Thursday, September 27, 2007

.edu [Adieu]


"I got the call today, I didn't want to hear.
But I knew that it would come."

(Don Henley, "Heart of the Matter")

Sad to report, but U.C. Santa Cruz Extension has decided to
dismantle the Arts and Humanties Program (including
Photography Courses) at the end of the Fall quarter 2007
(actual translation: NOW) citing accumulated debt and
corrective actions needed for financial viability.
Personally (and for all you Nocturnes out there) this means
the trek to Joshua Tree for Full Moon NPy is not going to
happen in October.

This mirrors somewhat the situation with U.C. Berkeley, when they decided a few years back to close the historic Laguna Street Extension Campus, therby gutting their Photography Program and Darkroom. Now, I still teach Night Photography(over on the Berkeley Campus - major history there . . .!), but the Photography program is but a shadow of what it once was.

As Mark Citret (another instructor with the program) points
out: "It's the end of a great program that has seen the likes of Ansel Adams, Ruth Bernhard, Al Weber, Henry Gilpin, Morley Baer, among others, teaching over the last 40 years. That leaves the Northern California photography
community with no University level workshop programs."

And, finally - in what appears to be a new, cold low in
announcing break-ups, closures, etc. - the way instructors
found out about this was via a . . . PDF!

Just an email that read (in full):
"Dear Art and Humanities Instructors,

Please see the attached letter from our Vice Provost.
Sincerely,
[Letter to Instructors of A and H.pdf] "


That's it! CLICK! on this link to read the bad news.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Nocturnal Visions

A few of the "usual suspects" from The Nocturnes are featured in a group show of artists who "use the cloak of night to paint images that explore the curios of the dark." (See list below)

The site is ARTworkSF - 49 Geary. Suite 215 (Cross St: Kearny) in San Francisco; thru September 22, 2007. Opening Reception onThursday, September 6, 5:30-7:30pm.

Featured Artists:

From The Nocturnes: Tim Baskerville, Andy Frazer, Ethel Jimenez, Richard Sintchak

With: Tamar Assaf, Blazin Sidney, Bogorad, Jorin Bukosky, Will Bullas, Christine Cianci, Natasha Dikareva, John Edwards, Barbara Elliot, Jane B. Grimm, Dean Gustafson, Anthony Kurtz, Dean G. Loumbas, John Paul Marcelo, Wendy Robushi Phyllis Rockne, Ann Simms, Erengo Suto, Blake Tucker, Carol Van Zandt

Jo Farrell, Guest Curator
Matt McKinley, Chief Curator, ARTworkSF