriculture, and discussed the logistics of starting and maintaining an organic farm. In response to a question about cost comparison between a retail grocer's produce and a year-long CSA membership, Elizabeth stated, "if you cook yourself, you'll spend less money. If you eat better, you'll be saving money on health problems later in life." As is shown in the photo above, Elizabeth highly recommended Shannon Hayes' book Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture. This was my first introduction to the book, so I look forward to checking it out.

Rochester locals can sign up for GVOCSA membership at an upcoming meeting on Saturday, March 6, from 2-4 PM, at the James P. B. Duffy School 12, 999 South Avenue, in Rochester. See the website for additional information.

Sandra Steingraber Speaks at Ithaca College

2010-02-10T16:38:00.005-04:00

Last night, I attended ecologist, author, and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber's lecture at Ithaca College, where she teaches in the Department of Environmental Studies and Science.
Her titles include The Spoils of Famine: Ethiopian Famine Policy and Peasant Agriculture, Post-Diagnosis, Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment, Having Faith: An Ecologist’s Journey to Motherhood, and The Falling Age of Puberty in U.S. Girls: what we know, what we need to know. She's a current contributor to Orion Magazine and a future contributor to the Huffington Post.

Aside from a movie trailer, a visual presentation did not accompany her talk, but proved unnecessary, as Steingraber is not only incredibly knowledgeable in her field, but a captivating speaker and poet. Titled The Importance of Journalism and Independent Media in an Age of Ecological Crisis, last night's talk was broken up into three discussion topics: endocrine disruption, the need for chemical reform, and gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. Mixed in was autobiographical information and poetry.

In regards to endocrine disruption, Steingraber voiced a need for media representation to take responsibility off consumers and onto the government. Take for example the article from Oprah Magazine, entitled Problems with Plastic, which advises readers to "limit your exposure [to BPA] by not putting hot food or drinks in plastic containers." News reports commonly inform consumers to avoid specific products rather than pressuring the government to ban the use of such chemicals in manufacturing in the first place. Steingraber stated that it is impossible, even for an expert like herself, to avoid all products with toxic contents. For additional information about endocrine disruption, read Our Stolen Future.

The evening ended with a presentation of the movie trailer for Living Downstream, a documentary based on Steingraber's book bearing the same title.

A still from Living Downstream:

Ithaca College will present a screening of Living Downstream on April 3, 2010. Stay tuned for details.

This Week in Upstate NY

2010-02-07T15:29:00.013-04:00

Here are a few events happening this week in Upstate NY:

Biologist And Author Sandra Steingraber To Speak At Ithaca College

“The Importance of Journalism and Independent Media in an Age of Ecological Crisis”

Date: Tues., Feb. 9, 2010
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Park Hall Auditorium, Ithaca College
Cost: Free

Additional information available here.

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RRCDC's Reshaping Rochester Lecture Series Presents: Christopher Leinberger

"The New American Dream"

Date: Wed., Feb. 10, 2010
Time: 7-9 PM
Location: Jewish Community Center
1200 Edgewood Ave., Rochester, NY
Cost: $15/advance; $20/door

Additional information and ticket purchase available here.

UPDATE: Leinberger lecture has been canceled
For future Reshaping Rochester Lectures, click here.

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RIT Charles Arnold Lecture Series Presents: Todd Hido

Date: Thurs., Feb. 11, 2010
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: RIT Carlson Auditorium, Bldg. 76 room 1125
Cost: Free

Additional information available here.

The Center for the Study of the End of Things

2010-01-31T21:11:00.003-04:00

I am pleased to announce that two images from my Abandoned Houses series will be on display at the Inaugural Symposium of the Center for the Study of the End of Things, in Charlottesville, VA. Fellow RIT MFA student Fiona Wilson will also be displaying images from her Collapse series.

The event will be held in a vacant building which will be demolished soon after the show. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend, but if you happen to be in the Charlottesville area, be sure to stop by and check it out! To learn more, visit the organization's Facebook page.

