Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We’re going to have a proper schedule soon (yes, we know it’s down to the wire but we had some unforseen complications) but in the meantime, here’s a list of films so you know what you’ll have a chance to see.

Thank you to all the filmmakers for letting us show your work!

The Tyranny of Time (2010, director Steve Hennessey) 19m, 56s
Dead Bird in the Garbage (music video, directors Colleen Power, Roger Maunder)
Deadline (2010, NIFCO Film Class) 5m, 30s
Spoiled (director Sherry White) 15m
The Devil’s In Ya (director Marissa O’Neill) 13m
Quiet at Dawn (2009, director ) 15m
Poppycock (2011, director Alex Mugford) 4m 53s
Plan 9.5 from Outer Space (2011, director Darren Hann)
Snarbuckled (2010, director Mark Hoffe) 17m 40s
Wayward (2011, director Brent Slade) 3m
I’m 14 and I Hate the World (2011, director Kenneth Harvey) 9m 27s
It’s a Girl (2011, director Kenneth Harvey) 7m 53
box (2011, director Kenneth Harvey) 6m 52s

Photo by Nate Gates

A traditional art form from the south of Spain, flamenco dance is known for its graceful hand movements, fiery footwork and expressions of raw emotion. Flamenco is danced by both men and women, and does not discriminate against either age or body type. Taking flamenco lessons is a fantastic way to learn some hypnotic Spanish rhythms, improve your posture, increase your confidence and get your feet stamping. Warning: Flamenco is extremely addictive!! Once you are touched by its passion, your life will never be the same again.

This introductory workshop is intended for people with no prior experience in flamenco dance and is open to all ages.

Attendees will learn basic technique for the arms, hands and upper body, as well as footwork and palmas (rhythmic clapping). A short choreography for “Tangos” will be taught. Tangos is a fun style with a very lively rhythm, and is one of the essential ingredients to any flamenco fiesta!

What to Wear:
It’s important to wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move freely.
Women: Body suit or T-shirt with work out pants. Bring a long, wide skirt if you have one.
Men: T-shirt and comfortable pants.

Footwear: If you have a comfortable pair of street shoes with a thick, stable heel, bring those (ladies, no spiked heels!). Otherwise, sneakers or sock feet would be fine.

Instructor: Christina Penney
Christina Penney is a native Newfoundlander who fell in love with the passion of flamenco thirteen years ago. Christina has studied with some of the top flamenco dancers in Canada and the UK, and has also traveled to Spain for intensive training and to immerse herself in the Spanish culture. She currently teaches flamenco at Wild Lily Dance Centre in downtown St. John’s, and performs regularly with her troupe Isla Flamenca.

Did you see this photo of Will's as the header on Thursday's Telegram? It's a great shot, isn't it?

You can see some of Will’s work on his tumblr blog: http://thefutureyousee.tumblr.com/

AAMP recently asked Will a few questions about his photography and the upcoming workshop, and here’s what he had to say:

Some background about Will:

When did you start taking photos?

I got interested in photography as an undergraduate when I borrowed a digital camera to cover events in the Physics Society at MUN. A couple of years ago I became an avid hiker and my love of photography overlapped with my desire to capture the beauty and natural splendor of the outdoors in Newfoundland and Labrador, whether it be hiking on the East Coast Trail here on the Avalon or in Gros Morne National Park on the west coast.

Do you have any formal training or a mentor?

I’m self taught, mostly trial and error, experimenting, and a fair amount of reading. That being said, I’ve benefited greatly from the photographic wisdom of several friends at MUN who have extensive knowledge of film photography and are generous with advice; answering numerous technical questions, and occasionally lending me old cameras and photography gear.

Have you had any photos published? If so, where and when? Have you received any awards or compliments on your work?

I’ve had a few photos published locally in the Scope and I’ve had photographs featured as album art on two great local productions: AAMP’s 2011 Compilation CD, and the Faded Yellow Line’s EP Haggard Fawkes. I’ve also done some local wedding/engagement photography and concert photography from time to time but mostly I take photos for myself, and my friends and family.

What kind of images do you seek out?What kind do you enjoy capturing?

I try to take photos that capture the emotion or atmosphere of a situation rather than striving for technical perfection. I’d rather see a flawed photograph that’s interesting and tells a story, those are the photographs that get people’s attention. I like candid and documentary photography, as well as nature and landscape photography because there’s so many interesting places to explore and photograph in Newfoundland and Labrador.

How do you work to improve your photography?

I improve my photography by experimenting and trying new photographic techniques. This is easy with digital photography because you can shoot all day with zero expense, aside from time, and you can instantly see your results and learn from your mistakes. I always carry a camera (or two) with me so I’m constantly on the look out for interesting shots, and you learn to be more observant of the interesting things around you. I also shoot film every now and then, which I think makes you a better photographer in the long run. Being limited in the amount of film you can shoot forces you to be more critical in choosing which shots to take and identifying the strongest compositions.

Why do you take photos?

Photography for me is sort of like an external memory. I take photos to record the atmosphere in the room at a memorable party I went to or to remember how the sun felt as we sat around for lunch somewhere on the East Coast Trail. It’s an attempt to render tangible those fleeting moments in life and preserve, at least in part, some element of the way I felt or how things were.

