The Artists Lounge, my first selection!

I am involved in a partnership with Kim Crawford Wines in a program they started called The Artists Lounge. You can read more about it on their site and in my post "Lets Start something"

I am one of four artists that will be choosing ideas presented in the Lounge. Anyone can join and present ideas, discussion and even post their own art/photography.

I was asked to select the first idea, something that inspires me to create. There are so many great concepts and ideas being presented in the lounge that it was quite a challenge selecting in itself.

I finally selected an idea about traveling and planning a adventure and looking through maps in plotting out a trip. The idea/concept was posted by member Silverwoody in the lounge. I will begin working on a photograph that incorporates this idea of plotting a travel or adventure and looking through maps.

After being contacted by the staff at Kim Crawford Wines that she was selected as the first winner (one of seven) and accepting the prize (a matted and framed photograph of the finished piece) I was asked to contact her to share with her my ideas for the piece.

My plan for this photograph is to set up a table in a room in front of an old window. I will set up the table with some old maps I have acquired and various other items that will dress up the set-up appropriately. I decided to have maps of New Zealand as this is where Kim Crawford Wines are from as well as the grand prize being a trip there for two.

The location I have planned for this set will be in an old civil war era building with stone walls and old wood framed arch windows. The table will be set with maps as well as other interesting items such as reading glasses, magnifying glass, vase of dried flowers, jar of pencils and pens, old cameras and case, binoculars and various other interesting elements and items.

I plan on using the natural window lighting as well as some reflectors and flash strobes designed to highlight certain areas or objects on the table setting. I'm thinking already that the entire look should have an old and somewhat timeless feel and so post processing will likely involve b&w with very warm tone or perhaps just desaturated colors and selectively applied color. I will address that after the photos have been captured. To help make this a more personal piece for Katie (silverwoody) I have asked her to provide me with a photograph perhaps of her family or loved one that she might have laying out on a table in her own room. I would print it and frame it or perhaps lay it out on the table setting. In addition, she mentioned that she is a sentimental person and has kept some scribbled notes she wrote in planning some of her last trips. She will scan these notes over to me so that I can print them out and lay them in the set-up as well.

This I feel will make it a very personal piece of work and has me very inspired to get started.

As this piece gets underway, I may post some of the set and environment but the actual finished photograph will be presented in the spring on the Artists Lounge during the unveiling of chosen works.

Six more winners will be chosen by us over the course of the program. The next one being selected by the end of this weekend. So get in there now! This is a fantastic and exciting program that supports the arts and artists and I am honored to be a part of it.

Please come in and share your ideas and let us know what inspires you. You have an excellent chance of winning a personal piece of art as well as a trip for two to New Zealand!!

The Artists Lounge