Date: Friday, Feb. 5, 2010
Time: 6-10PM
Location: 1017 West Main St., Charlottesville, VA

Image credit: The Center for the Study of the End of Things

Cibi & Custom BrewCrafters Pair Food & Beer

2010-01-31T18:57:00.007-04:00

On Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of photographing a cooking class at Cibi Deliziosi, located at 3894 Rush-Mendon Rd. Mendon, NY. The theme for the evening was appropriately a Super Bowl Party Menu & beer pairing with products from Custom BrewCrafters (CBC). The Menu included chips & dip (Creamy Avocado & Shrimp Dip; Roasted Pepper, Artichoke & White Bean Hummus), Scotch Ale Fondue, and Beer Braised Chili Stew. The class was led by Cibi chef/owner Rosita, with assistance from three CBC brewmasters. Beers included Canandaigua Lake Ale, English Pale Ale, Scotch Ale, and Double Dark Cream Porter.

Rosita instructs at her chopping table:

CBC Scotch Ale:

CBC owner Mike Alcorn pours one of his beers:

Scotch Ale Fondue:

Brewmasters wait patiently for the stew to finish:

Chili Stew, perfect for a cold & snowy winter night:

Check out Cibi's website for upcoming classes, including a "Mardi-Gras Party" on Tues. 2/09 and an evening of "Local, Seasonal & Natural" food items on Thurs. 2/25.

For additional photos from the event, check out my Flickr page.

Joe Bean Coffee Roasters

2010-01-30T23:14:00.008-04:00

Thanks to Joe Bean Coffee Roasters for showing me around their shop at 182 North Ave., Webster, NY, yesterday morning! The company roasts fair trade, organic beans from around the world. If you're a Rochester local, their products can be purchased at their shop and additionally are available elsewhere around town, such as at Abundance Cooperative Market (62 Marshall Street) and Lento (274 N. Goodman Street), a restaurant dedicated to utilizing small-scale, local food production. If you're from out of town, you can make purchases here. Also, check out their Facebook page for updates on events and open houses.

I watched as the coffee was 'cupped', a tasting technique performed in order to determine each coffee's flavor profile:

Making cappuccinos:

Earlier this month, I also caught Joe Bean baristas serving coffee at the Rochester Roots "Growing Together Community Garden Conference." To see these photos and more, visit my Flickr page.

Slideluck Potshow Comes to Rochester

2010-01-26T19:41:00.007-04:00

Last Friday, Jan. 22, Rochester Contemporary hosted a Slideluck Potshow event. The walls of RoCo's gallery were bare, as the Members Exhibition had just come down.

Begun in 2000, when Casey Kelbaugh "invited some friends to his backyard in Seattle for a potluck dinner and art slideshow," Slideluck Potshow has become an international phenomenon, which brings artists and their surrounding communities together for a night of food and art. Sounds like a great idea to me! Images for the slideshow are collected through a call-for-entry and jury selection process and range from emerging to well-established artists. To learn more about the organization, click here.

Attendees watch the show:

Kelly Shimoda's text message project I guess you don't want to talk to me anymore:

Work by Abelardo Morell:

Elinor Carucci's recent work from the series My children:

Complete List of Artists shown:
100 Eyes/Beware the Cost of War
Aaron Huey
Alberado Morell
Alec Soth
Alyssa Monks
Anastasia Taylor
Andrew Moore
Andy Freeberg
Ariel Zambelich
Birthe Piontek
Christoph Morlinghaus
Don Menges
Elinor Carucci
Emily Schiffer
Guntar Kravis
Jonathan Lipkin
Kelly Shimoda
Lindsay Blatt
Lorenzo Triburgo
Lori Nix
Magnus Bjerk
Michael Forester Rothbar
Molly Surno
Olivia Arnone
Olivia Jacquet
Phillip Toledano
Robert Herman
Robin Schwartz
Ryan Sulzc
Scout Tufankjin
Wren Noble

Converge: Upstate Graduate Exhibition

2010-01-22T15:33:00.005-04:00

Last night was the opening for Converge: Upstate Graduate Exhibition at Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) Gallery. The show includes work from over 50 MFA students at the following Upstate NY schools: Alfred University, RIT, Syracuse University, University of Buffalo, and Visual Studies Workshop.

