That's right friends of the photographic arts. Spring is right around the corner, and what better time to boost your photo knowledge and prepare for all the picturesque glory the springtime has in store. Want to capture the beauty of the outdoors in a new-old-fashioned way? Sign up for an one of our Antique Printing Workshops. Inspired by the panoramic glory of a post-daylight savings sunset? Perhaps the next Large Format class is for you. Or, maybe you're making some vacation plans and need a refresher course on your digital camera to make sure you get those perfect travel pics. We've got you covered there too, with monthly Digital Camera Workshops. And we still have our solid line-up of intro-level 35mm and Darkroom courses running all through the spring, so make sure you snag your spot before it's too late! Take a gander at the list below, then sign up here!

MARCH
6th 3pm-6pm: Digital Camera Workshop
16th & 23rd 7pm-10pm: Intro to the 35mm Camera
20th & 27th 1pm-4pm: Lasercut a Pinhole Camera
31st 7pm-10pm: Antique Printing Class-Cyanotype

APRIL
3rd 3pm-6pm: Digital Camera Workshop
8th, 15th & 23rd 7pm-10pm: Intro to the Black and White Darkroom
17th & 24th 10am-2pm, 21st 7pm-10pm: Large Format Photography
28th 7pm-10pm: Antique Printing Class-Van Dyke Brown

MAY
1st 3pm-6pm: Digital Camera Workshop
4th, 11th, 18th & 25th 7pm-10pm: Intermediate Black and White Printing
12th 7pm-10pm: Antique Printing Class: Gum Bichromate

Questions, Comments, Class Ideas? Contact krystal@as220.org
See you in the Darkroom!

I hope you weren't planning on resting up this weekend, because there is so very much to see and do this weekend with two exhibits opening, featuring the work of our very own Darkroom members!
First up, Saturday night presents the opening of the one night only "Rethinking Landscape: New Approaches to a Tradition" curated by Danny Floyd. Check it out!

Then, on Sunday, roll out of bed by 5:30 and head to White Electric for a cup of coffee and take a look at the visual myth created by Scott Alario and Marguerite Keyes. "Our Winter Fable" is the story of a fictional culture and their celebration of the winter solstice. Pretty magical, eh? Check this out!

Come see some art and support the work of your fellow photo comrades!

Forgot about Valentine's Day...again? Supposed to have something super sweet and extra fun planned? Well we've got you covered oh lovelorn friends of AS220. You've got approximately 2 hours to get down to 115 Empire Street to absolve all your Valentine's Day woes at our fabulous Portrait Studio! Show up with your sweetie and smile for the camera, then make a second date in the darkroom to learn how to develop your very own, extra special, sublimely sweet 8x10 portrait! Just $20 for two totally awesome dates....It might even make up for last year. Or, if you put in your time already, for $30 we'll ship your print right to your door. The choice is yours, but make sure you get here between 1pm and 4pm, while the Valentine's Magic is in full effect. Hope to see you there!!

Valentines Day Portrait Studio!

Feb.14 marks the return of the Valentines Day Portrait Studio! Always wanted a reason to drag your significant other out for a quality portrait, but dread the standard Sears backdrops and same-old-same-old mannequin poses? Of course you do! So make your way to AS220 this Valentines Day for the perfect mix of classy photos and cutesy props. Shots are $20 each, and you can come back to the darkroom and develop them with loving guidance from our hopelessly devoted volunteer members. Or, if you want that hand made quality and care delivered straight to your door (minus the cupid costume and the singing telegram), it's a mere $30 a shot. That's 1-4pm folks, in the performance space at 115 Empire Street.

But maybe all that hearts and flowers stuff isn't for you. If you prefer straight up science and the stark solidarity of the darkroom, maybe you'd prefer to sign up for a class instead. Master the 35mm camera or head straight to print in one of our ever popular Intro classes. Time is running out on these ones kids, so sign up now at www.as220.org/shop. Intro to the 35mm camera starts NEXT WEEK!! Go on, sign up already! I promise, those pesky heart shaped arrows cannot penetrate the walls of the Paul Krot Community Darkroom, so if you're looking for a place to hide, take comfort in the warm red glow of photo safe-lights. Truly something for everyone, so grab your camera and show that Cupid character who's got the goods this Valentine's Day! See you in the Darkroom...

Because we know you've all been waiting, and because of the overwhelming demand in the fall, we are pleased to announce the return of intro courses in the AS220 darkroom! As the last days of winter fade away, make the darkness last a little longer in our fully equip darkroom learning the ins and outs of 35mm film developing and traditional photo printing. Our Intro to the 35mm Camera and Intro to the Black and White Darkroom classes offer a solid foundation in the art of black and white photography and could also serve as a refresher course for those of you who may have let your 35mm gather dust while you persue the glitz and glamour of digital photography. So, get back to your roots, or plant some new ones as the winter thaw starts to wear off. We'll be posting new classes for the Spring soon, but spots are open in the intro classes now! Intro to 35mm Camera runs from 7pm-10pm on Feb. 10 & 17 and costs only $50!! Intro to the Black and White Darkroom runs from 7-10pm on Feb. 24, Mar.3 & 10 and is only $75. Reserve your spot here or contact krystal@as220.org for more info. See you in the Darkroom!!

