Oils
by Dorothy Johnson
January 3, 2011 - February 28, 2011

Dorothy Johnson's calling as an artist started by chance back in Kenya in January 2009. One day she was just lounging the afternoon away, "when a figure suddenly appeared in my mind. It was full of flair and color, beautifully decorated with beads." That stirred her heart and the next thing she knew she badly wanted to paint that image. She drew inspiration from the culture preserved by Kenya's indigenous tribes- mainly the Maasai and the Turkana. In it she saw the importance of sharing their legacy in visual imagery. She immediately bought cloth and dye, and that marked the beginning of her "Back To The Roots" story-telling painting technique.

When she came to America three months later, she transitioned from cloth to canvas, hardboard surfaces and taught herself to work in acrylics, oils and 3D. As much as she enjoys African art, she also paints scenics in spontaneous compositions, with distinctive brushwork and emotional "feelings". A friend once bought a landscape painting because it reminded her of home and she says, "that made me very happy that I was able to bring someone's home so close to her living room. That means a lot to me." The things she sees in everyday nature, their depth in textures, layer formations in rare skies, give her a desire to convey great depth and perspective and to focus chiefly in color detail and vibrancy in her landscapes and seascapes. She doesn't have a specific medium of choice but loves to experiment with them all, her happiest moments being when she uses what lies beneath her heart with passion. She loves seeing that energy transfer to someone else. "It is so fulfilling. To me a good piece of art is one that inspires."

With the help of her adoring and supportive husband Darron, Dorothy was able to exhibit her work for the first time at the 2010 Smyrna Jonquil Arts and Crafts Fall Festival. She aspires to become a professional artist, gain her entrée into the Paris art world and become affiliated with art galleries, museums and associations around the world. Her primary goal is to teach art to children and by giving back sense of who they are, make them learn to appreciate art and themselves through images, paintings, sculptures, and fine art. Currently, she lives in Smyrna, GA, and is pursuing her dream at Chattahoochee Technical College.

Contact. dorzejarts@gmail.com

The Cobb Photographic Society welcomes photographers of all skill and ability levels. The common bond among members is a desire to become better photographers. Whether your interest is mainly in capturing memories, sharing pictures with friends or family, or becoming a semi-professional or professional photographer, the club offers many ways for members to enhance their skills.

Workshops and Tutorials. The club offers member-led tutorials and workshops. Recent topics have included how to shoot flowers and panoramas, and tutorials on Photoshop CS5, Photoshop Elements 8 and Lightroom3.

Monthly Speakers. On the third Monday of each month the club hosts a speaker on a photographic topic. In the past year topics have included architectural photography, natural light portraiture, pet photography, and planning a photographic trip.

Competitions. On the first Monday of each month there is a themed competition in which an outside judge evaluates and critiques the images entered in the competition. Even if one does not enter the competition, hearing the judge evaluate and critique images makes it a valuable learning experience.

Field Trips. The club sponsors a number of field trips throughout the year. Many are one day, local trips to places like Providence Canyon, Arabia Mountain, Oakland Cemetery, and the Booth Museum. The club also sponsors one major trip each year. In the past two years members have gone to Yellowstone and Acadia National Park. Regardless of whether it is a one day local trip or a 10 day trip to a place like Yellowstone, shooting side by side with friends from the club and sharing results is an excellent way to learn.

The club meets from 7pm to 9pm on the first and third Monday of each month at the
Marietta Enrichment Center
American Business Center, Building 700, Suite 702
1395 South Marietta Parkway
Marietta, GA 30067

The club's website--www.cobbphotosociety.com--provides up-to-date information on club activities and events. Hope to see you at our next meeting.

Photography
by Mike Nalley
May 1, 2011 - June 30, 2011

Mike Nalley is a professional photographer specializing in fine art portraits and commercial photography. Mike works a lot on series or themes such as The Abandonment which involves abandoned homes and the things left behind. Mike's major interests lie in abandoned buildings, factories, and homes. Also people down on their luck or in desolate circumstances. Mike spends time each year teaching and giving workshops across the southeastern US. Mike is the founder and president of the Paulding Photography Club, and president of Paulding Fine Arts Association. He is a member of The Artists Guild of N. W. Georgia, Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art, Atlanta Photography Group, and Museum of Contemporary Art GA.

Mike, a native Georgian, was born in Carrrollton, GA in 1955 and now resides in Dallas, GA, a small rural area in a larger metropolitan area. Mike first started using an SLR Minolta SRT 101 in 1974 at the age of nineteen. He began shooting and teaching himself photography and really fell in love with the process. In 1978 Mike started his schooling at the Art Institute of Atlanta, receiving an Associate of Arts in Photography in 1980. Mike worked at Foster and Associates as a custom color and black and white printer from 1979-1981.

Mike opened his first studio in Marietta, GA in 1981, and concentrated mainly on commercial work including lots of annual reports and architectural work. He stayed with the studio until 1984, when he opened a new business in irrigation and got married in 1985. Mike stayed away from photography for almost 21 years.

Mike went on to become a successful Realtor and after a great year in 2005 he decided to spend a month on St. George Island on the panhandle of Florida. He took along his old 35mm equipment and decided to try his hand at his old field. After a month of shooting all over the panhandle he actually had few printable images, but he was hooked again.

Mike went digital in early 2006 and since has won many awards and competitions. Mike now works with Canon digital cameras and has a great career in Fine Art Photography. He shows his work all across Georgia and surrounding states. He does workshops and classes in Georgia, Florida. and North Carolina. You can reach him at the following:

http://mikenalleyphotography.com
mike@mikenalleyphotography.com
770-235-2355

Karen Johnson Bio

I am a Medical Techologist and amateur hotographer. The photography bug didn't really hit me until I moved from my home, just outside of Baltimore, Maryland, to Nashville, Tennessee. I explored all of the
nearby parks as well as part of the Natchez Trace and took pictures to show friends and relatives the natural beauty of the area. After 5 years there, I moved to Temple, Texas and joined a Photography Club to learn more about the art. Again, I visited as many parks as I could, documenting my explorations with photographs. In 1996, I moved to Smyrna, Georgia and continued my park explorations as well the Atlanta Botanical Garden. At work, we would have craft fairs and I discovered that others liked my pictures well enough to purchase them as enlargements or as note cards. My favorite subjects are reflections in water and flowers as I enjoy the extraordinary beauty and color of nature and photography enables me to share it with others.

The art pieces on display were created by Middle School and Upper School students at Whitefield Academy, a Christ-centered college preparatory school serving more than 650 students in PreK-4 through grade 12. Whitefield Academy is located on a 75-acre campus in the Smyrna/Vinings area of northwest Atlanta.

The Whitefield arts program encourages the exploration of artistic talents in a supportive and enjoyable environment -- recognizing God as the giver of these talents. The purpose of the Whitefield fine arts program is to allow student self-expression, as well as to inspire students to create sincere and significant work. Whitefield Academy believes that art enables students to reach their community as no other vehicle. Through visual art, dance, music, singing, and drama, students may communicate in a manner that transcends cultural, social and economic boundaries, and speaks to the heart of man