I entered Kale, an image from my current project, Slow & Steady. The photograph was taken at Mud Creek Farm, and shows kale growing under a material that protects the plant from frost. (To learn a little more about the farm and my current project, check out a blog post I wrote back in December.) Kale was in the "nature" section of the show, in between work by fellow RIT grads Emma Powell and Emily Zeller.

Visitors take a closer look:

If you're in upstate New York, come by and check out the show:

Location: 70 Lomb Memorial Dr. Rochester, NY
Frank E. Gannett Building (7B), 3rd floor
Dates: Thurs. Jan. 21 - Fri. Jan. 29, 2010

Through Your Lens: School Facilities Across America

2010-01-14T21:31:00.004-04:00

At the end of summer '09, I learned about Through Your Lens, "a collaboration of The 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure, and Healthy Schools Campaign to raise awareness of the need to fund school buildings that support learning and provide a safe, healthy environment for students and teachers." The contest challenged teachers, students, and other members of public school communities nationwide to photograph their school campus: both the good (subjects which show off school pride) and the bad (deterioration). I responded to the call for photos, by revisiting my alma mater Langley High School.

I submitted the photos in this post, along with the following statement:

U.S. News and World Report listed Langley High School in the top 100 schools in December 2008. As a graduate from the class of 2003, I can vouch for the high-quality education available from a dedicated faculty and staff at the public school in McLean, VA. Though during a recent visit to the campus, I realized that the facility, built in 1965, is a little rough around the edges. Fortunately, a new wing with shiny classrooms was just added to Langley's facade. But the renovations reveal a stark contrast to the rest of the aging building. Many details have been overlooked, including broken and tattered door signs. And the outdoor basketball court has rusty hoops and grass growing through broken asphalt. Despite some necessary maintenance work, there is a lot of charming history literally drawn on the school walls, including a map of Virginia in the science wing and a Saxon Pride mural by the gymnasium. It would be great if finances could allow a better preservation of facilities for the wonderful LHS community.

This afternoon, I learned that the picture below of the basketball court was published in Through the Lens, a book created as a result of the photo contest. The book will be delivered to key leaders in the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the US Department of Education.

Rochester Roots

2010-01-13T11:07:00.003-04:00

Rochester Roots is an exciting organization "committed to the creation of urban school and community garden-based educational programs for youth and adults" in the city of Rochester, NY. Director Jan McDonald and volunteers work with the school community to develop a garden which complements lessons children are learning in such subjects as science, history, and math. To teach participants entrepreneurial skills, a portion of the produce is sold at the South Wedge Farmers Market. To learn more about Rochester Roots, check out their video, Let's Dig In.

I spent several chilly autumn mornings photographing at one of the elementary school gardens, watching children enthusiastically pick produce, pull dying plants, and feed the compost pile.

At the end of the season, Rochester Roots hosted a fund raising event that included a delicious harvest dinner, a dessert table filled with homemade pies, a silent auction and a lecture presented by guest speaker Samina Raja, professor at the University of Buffalo.
If you're a Rochester local, consider joining Rochester Roots this Saturday, Jan.16, 2010, for Growing Together: A Community Garden Conference. The day includes a morning bus tour of local community gardens (sold out) and an afternoon of three breakout sessions: 1) Soil Health 2) A-Z Organic Garden Planning and 3) Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Development. Walk-Ins for the conference are allowed, however pre-registration is encouraged. Phone registrations can be made to 585-232-1463.

Date: Saturday, Jan.16, 2010
Times: 9:00-12:00 Bus tour (sold out)
12:30-5:30 breakout sessions
Location: Rochester City Hall
Address: 30 Church St. Rochester, NY 14614
Free parking available at City Hall

Rochester Contemporary 19th Annual Members Exhibition

2009-12-12T19:13:00.005-04:00

If you happen to be in the Rochester area, check out RoCo's 19th Annual Members Exhibition, on display now through Jan. 17. A photograph from my Abandoned Houses series is included in the show.

