5 Sessions: Mondays, October 7-November 4, 6:30-9:30pm

When was the last time you sat among a group of peers and had a constructive conversation about your art? This class will bring together photographers who have worked alone and could benefit from some camaraderie, criticism, and conversation and will provide tools needed to expand your photographic vocabulary and dialogue, edit your work to provide greater clarity for your vision, and develop new skills in marketing and promotion.

The course will consist of portfolio evaluations, comments, and suggestions from the instructor and classmates on how to best move forward both professionally and artistically with your work. In order to do this effectively we’ll review strategies and suggestions about how to look and talk about art.

The course will devote substantial time to reviewing, critiquing, and evaluating one another’s work. Students will be shown how to sequence work to demonstrate the strength of your portfolio. Depending on the size of the class, some students may have the opportunity to receive in-depth, hourlong critique sessions. We’ll also cover artist business topics: how to write or refine an effective artist statement, grant opportunities, and contemporary trends in marketing your work. Time permitting, instruction on grant writing will also be covered.

Be prepared to come to class with a portfolio of work that best demonstrates your style and questions you have how to take it to the next level.

Tuition: $270 regular/$205 member/$155 low-income

Susan Boecher has both created and taught photography for over thirty years in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has taught in a variety of institutions that include: Augsburg College, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Metropolitan State University, Dakota County Technical College, IFP MN, and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. Boecher has also done residencies for Community Programs for the Arts (COMPAS) and Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA).

Teaching to both traditional and nontraditional students that includes: art students, liberal arts students, adult learners, immigrant youth, low-income teens, and senior citizens. With an interest in engaged community projects, Boecher has taught workshops to low-income youth in the North End of St. Paul, residents of St. Stephens Shelter, a homeless shelter in Minneapolis and to individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS. Because of her dedication in social documentary projects that interface art, community and engagement in 2006 Boecher established OverExposure, a media arts nonprofit that she currently directs.

Her work has been exhibited locally, regionally and nationally and she has received grants from Augsburg College, the Jerome Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, Metropolitan State University and Arts Over Aids.

She recently retired from a ten-year teaching position at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and is currently pursuing new projects.

Class Registration Guidelines & Cancellation Policy

• Space is assigned on a first-come basis. Registrations must include payment in full. Registrations are accepted after registration deadlines if space is available.
• If minimum enrollment has not been reached by 7 days prior to the start date of a class, FilmNorth may cancel it, in which case registrants will immediately be notified and receive a full refund within 2 business days. A check will be issued for registrations that were paid in cash. In lieu of a refund, students have the option of applying their tuition to another class scheduled in the same calendar year.
• For those wishing to cancel a registration prior to the class registration deadline, 100% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. For registration cancellations received after the registration deadline but prior to the first class session, 50% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. As of 5:00 pm the day prior to a class start date, no refunds or credits/exchanges will be given (Friday at 5:00 pm for Sunday classes). 
• Tuition is not prorated for missed class sessions.