Michael Smith Paula Chamlee At Highland Park Art Center

[ChuckP]

There is a Michael Smith and Paula Chamlee show at the Highland Park Art Center until June 25. A number of beautiful contact prints. Seeing these helps me realize why people use these bigger negatives. When the image works it's hard to top a contact print. Show doesn't seem to be getting much PR except the Art Center website. Can't even find it on the Michael and Paula site.

https://theartcenterhp.org/current-exhibits/

 

[Austin_Jessup]

Just wanted to say that because you posted, I'm going to see this exhibit I never would've known about!

Much appreciated!

 

[ChuckP]

Reading the wall information at the exhibit I believe that Smith/Chamlee are teaching their workshop this weekend at Highland Park. Again I could find nothing on the web about this workshop. Maybe it's been long filled and information taken down. Or doesn't showup on Google.

 

[Austin_Jessup]

I went up to highland park this afternoon and unfortunately all the prints are gone. They said Michael and Paula took the prints early rather than come back and get them in a week when the exhibit was supposed to close, which was pretty dissapointing :/ I don't know how that scheduling got so boggled. Maybe there was low turnout at the closing reception on Thursday or something.

 

[canuhead]

that's unfortunate and good thing you were local. would hate to make a long trip only to find it gone. guessing there's no contract that they had to keep the show up till the date chosen ?

 

[ChuckP]

That is strange. Photographer and gallery are not on the same page. This is sort of a sleepy suburban art center. The main focus is teaching art classes (and getting money for them) rather than exhibiting art in the galleries. I've never seen a lot of people in the galleries when visiting. Juried photo show openings are pretty crowded but that includes all the showing photographers and friends. They do have an occasional interesting photo show like a Vivian Maier show a few years ago. My advice is if anyone wants to see a show call first. Probably good advice for any of these suburban art centers.

 

[eddie]

Wow. My sister and parents live near there, and I recommended that they see the show. The plan was for them to catch it this weekend. I told them not to bother. This is unprofessional on the part of Michael and Paula.

 

[Austin_Jessup]

Yeah I agree with calling ahead in the future, and I want to believe there was more to it than Michael and Paula just pulling their prints early. To give the whole story, the only person in the gallery to tell what had happened was a teenager who had to call some remote management person for info. It's possible there were details lost in that exchange that would put the artists in a better light.