The Photographers Forum Ends 2016 with a Flourish!

Members of the VAE Photographers Forum held their last dinner outing of 2016 at Mia Francesca at North Hills. Once again, John's due diligence rewarded us with a terrific evening of food and fun. We look forward to wherever he takes us next year.

Another great night out for the Forum!

As we move into 2017 make plans now to join us the first Wednesday of each month at VAE. Meetings begin around 7:00pm. If you miss a meeting, you miss a lot! To everyone who participated this year we thank you for being involved. We look forward to seeing you all next year!

Forum Artist Stephen Fletcher Has Exhibit Opening in Carrboro

Sunday afternoon saw the return of sunshine to the Triangle area and along with it an exhibit of Forum artist Stephen Fletcher's work titled: Some Semblance. The work is an exploration of the pictorial aesthetic and how it fits in the age of digital photography.

Stephen at the opening of his exhibit: Some Semblance at Framers Corner
Photo (c) Ray Pfeiffer

The show will run through December 31, 2016. Framers Corner is located at 210 West Main Street in Carrboro.

Forum Photographers Hit the Click! Festival

Forum photographers got out on the town, gathering at Vic's Italian Restaurant prior to heading off to the NCMA to hear Zanelle Muholi, the self-described "visual activist" discuss her work. As always John picked a great place for the group to eat, hang-out and socialize.



Forum members out on the town!
Photo by Barbara Tyroler

We heard a fantastic talk by South African photographer Zanele Muholi at the NCMA. Zanele is here for her exhibit at the NCMA titled: "Faces and Phases" as part of the Click! Festival.

Muholi’s work is rooted in social justice and advocacy, and she sees herself equally as an activist and photographer. Through her deeply personal portraits, she strives to present positive images of individuals often confronted by others’ assumptions, stereotypes, and prejudices regarding race, sexuality, and identity. Her subjects look straight at the camera (and the viewer): openly, defiantly, shyly, proudly. “This is not art, this is life,” says Muholi. ”Each and every photograph is someone’s biography.”



Zanele Muholi speaking at the NCMA
photo by Ray Pfeiffer

Forum Artists That Can be Seen Around the Triangle

Several Forum artists will have work to be seen around the Triangle next month which is the month of the Click! Triangle Photography Festival. There are more than 70 events at more than 30 venues around the Triangle. If you love photography this is a great place to be in the month of October. To find out more and to sign up for the Click! newsletter, go to the web site here.

On display in the Click! Pop-Up exhibit at the Frontier Building in RTP will be Tricia McKeller and Ray Pfeiffer, last seen together in June in the SCOPE show at VAE. Who knew?

Drive (c) Tricia McKeller

Variation on a Theme #3, (c) Ray Pfeiffer

And at the Litmus Gallery in Raleigh will be Teresa Stephens and Eric Saunders.

What's Up Next (c) Teresa Stephens

Sand Dunes #2 (c) Eric Saunders

Congratulations to the Forum members who will have their work on display during the Click! Festival. Be sure to take advantage of all there is to see and do, and support your fellow photographers!!!

Around the web: Forum Member Ben Davidson Profiled on the FStop Blog

Our own Ben Davidson has been interviewed on the FStop blog. Be sure to check it out here.

(c) Ben Davidson

Ben's work has a real film noir feel to it. To see more, stop in at his web site here. Congratulations Ben!!

Teresa Stephens: Another Forum Award Winner!

The awards just keep coming to Forum members. This time it's Third Place for Teresa Stephens in the SPARKcon artSPARK contest! The work is on display at Morning Times in Raleigh until the end of the month.


Orange Raleigh (c) Teresa Stephans
Peter Max would be proud, as are we!

One of the great things about our group is the support and encouragement we all give each other. So be sure to get out, experience great art, and help support one of our own Forum members!

Forum Member Christer Berg Rocks PPNC Annual Print Competition!

Congratulations to Forum member Christer Berg for winning First, Second AND Third Place in this years PPNC annual print competition! As anyone who regularly attends Forum meetings will know, Christer and an exceptional portrait photographer. It should come as no surprise that he routinely wins professional print competitions with his work.