Location:
137 East Avenue (between Scio & Gibbs Sts)
Rochester, NY 14604

Hours:
Wed-Sun 1-5 PM
Closed Dec. 21-Jan. 5

General Admission: $1

Peacework Farm

2009-12-12T13:07:00.004-04:00

This fall, I spent a few Sundays at the Genessee Valley Organic Community Supported Agriculture's Peacework Farm in Newark, NY. The GVOCSA was initially begun in 1989 by Elizabeth Henderson, author of Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture. Greg Palmer and his wife Ammie Chickering partnered with Henderson in 1998. Each year the farm also recruit apprentices to work during the growing season. This summer, the farm had three full-time apprentices, all graduates from Green Mountain College and one part-time apprentice who also works at Small World Bakery (more about the bakery soon).

The organization of a CSA varies from farm to farm. Membership with Peacwork Farm involves a fee in the spring (ranging from $300-680 depending on an individual's desired food quantities) and 2-3 4-hour shifts of work on the farm, along with 1-2 2.5-hour shifts at the distribution site at Abundance Co-op in downtown Rochester.

Farm shifts are on Sundays and Thursdays. I went to the farm on three chilly Sundays to photograph the farmers and members working together on harvesting vegetables to prepare for distribution.

Toby, a friend of the apprentices, collects a bundle of pea shoots. (Pea shoots are delicious in a salad!)
Apprentice Allie pauses from digging potatoes to embrace a member's dog.
Farmer Greg sorts squash in different bins for distribution.
After the work is complete, the farmers and members gather for a wonderful potluck meal inside the barn. The food varies each week, but generally includes a salad of leaves and vegetables gathered fresh from the farm, cheese from a Mennonite store down the road, homemade bread, soup, and desserts (which I provided when I attended! I baked chocolate oatmeal cookies the first week, chocolate zucchini brownies the next, and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing. The farmers greatly appreciated my chocolate contributions!)The apprentices were kind enough to let me come to their home and photograph some of their surroundings. I love to find these instances when modern technology (stereo) and age-old traditions (garlic braid) converge.
At the end of the season, the farm held a potluck dinner at St. Mary's Church in downtown Rochester. Attendees were asked to bring a dish with 8-10 servings, a note card listing ingredients, and their own place settings. The desserts went fast!To learn more about GVOCSA, visit their website or attend a sign up meeting, held on Wednesday, February 10, from 7-9 PM and Saturday, March 6, from 2-4 PM at the James P. B. Duffy School 12, 999 South Avenue, in Rochester.

Thesis Beginnings

2009-12-04T16:46:00.025-04:00

Please forgive my long absence from the blogosphere! I've spent the last three months delving into my thesis project, in which I am photographing small communities and families practicing sustainable food production in Western NY.

In earlier projects, such as 100 Soup Cans, after Warh ol, I worked to create photographs that critique the mainstream American food industry. Rather than continue with this critique, I am turning to focus on the positive actions being made by individuals and communities to carry on such traditions as gardening, baking, and cheese making. Interested in the Slow Food and Locavore movements, my research has revealed that the greater Rochester region contains a powerful community of groups and individuals practicing local food production. With my thesis, I am entering this community to meet people with similar food interests, to document their actions and to create images that reveal methods of eating that are alternative to convenience foods. The project will culminate in an art show, planned for fall 2010.

Throughout the next several days, I will post images from the project, highlighting the communities and individuals that I have had the great pleasure to meet and photograph thus far.

And without further ado, meet Farmer Erin, founder of Mud Creek Farm, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) located in Victor, NY. The farm just finished its first year and plans have begun for the 2010 season. To hear more about the farm and its beginnings, listen to an archived interview from Michael Warren Thomas' local radio show Naturally Green.

Because I began the project in September, I have been catching the tail end of harvest season, which means cold weather crops, like kale (seen below, protected from frost), and wilting warm weather crops. I have visited the farm twice so far. During my first visit, I wandered the rows of crops and watched as Erin harvested cabbage. I also met Farmer Andy, of Andy's Specialty Garlic & Produce, another brand new CSA, located in Newark, NY. (More about him later). During my second visit to Mud Creek, family and friends came out on a Saturday to help Erin wrap up the season and harvest some of the last crops for a Thanksgiving share (a special bonus to members that signed up early for the 2010 season). Among other tasks, the greenhouse was cleaned, spinach was picked, and vegetables were washed.
If you happen to live in the Rochester area and are interested in joining the CSA in 2010, there is an information session tomorrow 12/06 at the Artisan Church (1235 S. Clinton Ave.) from 12:00 - 1:30PM. The event begins with a potluck lunch, so bring a dish!

