Drum Roll Please…

One thing that the web does exceedingly well is bring together people who might otherwise never have met.  However, developing real relationships with those you connect with online can be tricky. Sometimes it does translate into real life friendships. For instance, I met many other artists I consider friends through Ground Glass and Women in Photography, (shout out to Ms. Elkins here,) but often it ends after a few email exchanges that leave you feeling rather dissatisfied.  I think many of us have been craving some sort of deeper connection in the blog world for some time. There have been several efforts to do this, some more successful than others.

In my case this past year has been about shifting my focus from blogging to my own art work and to WIPNYC.  In that vein, it has been very important to me to get feedback from peers I can respect.  I was lucky enough this past spring to meet an extraordinary group of artists called POC, who generously allowed me to be a part of their group for one week in Salzburg.  And it was a revelation.  It was like all of the impulses that had led me to blog were suddenly fulfilled.  I had found a community, but a flesh and blood one, who were 100 percent committed to the pursuit of photography.  I actually stumbled upon the Piece of Cake website several years ago, right when I started studying photography. I remember thinking “wow what would it be like to be a part of something like that?” However at the time they only accepted European artists.  But somehow, in May I was sitting in on their workshop and at the end of the week I had agreed to spearhead the creation of a North American version.

It is crazy how things happen. But it has already been one of the best things that has happened in my photo journey so thus far.  We launched the American version this week, for now we have a small group but we are hoping to add more artists, from Canada and Mexico and other parts of the US as time goes on.

POC is basically a network of artists who meet, exhibit and work together to discuss and promote the medium of photography.  The US & European members hope to open a dialog across the Atlantic.  We are still in the process of discovery and are exited to see what will develop with the project.

There will be more info to come. But the first POC exhibit opens this Thursday at Caption Gallery in Dumbo.  Bill Sullivan and Charles Freger, representing both networks will share the space.  I hope you can join us to launch the new endeavor.

Have a look at the website to view the work of both Piece’s of Cake.

Caption Gallery

55 Washington 8th fl

Thursday Oct 1

6:30 – 8:30