Photography: Seeing Our Way Clear --Images Expand the Creative Imagination

Jan Phillips
May 25-27

This retreat will focus on the power of photography to heal, to transform, and to bridge gaps between people when language falls short. Photography is an act of looking that can lead to flashes of surprising insight and open doors to a deeper knowing. Whether one is making a photograph, being photographed, or observing a photograph, there is a potential for healing in the moment of seeing.

In the act of making or observing photographs, we are allowing ourselves to look beyond the surface, to feel for and with others, to find the spirit within, the source of our oneness and common strength.

For the photographer and non-photographer, this experiential hands-on workshop will open door after door into the inner chambers, exploring the landscape of our wisdom, our passions, and our visions. Through a variety of creative exercises, each participant will be coached in the art of looking, seeing, and sharing one's insight in a way that adds light and beauty to the world around us. Experience the power of images to alter our inner space, heal our brokenness, and change our consciousness. Tap into your creative potential through the use of images, videos, poetry, and music. Discover the wealth of creative material in your family albums (or that pile of photos you've been meaning to sort). Learn new things about yourself through photos that others have taken. Find more joy in your life by expanding your range of vision. This retreat is open to any person with any kind of camera.
 

Jan Phillips is an award-winning writer, photographer, video producer, and workshop director. She is a co-founder of Syracuse Cultural Workers, which publishes and distributes socially conscious artwork, and has recorded an album of original compositions. Her photographs have been published as cards, posters, and calendars. She is the author of God Is at Eye Level: Photography as a Healing Art, Marry Your Muse: Making a Lasting Commitment to Your Creativity (winner of 1998 Ben Franklin Award), Making Peace: One Woman's Journey Around the World, and co-author of A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind: A Wake Up Call. Her work has appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines and her photographs have been exhibited at art galleries and museums around the world.