Metamorphosis Art Show: Full Success!!

2009-09-15T17:31:00.004-04:00

The art show on Sunday at Willow Restaurant in Ballston, VA, was a delightful experience, in which I met some talented local artists, ate an amazing meal, and sold a few of my framed prints! In total, the artists made about $9,100 from art sales! 10% is being donated to Arlington ArtWorks. Thank you to everyone who came out to the event!

See below for photos of my setup:

Details:

On the Ride Home...

2009-09-15T17:21:00.005-04:00

I had to stop and photograph these amazing signs next to each other on rt. 15, in Dillsburg, PA.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

2009-09-06T22:19:00.019-04:00

It happened faster than I could snap my fingers: Summer has come and gone. Labor Day weekend has arrived and is quickly slipping away, especially for those of us who don't have Monday off. As I sit here and reflect on the last three months, I am abundantly satisfied. I was back at home in the suburbs of Northern Virginia, spending hundreds of hours of quality time with my family. I reunited with some long-time friends (though not as many as I would have liked) and I made some new friends along the way. I had a wonderful internship with the Smithsonian Photography Initiative, where I wrote several posts for The Bigger Picture.

I volunteered with the Fauquier Community Farm, pulling weeds in the hot sun and picking green beans until the clouds broke into a refreshing summer storm.
I traveled to Sewanee,Tennessee to see friends get married, then traveled an hour southeast to Chattanooga for a brief, but rejuvenating visit (including a delicious breakfast). I picked raspberries at W hittier Fruit Farm in Rochester, NY, and peaches and blackberries at Hollin Farm in Delaplane, VA. My mom and I toured Polyface Farm.And last but not least, this evening, I witnessed the spectacular 28th Annual Dansville Festival of Balloon s.
Over the course of the summer, I watched some fabulous films including Food, Inc. and Julie and Julia. And I read some great books including Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible, Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, and Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed. I've learned a great deal this summer and am looking forward to working on my thesis in this next year of grad school.

Fresh From the Oven...

2009-09-06T16:17:00.004-04:00

For those who don't already know, I began baking my own bread last fall, after a friend gave me a little lesson on the time consuming, but incredibly rewarding custom. Since then, I've experimented with different recipes, all found on the web. And while tasty, my whole wheat loaves were always too crumbly and never quite rose to perfection. Last week on my birthday, my kind friends presented me with Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads book of "innovative techniques and exacting scientific explanations." The very next day I got to work on the first recipe: the 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread. Thanks to the "delayed fermentation method," the result, as seen above, was a delicious loaf with a hint of sourdough flavor, perfect for making sandwiches!

Metamorphosis Art Show 2009

2009-08-31T11:48:00.005-04:00

I am pleased to announce that I will be one of 27 artists participating in this year's Fifth Annual Metamorphosis Art Show! I will be showing my Abandoned Houses Series. Come out and enjoy live music and visual art from local and regional artists. Free Admission. 10% of art sales go to Arlington ArtWorks. I hope to see you there!

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009
11AM - 6PM

Willow Restaurant
4301 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203

TimeFrames: A Tribute to Henri Cartier-Bresson

2009-08-27T21:51:00.005-04:00

Just recently, I stumbled across the Calumet TimeFrames project: a sporadic call for entries based on a chosen theme resulting in a slide show on the website. The latest edition, dated 8/22/09, was based on the 101st anniversary of the birth of Henri Cartier-Bresson, the "father of photojournalism" and the man who coined the "decisive moment."

Contributors were asked: "What image of yours best captures the decisive moment?"

I submitted 9705: one of my very first successful photographs, created in my senior year of high school. I was sitting in traffic on my way home from school one afternoon, with my Nikon manual film camera in tow, when I snapped this shot. It wasn't until after processing and printing the image that I recognized the repetition of shapes and objects, broken up by the car pulling out onto the road. This photograph led to the creation of a portfolio of work, based on reflections.

9705 is included in the first video on the TimeFrames website, near the end. Check out the project and look for the next call for entries.