The Aurora Project recently published their calendar of events for 2018, which includes events that showcase artists from West Virginia as well as the world at large.
National Geographic Photographer Bruce A. Dale will lead a free event this Saturday on May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Aurora General Store.
“Our board member Viola Wentzel’s late husband, Volkmar Wentzel, was also a photographer and writer for The National Geographic and Bruce Dale was a colleague,” Vice President Alice Fleischman said. “Bruce has maintained this long friendship with the Wentzel family and generously offered his world class experience for one of our seminar weekends.”
Dale will share stories from his acclaimed career as a professional photographer. His retellings will focus on his 10 trips to China beginning in the late 1970’s, the hologram cover for the 100th anniversary edition, and mounting a camera on the tail of a jumbo jet for in flight photographs.
On Sunday, May 20, Dale will hold a workshop on taking and editing pictures on a Smartphone. This class will also be held at the Aurora General Store. This workshop is $20 and requires that participants have the Snapseed app on their phone.
“Bruce’s decades of stunning work with the National Geographic magazine, along with a lifetime of photographic innovation should be inspiring for anyone who is just a fan of the magazine or especially interested in photography. As an organization, we are honored to be presenting a program featuring an artist of this caliber,” Fleischman said.
The Aurora Project is an artists’ residency program that provides an environment that supports artists and their work. The Aurora Project offers three to six week residencies for up to nine artists and scholars at a time.
The Aurora Project is considered the only multidisciplinary artists’ residency in the state. Visual arts, writing, design, and new genres are all offered as disciplines.
There is an application process to choose candidates. Artists send in the applications and materials. In October, the residencies are announced, and then the residencies are scheduled from March through December.
In 2001, Michele Reeves, Walt Ranalli, and the late Alice Penzo conceived the idea of a first of its kind artist residency.
Funding comes from private donors as well as the West Virginia Division of Culture and History to help with the renovation of buildings. Fundraisers like Run for It and the annual Aurora Barn Dance help contribute to operating costs as well.
Other exhibitions this year will include work from Joan Crawford and Robin McClintock.
To learn more and register to go to www.auroraproject.org and click on “workshops and events.”
