A New and Vital VIVA Workshop by Iskra Johnson >> The print and online registration forms are here Iskra Johnson Studio This three and a half hour workshop will present an overview of the major social media platforms available for today’s creative entrepreneur. With a focus on visual arts, we will take an in-depth look at strategies for working with Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and a few unexpected platforms where your future patrons may be hiding. Iskra Johnson is a fine artist and letterform designer. With over 30 years experience in her own design business, she brings practical marketing expertise to her coaching for creative entrepreneurs. In teaching her goal is to help creative businesses and individuals find their own authentic voice. Iskra is represented by SAM Gallery and Museo on Whidbey Island. Her work is in the collections of Virginia Mason, Kaiser, King County Portable Works, City of Seattle and private collections throughout the USA. Her mixed media print arts and painting can be seen at http://www.iskrafineart.com. In design she is represented by RappArt in New York. Her design work can be found at http://www.iskradesign.com. What the workshop will cover: How do artists sell their work through social media? How can social media broaden your reach and expand your audience? How can you integrate social media with your studio life in a way that makes it more creative and challenging? How can you find your own voice in this crowded and distracting marketplace? And….. how do you keep it all from making you crazy? The class is suitable both for the social media novice and those who have already established themselves online. Teaching includes a combination of on-screen demonstrations, journal writing and discussion. The focus will be on strategy and principles of social media. Participants will get the most out of the class if they have an Instagram and Facebook account activated and accessible on their phone, (even if the account is private or nothing has yet been posted to it.) Please bring a notebook, and a smartphone if you use one. Laptops optional. Class maximum: 30 be sure to sign up early!      

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP: Quality documentation is essential to creating a strong portfolio to be used in submissions, on your website and social media, and for archival purposes. In this workshop, photographer Michelle Bates will lead you step-by-step through the process of creating high-quality documentation of your work. You’ll learn about camera settings, lenses, lighting, backgrounds, editing digital files, and other technical and aesthetic aspects to capture the ideal image. *This workshop is open to artists of all career stages who’d like to learn about documenting their own work. It is limited to 15 participants so please REGISTER early to guarantee a spot.   TOPICS COVERED: - Terminology - Camera types and settings - Lenses - Lighting & backgrounds - Photo-editing software - Editing digital files TAKEAWAYS: - Knowledge of how to document your work and how to work with professional photographers - What buyers, curators, gallerists, juries, & selection committees look for in your documentation Register HERE ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Michelle Bates has been a photographer since 1991, doing fine art photography and teaching, documenting theater and events, doing studio promotional and portrait photography, and photographing artwork for artists. Bates is the author of “Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity” about low-tech cameras, and has given talks and workshops all over the country and exhibited her work internationally. PLEASE NOTE: This is a class about HOW TO photograph your artwork. On Tuesday March 26th Michelle will help you PHOTOGRAPH YOUR ARTWORK at the O Space Black Box. For details you need to contact Michelle:      michelle@michellebates.net Photograph of Michelle by Jennifer Loomis; artwork from L-R by Israel Shotridge, Eric Nelsen, and Liz Lewis