Photography Atelier is a 12-session portfolio and project building course for emerging to
advanced photographers offered through the Griffin Museum of Photography. Now in its 23rd year, the Atelier class 32 was led by photographer Meg Birnbaum with assistance from photographer Susan Green.

Exhibiting photographers Photography Atelier 32 are Kevin Belanger, Adrien Bisson, Simone Brogini, Lawrence Bruns, Julia Cluett, Edie Clifford, Miren Etcheverry, Michael Fager, Sarah Forbes, Claudia Ruiz-Gustafson, Conrad Gees, Matthew R. Kaufman, Michael King, Shelby Meyerhoff, Maria Verrier and Jeanne Widmer.

The work created during this 5 month class is listed below.

Kevin Belanger – A Long Desire
“I retired from the Postal Service into a world of anxiety and longing. This project is my attempt to cope with the circumstances that define this new reality”.

Adrien Bisson – Alone Together
“In this project I am telling the story of three months in which my wife and I sheltered in-place during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.”

Simone Brogini – Within a Bubble
“Inspired by the events of the current COVID-19 pandemic, I began to photograph the emptiness of our neighborhood and how this condition has impacted our family’s life.”

Lawrence Bruns – Line, Form and Texture
“In this gallery presentation I focus on high contrast black and white images as opposed to my usual style of using realistic color photography.”

Julia Cluett – Inviting Calm
“This project emerged as an emotional response to the unsettling changes introduced by the coronavirus pandemic. These images suggest a refuge of calm found in the natural world while inviting viewers into more intimate spaces and personal rituals of centering.’

Edie Clifford – The Walter Baker Chocolate Mills
“I grew up in Milton in the 1940s-1960s and these imposing brick buildings that were built by my great great uncle in the late 19^th century along the Lower Falls of the Neponset River were part of my childhood adventures.”

Miren Etcheverry – Oh My Goddess
“Oh My Goddess is a celebration of the women in my extended family….All my family is in southern France, including my ninety-something mother and her ninety-something bffs, my aunt, my cousins and their loved ones.”

Michael Fager – The Song of the Mystic
“My photography is an exploration of the natural world, both its beauty and the impacts humans have on it. This work is a view of the natural world in an urban landscape.”

Sarah Forbes – Illuminating the Invisible
“This work explores the transitions in nature that are invisible to the naked eye: the long silky hairs that cover an emerging leaf to deter hungry insects or the veins on a wing-like pod that help cut through the air as it spins in the breeze to create a new sapling.”

Claudia Ruiz-Gustafson – Suspended World
“These images were created intuitively and spontaneously in my home during the statewide lockdown as my days were blending with one another while I was feeling a growing sense of sadness and depression.”

Conrad Gees – Los Habaneros
“The images in this body of work grew out of, and helped me to develop, a deeper understanding of Havana and its people. Havana is truly a city of resilience.”

Matthew R. Kaufman – Shimmering
“In the midst of my continuous struggle with grief and reorienting myself for an uncertain future,  bereft of anchors, I found myself on Martha’s Vineyard sequestering from the Covid-19 virus. Marl Pond became my refuge.” 

Michael King – Fish Market
“In these photographs of the Catania Fish Market (La Pescheria) in Sicily I portray the opening beat [of the market].”

Shelby Meyerhoff – Paper Playroom
“I was inspired to create sculptures out of ordinary paper products when the coronavirus arrived in the Boston are.”

Maria Verrier – Liminal
‘Inspired by the mythical quality of Hiromi Kakimoto’s images, this series explores the complicated layers of subconscious emotion.’

Jeanne Widmer – Grace Notes
“Up to three months ago my photography usually focused on creating a story in a Todd Hido-type atmospheric scene or a Suzanne Revy-inspired childhood moment. …..The virus has brought much sadness but also renewed moments of gratitude. Bringing my camera on daily walks, I began noticing new details…”

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In addition to guidance and support in the creation of a body of work, the class helps prepare artists to market, exhibit and present their work to industry professionals. Participants engage in supportive critical discussions of each other’s work and leave with a better understanding of how to edit and sequence their own work as well as help others do the same. Instruction in the Atelier includes visual presentations based around 4-5 assignments which are designed to encourage experimentation in both subject matter and approach. Students learn how to prepare for a national or regional portfolio review. Students learn the critical importance of writing an effective artist statement and bio. Any method or medium of image making is welcome although digital photography is recommended for the first half of the class when work is assigned each week. For information about the exhibiting artists of Atelier 32 and to see more of their images visit www.photographyatelier.org.

For information about upcoming classes: www.griffinmuseum.org, under Programs then Education or email crista at griffinmuseum dot org. The Photography Atelier has its own website. You may see all of the ateliers here including Atelier 32.

The Atelier was conceived by Holly Smith Pedlosky around 1996 and later taught by Karen Davis and then Meg Birnbaum. The workshop was previously offered at Radcliffe Seminars, Harvard University and Lesley Seminars and in the Seminar Series in the Arts, The Art Institute of Boston (AIB), both at Lesley University.

Gallery hours by appointment: Tuesday – Sunday: Noon – 4PM