The Boxer (c) Christer Berg
One of two images selected for the PPNC Loan Collection

Two of his three winning images were selected for the PPNC Loan Collection, a very prestigious honor! Only about 20 images a year are selected for inclusion, and rarely does an artist have two prints in one year be chosen.

Christer also offers workshops where he demonstrates his portrait process. Check out his website for more information and to keep up with one of the most dynamic portrait artist working in the Triangle today!

Another Great Forum Night Out!

Another Forum night out, and another great time had by all! This time we met at the American Meltdown in the Streets at Southpoint in Durham.

Great food, great company!!!

Once again, many thanks to John for picking the location! Next month may involve blankets and picnic baskets.Or, at least, blankets and wine. Stay tuned for more details!

A Great Night at Waterworks Visual Arts Center

Last night, June 10th found several members of the Forum at the Waterworks Visual Arts Center for the opening reception of the 525,600 Minutes exhibit. The Forum artists, along with other VAE members with work on display spent an enjoyable evening sharing thoughts about their work with docents, collectors, and other art lovers from around central Carolina.

Stephen Fletcher, Ray Pfeiffer, Eric Saunders, and Chris Ogden enjoy the artists
reception at Waterworks Friday evening.

The staff are wonderful and the exhibit looks fantastic! It is well worth the drive to see not only the photography on display but all the other media as well. Thanks to everyone who made the evening a success!

Forum Artists Open at Waterworks VAC on Second Friday

525,600 Minutes Exhibit Opening Reception Friday June 10, 2016

3 of our Forum artists, Stephen Fletcher, Ray Pfeiffer, and Eric Saunders all have work now on display in the 525,600 Minutes exhibit at Waterworks Visual Arts Center. The Center, located at 123 East Liberty Street in Salisbury, NC is a non-collection accredited museum, dedicated to expanding traditional ways of experiencing art.

The 525,600 Minutes exhibit features VAE member artists whose work demonstrates “how creative people contemplate time and place.” For instance, the passing of time – revealing how people and things age; the measurement of time and/or the tools used to quantify time; the changes in times – how technology has changed the world;  and/or how time affects a certain place – comparing images of a piece of land before and after urbanization.

Untitled #2, from the series Time is Passing
(c) Ray Pfeiffer

The opening reception is this Friday, June 10th. 5:00-6:00pm features selected artists talking about their work. The reception following will go until 8:00pm. For more information, go here.

If you can't make the reception, no need to worry. The exhibit will be up through September 2nd. It promises to be a terrific exhibit. Don't miss it!

Forum Exhibit Opens on First Friday

The Photographers Forum exhibit at the MJH Gallery opened last night and it looks fantastic! Nine of our exhibiting members have work on display representing us all very well. Thanks to everyone who presented work!

Exhibiting members of the Forum on display at the MJH Gallery in Raleigh.

 

 

First Friday opening night

The exhibit runs through June 25th. The MJH Gallery is located in the United Arts Council building, 410 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh and is open to the public weekdays from 9-5pm.

If you missed the opening First Friday don't delay! Stop in and check out the work from some of the most talented photographic artists working in the Triangle.

Forum Artists Rock SCOPE Exhibit!!!

Forum artists Tricia McKeller and Ray Pfeiffer both snag Honorable Mentions for their entries in this years SCOPE exhibit now showing at VAE!

Tricia's work, 30 Beats of My Heart is an image installation with 30 small instant images grouped together. The overall effect is stunning!

30 Beats of My Heart (c) Tricia McKeller

 

Congratulations! An honor well deserved!

 

Tricia poses with her award winning work!

 

Ray's Honorable Mention is for his image Church of the First Born, which is from his Visual Anthropology series.

 

Church of the First Born (c) Ray Pfeiffer

 

If you haven't been to VAE to see this years SCOPE exhibit, you won't want to miss it!

 

 

 

 



 

Forum Artist Mike Aliff Images on Display Now!

Our own Mike Aliff has a solo exhibit now showing through June 30th at Wake Forest Art and Frame Gallery (139 S. White St. Wake Forest, NC 27587) http://www.wakeforestframeshop.com Opening night is June 10th from 6pm - 9pm during "Night on White Street". There will be live music and open containers are allowed. Stop down, join the fun, and help support one of our own artists friends!

