Guided by Lisa Beard, learn to use source photographs to craft new and compelling imagery and leave with the skills to intuitively and creatively expand your projects and artistic vision.

Dates:
Jul 15, 2024 - Jul 19, 2024

Levels: Intermediate, Advanced,
Workshop Fee: $1595
Workshop Duration: 1-week (Monday-Friday)
Workshop Location: On-campus
Class Size: 10

Guided by Lisa Beard, the purpose of this workshop is to use source photographs (one’s own, found, or/and other photographic material) in combination with physical creative and experimental techniques and processes in order to create new photo-based imagery. These techniques and processes include but aren’t limited to image transfer, layering and collage, Polaroid transparencies, emulsion lifts, and re-photographing photographs. These photo-based techniques will allow students to further express and expand upon ideas and concepts in their work, and it will also help them to bring their work into more contemporary conversations about the medium of photography. 

The Wedding March, 2016 - By Lisa Beard
“The Wedding March” (2016), The Yellow Glove Series, Archival Pigment Inkjet Print
Living Urn, 2020 - By Lisa Beard
“Living Urn” (2020), Records, 12″ Record Album Cover Jacket : This is a photographic object made from the pairing of two photographs – one straight and one of a torn-up photograph re-photographed and then cut and glued “tip-on” style to create the album covers “A” and “B” sides.

We will use short-reads, prompts, mind-mapping, and journaling activities as warm-ups to begin thinking about how to use photography creatively, and we will take a look at contemporary photographers who are working in similar ways. There will be assignments (and a few field trips!), time for guided practice, individual practice and group work as well as work shares and critique to foster and support the understanding of and making of photographs in this contemporary way. 

A Forest, 2021 - By Lisa Beard
“A Forest” (2021), Disappearing Digital Stereograph : This is a photograph made from a combination of a Polaroid transparency and another photograph projected through it. These are viewed on a cell phone screen using a pair of stereoscopic viewing goggles that can be clipped onto it.

Constellate, 2021 - By Lisa Beard

This workshop will focus on physical methods of making work rather than digital, but students may bring their own laptops and use the editing software of their choice. 

Students will leave the workshop being able to use intuitive, experimental, and creative photographic techniques to expand upon ideas/bodies of work. This will help students add complexity and depth to their photo-based projects in a contemporary way while maintaining an authentic artistic vision and voice. 

Sea Song, 2023 - By Lisa Beard
“Sea Song” (2023), XYZZY, Archival Pigment Inkjet Print : This is a photograph made from hand-coded and hand-cut layers of different variations of the same source photograph.
Pink + White, 2023 - By Lisa Beard
“Pink + White” (2023), XYZZY, Archival Pigment Inkjet Print : This is a photograph made from hand-coded and hand-cut layers of different variations of the same source photograph.

Course Requirements

This workshop will not focus on technical camera or editing skills; students should already be familiar with and comfortable using their own camera of choice (phone cameras are fine), and students should also be able to use editing software.

Most materials are provided and included in the course tuition. Upon registration, the instructor will email a short list of materials for students to bring with them.

Thirteen, 2022 - By Lisa Beard
“Thirteen” (2022), Portraits, Archival Pigment Inkjet Print on Pearlized Paper : This is a photograph made from a combination of an image transfer of a photograph with a found vintage book cover.

All images copyright Lisa Beard.

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Instructor: Lisa Beard

Lisa Beard is a Chicago-area-based artist and teacher. She entered into photography with an interest in documenting and researching abandoned spaces and what was left behind within them. From that early work, she eventually had two books published: Abandoned Illinois: Secrets Behind the Spaces and Abandoned Illinois: Forgotten Places and Lost Histories. She soon started working more conceptually and incorporated her interests by creating The Yellow Glove Series, which was her first body of exhibited work. Her artwork has continued to be photo-based and has expanded through a unique experimental and intuitive creative process that involves trial and error while using hand-based creative photo-based techniques developed specifically for each project in an attempt to bring form and subject matter into relation with one another. 

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