VASA Global Photography Project
image: © Maria Diaz-Colocho
The Global Photography Project: Spring 2013 Mentors
Michael Amrose
I had a terrific experience facilitating a group of photographers for the VASA Global Photography Project. My group, with members from North Carolina, Qatar by way of El Salvador and the Ukraine, met once a week on Google + to discuss their recent photos representing the theme “blind spot.” Cultural and geographic differences led to interesting discussions of varying perspectives on photography, the theme and the process of creating artistic images. They began to think about the photograph they wanted to take, the ideas or feelings they wanted it to reflect and the importance of visualizing and executing their vision.
Michael Amrose came to photography with his involvement as a student, member and volunteer with CEPA (Center for
Exploratory and Perceptual Arts). He later received his masters degree in filmmaking from the Center for Media Study at the State University of NY at Buffalo studying from artists/filmmakers like Paul Sharits and documentary filmmaker, James Blue.
Following film school, Michael became a scriptwriter for non-profits, New York State and national and regional corporations. During this time he also taught filmmaking at SUNY at Fredonia. About four years ago, he found that abstract photography was his calling. In the last couple of years he has exhibited in a number of venues in Western New York including Echo Art Fair in Buffalo, NY, and The Artists Project in Toronto, Canada. This year, he is a facilitator for the VASA Global Photography Project. (image to right © Mike Amrose)
Randy Pellis
I found it to be a wonderful, collaborative, thought-provoking and very productive experience for all involved. Looking at a photographic project through a number of vastly different cultural windows raised my awareness in ways I’m not sure are as readily possible through any other form of communication. Actually working face to face in Google+ Hangouts, and commenting on each other’s work in Facebook proved to be a wonderful way of working and learning together. I look forward to many more of these group experiences through VASA and the Global Photography Project.
Randy Pellis has been seriously involved in photography for 40 years as an artist, exhibitor, teacher, and photojournalist. He is currently investigating abstraction as it relates to the creation and existence of a common visual language.
(Above image © Randy Pellis)
For more information on the GPP project go to VASA's "Global Photography Project"
GPP Mentors: Dana LePoidevin, Michael Amrose, Randy Pellis, and VASA staff