 

Panel Wagon (c) Mike Aliff

Congratulations to Mike on his solo exhibit!!!

 

If you know of an event, exhibit, or otherwise interesting bit of photographic news, send it along so we can share it with the group. After all, that's what the group is all about. Together we all get better!

Photographers Forum Meeting Night!

Thanks to everyone who attended tonights meeting! As always we had some terrific images and great conversation. Extra thanks to those who brought refreshments! Be sure not to miss next months meeting, July 6th at VAE (7:00pm 309 W. Martin Street, Raleigh). Tricia will be doing a demonstration of her new instant camera, the Impossible I-1. You won't want to miss it! So come down, see some great work, join the conversation and get inspired!

And don't forget, this Friday is First Friday in Raleigh and our exhibit at the United Arts Council is opening. The exhibit looks great. Thanks to everyone who submitted work! And while you're downtown, don't miss the opening of the SCOPE exhibit at VAE. Both Tricia and I have images on display. You don't want to miss Tricia's installation. It's amazing! Besides, there will be wine and snacks. Who doesn't love wine and snacks?

Image (c) Helmut Hirler

This months Guest Artist in Absentia (if I had remembered my laptop) would have been Helmut Hirler. To learn more about Helmut and see more of his work, go to his website: http://helmut-hirler.de/. We may have more Guest Artists in the future. If you would like to recommend someone just send me their name and I will add them to our list.

As always, stay tuned! There's much more to come....

 

 

 

Forum Member Michael Ligett Exhibit Opens May 1st

Photographers Forum member Michael Ligett's latest exhibit will be opening May 1st at the Fred G. Bond Metro Park Community Center in Cary. Titled: Imagine an Island, the exhibit will feature work from his Bald Head Island project. The exhibit will run through June 30th with an artists reception on June 24th from 6-8pm.

We've all been privileged to see Michael's images and book from the project and we know they're stunning. So lets show some support and be sure to attend his reception on June 24th!

Fearrington Village Artist Walk Preview A Huge Success!

Sunday, April 3rd, was the Second Annual Fearrington Village Artist Walk Preview, and by all accounts, was a smashing success!

The Preview Night allows art lovers a chance to see a sampling of the work that will be on display during the Open Studio Tour to be held this weekend, April 9th and 10th. The open hours will be 10am to 5pm on Saturday, April 9th. And 12pm to 5pm on Sunday, April 10th.

An appreciative crowd of art lovers attends the 2nd Annual Fearrington Art Walk Preview
(c) Teresa Stephens

Our own Eric Saunders will have his photographic art on display as well. So check it out if you can. For all the details and information you will need, go to the Fearrington website here.

Eric posing proudly with samples of his work. But he could look happier!
Come on man! You do great work, and you have a beer!
(c) Teresa Stephens

Forum Member Eric Saunders Exhibit Opening April 25th!

April will be a busy month for Forum member Eric Saunders! In addition to his open studio tour, as a part of the Fearrington Village Art in the Village promotion (see previous post), he will be part of a 3 person show at the Hillsborough Gallery of Art.

Siler City, 2016 (c) Eric Saumders
Eric won't say if this image will be in the exhibit. You'll have to go and find out for yourself!

In a show titled: Branching Out, Eric will be exhibiting along with artists Michael Salemi and Chris Graebner. The Show will run from April 25th through May 22nd. The Opening reception will be on April 29th from 6-9pm.

For more details go the Hillsborough Gallery website here. Lets all get up to Hillsborough and support a fellow Forum Artist. As we all know, Eric is a big supporter of everyone here at the Forum, and a fixture at art openings around the Triangle. So lets reciprocate some of that love and make a point of attending Eric's opening and see the show!

Second Annual Fearrington Village Studio Tour Preview

The 2nd Annual Fearrington Village Studio tour will take place Saturday and Sunday, April 9th and 10th. Saturday hours will be from 10am - 5pm, and Sunday from 12pm - 5pm. For directions and more information go to the artists website here.

If you really can't wait that long to see some art, there will be a Pre-tour Exhibit and Restaurant Menu Sampling at The Fearrington Barn this Sunday, April 3rd from 7-9pm.

Check out the art and be sure to see our own Eric Saunders!