Nothing says shameless overindulgence like John Waters in a Santa hat, eh? Shake off the post-holiday fatigue with a night of photo geekery, tasty snackery and tasteless film viewery this Monday at the AS220 Darkroom Open House Movie Nite Holiday Party Extravaganza! At 7:00 pm, we will sit back and prepare to be thoroughly and simultaneously creeped out and overjoyed by the work of Mr. Waters in "Pecker," the oddly heartwarming tale of an eager young photographer who gains fame and notoriety through his snapshots of everyday Baltimore, which would naturally include strippers, shoplifting and a ventriloquist Virgin Mary, oh my!
This has been quite a year for the darkroom, and we want to share the spirit of the season with you, dear photo friends, in the best way we know how...through tacky yet heartwarming films about fledgling photographers...and free treats! Join us at 7 p.m. in the Youth Resource Center, right outside the darkroom for what's destined to be a night of photo-tom-foolery AS220 style!

Courtney Mitchell's Photo of a South Providence statue graces the month of February in the AS220 Photographic Memory 2010 Calendar. Courtney has been with Photographic Memory for several years now. During this time she has consistently worked on her personal portfolio, assisted on several commercial shoots and worked very hard to make this calendar a success. Soon Courtney will be leaving RI for art school in Pittsburgh Pa, with help from the portfolio she made in Photographic Memory. Purchasing this Calendar for $15 gives the viewer an important way to support Photographic Memory and enjoy the work of all these talented photographers for the upcoming year..... or longer! Please visit our online shop at www.as220.org/shop to order your calendar(s) today!

Meet Anthony Villavicencio, holding the Photographic Memory 2010 Calendar opened to his photograph for the month of September. Photographic Memory, AS220's youth photography and training program, proudly presents a culmination of their collective work in this beautiful 2010 calendar. In the Photographic Memory program young people gain technical training in photography and develop a personal portfolio documenting their own lives as only they can. Our classes held in the RI Training School and at AS220 in downtown Providence engage students who have little or no arts education in their school experience. Photo Mem also offers professional practice by offering committed students the opportunity to assist professional photographers on commercial jobs and the chance to show their fine art photography in gallery settings. For students seeking a college education, these portfolios have been used to gain admittance to RISD, Pratt, Chicago Art Institute and Hampshire College. Purchasing this Calendar for $15 gives the viewer an important way to support Photographic Memory and enjoy the work of these talented photographers for the upcoming year.... or longer! Check out our online store at www.as220.org/shop.

Escape the pending winter gloom and doom this weekend with a very special Darkroom event at AS220! Stewart Martin, master printer, photographer extrordinaire and friend of AS220 will be giving an Artist Talk to accompany his current exibit, "Personal Favorites:1975-2000," on display through Dec.27 at the AS220 Main Gallery at 115 Empire St. Martin, shown above in his meticulous and magical studio, has printed for photo greats Bruce Davidson and Sid Kaplan, and has an equally stunning collection of his own. His stark, journalistic style is everything great photography should be; honest, compelling and completely real. Martin's photo-retrospective covers scenes from San Fransisco Halloween Parades to small town Vermont with the same understated eye that provokes a thoughtful reflection on their subjects and pure amazement in his technical skill for beautiful archival printing. But before we delve into decades of photo-grandeure, students from AS220's Photographic Memory program will set the stage with a presentation about the creation of the new 2010 calendar. In PhotoMem, young people gain technical training in photography and develop a personal portfolio documenting their own lives as only they can. Our classes held in the RI Training School and at AS220 in downtown Providence engage students who have little or no arts education in their school experience. Photo Mem also offers professional practice by offering committed students the opportunity to assist professional photographers on commercial jobs and the chance to show their fine art photography in gallery settings. This calendar represents a year's worth of work from these very talented young artists who will be speaking Saturday afternoon about their involvement with PhotoMem and AS220's Broad Street Studio. These calendars, which are on sale for $15 each, will help support PhotoMem and AS220 Photo programming. Calendars will be available for sale during the presentation, and are also sold locally at Cellar Stories, Craftland, Cafe LaFrance and online.
This event is FREE and open to all with a healthy interest in the creation of great works of photography, from master printers to fledgling film rollers. Come bask in the glow of photo glory at AS220! 1-4pm this Saturday. Hope to see you there!

Like what you see? Then come to AS220 this Sunday from 4-7 for the opening of Master Printer and Photographer Stewart Martin's career retrospective "Personal Favorites- 1975-2000." We in the Darkroom are thrilled to have Stewart, our friend and ally, present this incredible collection to the public. Want to see more? Then you're in luck, because during this very special show, you will also have the opportunity to see the AS220 Darkroom in one of two tours, given by Darkroom members and staff. This is just the beginning of a two week feast of photographic delights, as Mr.Martin will host an artist talk, joined by students in our Photographic Memory program. But if you ever wondered just what it is that makes photography so special and exactly how this stuff happens, this is the time to find out! This event is FREE and open to the public. Hope to see you there!