ONLINE: Awakened by Beauty: Intimate Conversations about Contemplative Photography
Flint Sparks
Many of us found our schedules opening up to our hobbies this spring. No movies, no concerts and no dinner dates equaled time to pursue a passel of passions too often sidelined. But in those pursuits, we have also wanted companionship, inspiration and guidance. A group of Madison "contemplative photographers" (also Buddhist practitioners) have created a four-week series of "conversations" with professional photographers to discuss their work artistically and as a contemplative practice. "Awakened by Beauty" is hosted by Atwood Avenue's Threshold as part of its Virtual Wheelhouse. The series opens July 30 with a presentation by Flint Sparks titled "Photography as a Spiritual Practice," followed in subsequent weeks by John Barclay (“Creativity and the Heart of Contemplative Photography"), Rikki Cooke ("Seeing Simply, Simply Seeing"), and Dewitt Jones ("Visual Prayers and Celebrating What's Right"). Tickets for the series, in two price tiers, are at tinyurl.com/awakenbeauty. Proceeds go to create community projects to support photography among youth and in communities of color.
press release: Four world-renowned photographers and teachers will come together for a rare opportunity to share their work not only as a professional path, but as a contemplative practice. In a series of intimate conversations they will show some of the compelling images they have captured, and discuss how photography has shaped and deepened their relationship to themselves and to the world. The event will be hosted by the Threshold Virtual Wheelhouse and led by Flint Sparks on four consecutive Thursdays July 30, August 6, 13, and 20, 2020, 2:00 -3:30 pm, CST.
Tickets for the series are available: tinyurl.com/awakenbeauty
It is an incredible honor and privilege to host these acclaimed guests, three of whom will be coming to us from their homes in Molokai, Hawaii, and one from his home in Pennsylvania. We are grateful for this rare opportunity to have them available and willing to share themselves with us. We anticipate a worldwide audience, literally.
"We have so many reasons why we photograph... Photography can ignite our deepest longing for a direct connection with the beauty and magic of life...the light and the shadow," says Flint Sparks, a former psychologist, an ordained Zen Buddhist priest, a celebrated teacher and an inspiring photographer in his own right (www.flintsparks.org). Sparks invited his photography mentors, colleagues, and friends to speak about the passion that called them to this path and what opened up to them when they followed it.
The series will open on July 30 with a presentation by Sparks titled "Photography as a Spiritual Practice". On August 6, Sparks will host John Barclay, an award-winning freelance photographer, instructor, and inspirational speaker (www.johnbarclayphotography.
"Awakened by Beauty is not about photographic techniques and is not meant only for photographers," says Flint Sparks. It is offered to anyone and everyone who is drawn to and curious about seeing and capturing images of objects, scenes, moments that have resonance for them. These images can be captured on a smartphone or a simple camera. They allow us all to dive below the surface of everyday experience in a richer and deeper way. They open a door for sharing our life experiences in an immediate and engaging way.
Tickets are offered, accordingly, in two price tiers, professional photographer ($100-$150) and inspired seer ($10-$50). Proceeds from the event will support the presenters and organizers and attendees are offered opportunities for generosity in both tiers.
A Madison group of contemplative photographers who are also Buddhist practitioners has guided the development of this series over the past few months. This group has wanted to make sure that the benefits of this series inspire and stimulate creativity, and are shared in our own community, especially amongst youth and communities of color. The group is working with local photographers, artists, and youth organizers to create community projects around this topic. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be used as seed money for these projects. Additional sponsors are being identified and approached. Please contact us if you are interested in supporting these projects.
The Threshold Wheelhouse is the virtual platform of Threshold, a community gathering, event, and coworking space on Atwood Ave. on Madison's near east side. With the inevitable closure of our physical building in mid-March, we initiated an online hosting space for presentations, conversations, performances, workshops, and trainings. For more information contact: info@atthreshold.com or call Efrat Livny, Threshold director, 608/220-8849.
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