Our own Eric Saunders will be exhibiting so let's all try and get out to support a fellow artist. There may also be snacks involved as well... not that we should need a bribe to get out there. But if that's what it takes, well, who are we to argue?

So mark your calendars and make it a point to go out, support Eric, and see a lot of other terrific art!

March Forum Night Out!

Another night on the town and another great time had by all! This time at Noodles in Cameron Village.

Forum members enjoy another night on the town!
Photo by a really great member of the wait staff!

Thanks to all who came out and travelled far and wide to join the group and enjoy each others' company. And, as always, special thanks to John for finding another great place to gather!

Photographers Forum Meeting Night!

Thanks to everyone who attended tonight's meeting! As always we had some terrific images and great conversation. Extra thanks to those who brought refreshments! Be sure not to miss next months meeting, April 6th at VAE (7:00pm 309 W. Martin Street, Raleigh). Come down, see some great work, join the conversation and get inspired!

And don't forget, this Friday is First Friday in Raleigh. Be sure to come out and support other artists like ourselves. We all appreciate it!

(c) Stuart Klipper

This month's Guest Artist in Absentia was Stuart Klipper. To learn more about Stuart and see more of his work, go to his website: www.stuartklipper.com. We may have more Guest Artists in the future. If you would like to recommend someone just send me their name and I will add them to our list.

Stay tuned! There's much more to come...

Christer Berg Picks Up More Awards!

Our own Christer Berg is now the proud recipient of not one, but TWO Addie Awards at the recent American Advertising Awards ceremony! Christer won for the work he did on the recent ad campaign for the Carolina Ballet Company.

Christer with both awards!

If you have attended any of our meetings earlier this year, you would have seen some of the work he created. (If you didn't, where were you???) It was fantastic! So don't miss out seeing some of the best photography being created in the Triangle. Come to the VAE on the first Wednesday of each month and see what you've been missing.

Congratulations Christer for a well-deserved award!

Modern Landscape B&W Photography Contest Now Open!

Reynolda House and Modern Automotive announce: The Modern B&W Photography Contest. In conjunction with the Ansel Adams: Eloquent Light exhibit (more on this later!) photographers are invited to submit one B&W landscape image to be considered for display during the Adams exhibit.

This is a B&W seascape. It will not be on display, but yours could be!
(c) Ray Pfeiffer

From all entries a Jury will select three (3) finalists and announce their names on April 1st. The selected photographs will be on display April 2 - May 13. The public will vote on the order of First, Second, and Third place. All three finalists will be introduced and winner announced Wednesday, May 18.

For more information and to enter go here. Entries are due by March 10th. so don't delay!

Forum Artists Show At 2016 VAE Gala!

Tonight was the 32nd annual For The Love of Art Auction and Gala and the Photographers Forum was well represented! Both Eric Saunders and Ray Pfeiffer had images up for the silent auction and both did very well, raising over $500! Each artist watched as the bidding time drew to a close as both images were in a bidding war The winner as always, of course was the VAE!

Eric Saunders (L) and Ray Pfeiffer (R) pose in front of Eric's entry to this years VAE Gala

Over 450 people attend this years Gala and a great time was had by all. All proceeds from the event go toward continuing the outstanding programming we all look forward to. We look forward to participating in next years event.

Photographers Forum Exhibit Opens on First Friday!

After months of planning and discussing images, the Forum Exhibit, "Reflections" opened tonight at the VAE to a packed house! There was a lot of discussion about the work and many positive comments overall on the exhibit itself.



Patrons admire the work of the Photographers Forum Members on opening night First Friday


In all, 25 images were selected from the following exhibiting Forum Artists:

Mike Aliff
Christer Berg
Stephen J. Fletcher
John Horwitz
Michael Legett
Tricia McKellar
Scott McRae
Ray Pfeiffer
Rob Randall
Eric Saunders
Teresa Stephens
Richard A. Usanis
Oliver Vest

To learn more about the exhibit go here.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the shows success!

Another Forum Night Out

Thanks to everyone who came out to Pei Wei on a frosty night to enjoy each others company! Once again, a wonderful time was had by all.

Thanks, as always, to our "social director", John for another great location selection. Stay tuned for more inspiration!