10.23.2010

Nov Art Show: "Friday Photo Forum"


Modern Times Coffeehouse is proud to present a new photography show by the "Friday Photo Forum." The show will remain in the Coffeehouse until Nov. 18.

A statement from the artists:

"Our group of women photographers came together through classes and darkroom work at the Smithsonian RAP photography program over the last ten years. Several of us "went digital" and left the darkroom a few years ago. Then Frank Lavelle, who had run the program and taught a variety of interesting classes as well as supervising the lab at the Ripley Center, relocated to Oregon. We all missed his guidance and the collegiality he had built up so we banded together to provide each other support for our photographic endeavors. We continue to meet monthly to share and critique our work and on occasion photograph together locally or on photo tours abroad. The show is at once a celebration of our friendships and of our love of photography."

If you are interested in purchasing any work, please contact the photographers directly. Their email addresses are posted on flyers throughout the Coffeehouse:

Alice Burton began taking pictures with a Brownie camera in her home state of Wisconsin in the late 1940's. Influenced by her father, a talented amateur photographer and painter, Burton experienced the pleasure of observing the natural world through a camera lens at a young age. Throughout her life and career as an educator and social worker Alice has expressed her admiration for the resilience of the natural environment.

Jane Cave’s photographs focus on two main themes: city streets and still lifes. In both cases she aims to capture images that the human eye barely registers, either because the moment itself is fleeting or because the camera can focus on a detail that would otherwise be lost in the surrounding clutter. She has studied at the Smithsonian Institution, the Maine Photographic Workshops, and the Center for Photography at Woodstock. She is a member of the Art League in Alexandria and Mid-City Artists, a multi-disciplinary group based in the Dupont-Logan Circle area of DC.

Wilda Heiss enjoys travel and landscape photography. She has exhibited at Frame Masters in Vienna, Greenbelt Community Center, and the Annual Art Show for the Library of Congress Professional Association for which she was named the Craig Hobson Memorial Photographer in 2003. Judge's commentary: ".....a sense of timelessness"...."ability to capture the beauty of the land"...."passionate feeling for the landscape"...."eloquent use of color and composition, coupled with imagination."

Barbara Johnson’s photography focuses mostly on people and the occasional abstract landscape scene. She uses film and shoots with medium format, 35 mm and Holga cameras. Barbara prints with traditional black and white materials, palladium, wet plate collodion, and Type C color. She is a member of the Art League in Alexandria and the Capitol Hill Art League. Barbara exhibits in juried shows in the Washington DC area and in national competitions. She studied at Syracuse University, the Corcoran College of Art and Design, the International Center of Photography, the Maine and Santa Fe photographic workshops and at the Smithsonian.


Pamela C. Richmond is known for her landscapes and still lifes. She now shoots and prints digitally in color. She also employs alternative processes such as Van Dyke brown, cyanotype and palladium. She was juried into the Torpedo Factory Artist’s Association in 2006 and is a member of The Art League in Alexandria. Her study of photography has been at NOVA, the Smithsonian RAP program, Maine Photographic Workshops and on tours with Frank Lavelle and Ernesto Bazan.

Sandi Robin grew up and was educated in Washington, D.C. Her husband is a second generation resident of D.C. Sandi and her business partner sold their retail business in Bethesda several years ago. In retirement, she felt it was time to express her creative ambitions and enrolled in photography classes at the Smithsonian Associates program. The darkroom and workshops created a passion for street photography and capturing the quirky, fun, and changing scenes of everyday life. Over the years she has been a part of a group show in Palm Beach, Florida, photographed events for her family, and assisted on photo shoots at weddings and bat mitzvahs.

Elinor Yudin Sachse, after many decades of painting in oils, found photography a natural extension of her painter's eye. She captures images on film and does all her own printing, both in color and in black and white. Repeated lines and curves attract her and, a creature of habit, she returns often to the same places, finding new aspects to interpret every time. For Ellie, the camaraderie and intellectual stimulation of the Smithsonian's darkroom and the relationships that evolve through it are further spurs to creativity. Her photographs have appeared in many shows, both solo and group, and are also part of a number of private collections.

Marge Silverberg has shown her work at the Alexandria Art League for the past several years, winning several honorable mentions. She has studied at the Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Photography and traveled with photographer Frank Lavelle and Ernesto Bazan.

Yoma Ullman’s main interest is in flower and garden photography. Her quest is to capture the improbably beautiful flora of our world. She has taken classes at the Smithsonian Institution’s photography program and the Maine Media Workshops. In a group led by Frank Lavelle, she took photographic tours to Venice and to the state of Oregon. She placed for three years in the Washington Gardener Magazine’s contest and in June 2008 had a solo show at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD.

Sandy Yuffee. The arts have always been her passion, whether it be sculpting or studying. She has devoted the past 10 years to photography. Her photography is not mainstream, but rather an expression of her conviction that beauty comes in many forms.

10.17.2010

Modern Times is Helping Prevent Homelessness, One Cup at a Time, through Cups of Kindness!


On Thursday October 21st, Modern Times will donate a percentage of our gross sales to benefit Thrive DC! In addition, our staff has pledged to donate their tips to the cause as well. On this day, you won't only be supporting your local coffee shop, but your purchases will provide hope to the vulnerable individuals who turn to Thrive DC each day.

Over 6,000 people in Washington, DC face the night without knowing where they will sleep or what they will eat.
Thrive DC makes sure that no one has to face homelessness alone or on an empty stomach. Each day, Thrive DC provides over 200 meals and supportive services to help homeless men and women end their homelessness and change their lives.

So feel good about getting that extra cup of coffee during Cups of Kindness!

10.12.2010

Carla F. Cohen 1936-2010

A message from Barbara Meade:

With deep sorrow, I am writing to inform our friends and neighbors that my beloved store co-owner Carla Cohen died this morning. For all of us here at Politics & Prose, it is difficult to believe that someone larger than life is gone, and I will deeply miss my friend and partner.

A funeral will be held at Tifereth Israel, 7701 16th Street, N.W. , at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 13th.

The store will be closed from 12-4 p.m. on that day. We will have a memorial service in the store at a date to follow in November.

(Apart from this closing, all other events will proceed as scheduled.)

Please read the obituary post from the Washington Post here.

We welcome and encourage your condolences, tributes, and memories here.