What kind of camera do you use and why?

I use many different cameras; modern digital SLRs and point and shoots, 35mm film SLRs from the ’70, ’80, and ’90s, as well as plastic LOMO toy cameras and disposables. The choice of camera depends as much on how I feel as the subject matter that I’m shooting and the technical requirements to get the best shot.

About Sunday’s workshop:

What do you want people to take away from this session?

Hopefully people leave with a better understanding of the basic concepts of photography, both in terms of the technical aspects of the camera and a more critical eye for composition and what makes a strong photograph.

What areas do you plan to cover?

I plan to cover the basic technical elements of photography – exposure (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), metering, depth of field. I’ll also discuss composition and how to take stronger photographs by making simple changes to your approach, also tips for shooting in various everyday settings and situations.

What sort of teaching format do you plan to use?

I’ll be using a lecture/demonstration followed by informal question and answer.

What sorts of people would benefit from your session?

People who are interested in improving their photography with relatively simple approaches that don’t require fancy or expensive new cameras, and people that might own or have have just purchased a ‘fancy new camera’ but have no idea how to use it yet.

Why are you a good choice as an instructor?

That’s a good question. I’m an amateur photographer who takes photos for myself, my friends, and my family to enjoy and I’m always learning new things and improving my skills, so I can relate to what most people want to get out of a basic photography lecture. My goal is to share the tips and techniques I’ve learned which hopefully improve the photography of others and in doing so I hope to learn more about photography myself.

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The Passport to the Arts Workshop Series is sponsored in part by
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Do you have a few ideas that you just can’t quite turn into lyrics?

Would you like to get started in songwriting?

We can help you with that!

All you have to do is join us and singer/songwriter Sharona Clarke for the latest in our Passport to the Arts Series:

To register email info@aamp.ca, call 765-9383 or comment on this post.

Please feel free to invite other people!

The Passport to the Arts Series, including this workshop, is sponsored in part by a generous grant from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Community Arts Program.

More about our host (from her website www.yoursharona.com):

Sharona Clarke is a singer/songwriter based out of St. John’s, NL who brings a unique sound to her own brand of ambient piano pop. Her classically-flavored keyboard stylings, along with her soft voice and “Sharona persona” creates an engaging show that has captivated audiences. Sharona’s music will inspire you to dream because of her positive message and outlook on life.

In November 2008 Sharona released her debut album On the Right Track, an album composed of meaningful piano pop and passionate lyrics. Since its release Sharona has showcased at the 2008 MusicNL Awards and the 2010 ECMA Awards, received nominations for two MusicNL awards in November 2009 and was named one of the top 5 acts to watch in 2009 by the Newfoundland Herald. Sharona has also toured Newfoundland in support of this release.

Sharona has gained much attention in the online world with her YouTube channel PianoBea (http://www.youtube.com/PianoBea) where Sharona transcribes and teaches you how to play music by popular artists such as Daniel Powter, The Hush Sound and Vanessa Carlton. To date she has gathered over 2 million views and 2200+ subscribers. She maintains a Top Ten position of over 250 local artists in all genres on Reverbnation.com charts, along with Ennis, Chris Kirby and The Fables. In addition, she is a piano teacher and hosts sheet music of her own self-published compositions at www.pianobea.com.

In 2009 Sharona recorded a second album entitled The Secret…is to Dream, available for free download online at her website (www.yoursharona.com).

Currently she is looking forward to recording a third album!

This workshop is for people who have always wanted to draw, but feel that they can’t. Jennifer Morgan (BA Fine Arts; B.Ed) will walk participants through some exercises designed to help you look at things the way artists look at them. Jennifer’s source is the book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards.

To Register for the Free workshop, call 765-9383 or email info@aamp.ca

Join host Darryl Hopkins at the Youth Room at the Reid Centre tomorrow night at 7:30 for our Youth Open Mic. We don’t know who is coming (it’s an open mic, after all!) but we’re open to singers, dancers, comedians, actors, jugglers, or whatever!

Hope to see you there!

Crafternoon for Kids, 1-3PM at Mount Pearl City Hall.

Today’s Challenges:

Well, this is it. The final day of ARTFUSiON. We’re going to miss all of you once it’s over! But keep on the lookout for more events in the future, and let us know if you’re planning any arts-related events we can promote! But before we all cry “Oh no, it’s over!”, lets get on with today’s challenge. And the theme today is big.

Start something BIG! Since ARTFUSiON is over, we want all of you guys to exercise those creative juices and get them flowing, and start something big! Start up a large project you never thought you could do – we think you can do it!

Today’s Writing challenge is to start working on that novel you’ve got in the back in your mind. Or if there isn’t one there, start planning one! Or that screenplay, or whatever else you’ve put on the backburner for another day.

Today’s Musical challenge is to pick up that new instrument you’ve been meaning to try, or start writing some songs for an album!

Today’s Visual art challenge is to start sketching out panels for a comic strip, or start compiling pictures for a photo book.

Whatever your big adventures are, let us know in the comments below, and thank you for a great week of fun!

(And stay tuned for the results of the draw, we’ll post up the winner soon!)

Our events today (Youth Open Mic and Theatre Games) are postponed. We’ll let you know when we’ve rescheduled them.