‘Let’s Talk about Art, Baby.’
- In partnership with Northern Rivers Creative

And in collaboration with -
Grafton Regional Gallery and Elevator ARI (Lismore)

Introducing a 3 part series of live panel discussion events, which will be recorded and released as video and audio podcasts.
The discussions will be filmed with live audiences and will complement events within the multi-arts Northern Rivers Creative annual program, which is delivered in partnerships with regional organisations and venues.

The 2022 program of events includes Self, a gender themed exhibition at Grafton Regional Gallery, a design showcase in Byron Bay and an experimental arts themed exhibition at Elevator ARI is Lismore.

Each episode will focus on a different creative category and will engage local creatives to join an industry focused conversation, inspiring audiences through an insight into their creative practice, discussing the local creative activity and wider industry developments. Beyond the live event, the episodes will be available as both captioned video and audio podcasts online to increase accessibility and audience reach.

Episode One: ‘Self Exhibition.’

Theme: Gender

28TH MAY / GRAFTON REGIONAL GALLERY

Join the first live event of Let’s Talk About Art, Baby! 

In this episode augmenting the current Self exhibition open at Grafton Regional Gallery, Creative Producer Ingrid Wilson will lead a discussion joined by exhibiting artists Joe Swepson and Stephen Garrett, plus Grafton Regional Gallery Exhibitions and Collections Officer, Caity Reynolds - inspiring audiences through an insight into their creative practice, with a focus on all things gender.

Following the discussion, stay for the afternoon (3-5pm) for the public opening event for the exhibition featuring the work of local artists including Joe Swepson, Stephen Garrett, Xanthe Dobbie, Laith McGregor, Fabian Pertzel and Antoinette O’Brien. Explore the gallery through to the adjoining sculpture garden where you can indulge in drinks and nibbles while continuing the discussion of all things art.

This exhibition aims to participate in important and ongoing global conversations through varied gestures, expressions, and understandings of gender. Using the lens of their own experiences, each of the featured artists are exhibiting work expanding upon or challenging existing understandings of gender from social, political or cultural perspectives.

Panelists - 

Ingrid Wilson / Curator / Facilitator / NRC Creative Producer - When Ingrid joined Arts Northern Rivers in 2019 she launched the Northern Rivers Creative directory platform and has since been managing the platform as Creative Producer, introducing an artistic program delivered across the region. 

Caity Reynolds / GRG Exhibitions & Collections Officer - With almost a decade of experience in galleries and museums, she has worked on exhibitions in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. Caity has been with the gallery since 2020; developing and delivering our exciting exhibition program in collaboration with Gallery Director Niomi Sands.

Joe Swepson / Artist - Ze, zir and they are Joe’s preferred pronouns as they denote neither male nor female. Joe Swepson’s practice is based on explorations of the body, identity, and the self. Focussing on the body as a commodity, a site of familiarity and political struggle, Joe Swepson explores notions of gender as being based on a western system of binary classification. 

Stephen Garratt / Artist - Stephen's artwork harnesses the historic decadence in which power and privilege exists. He asserts a flagrant disregard for that history―creating complex new readings through rewriting the visual code and exposing an alternate narrative to site and place―breaking open the pictorial space for alternate allegorical meaning and possibility.

See you at Grafton Regional Gallery - a safe, inclusive, and affirming space.

Courses

At Studio Tropico we aim to be an inclusive studio for the community, welcoming all kinds of photographers at all levels of training through our doors.
And so, we’ve created ‘School of Tropico,’ our educational personality that allows us to teach courses at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels as taught by working professionals within our industry, for aspiring or professional photographers within our community.

Different workshops are run monthly for photographers at different stages in their careers. Current workshops can be viewed below.

Introduction to Studio Lighting

Following on from our last sold out workshop, we are offering another weekend course ‘Introduction to Studio Lighting.’

This workshop is an inclusive, practical and functional workshop that introduces you to Studio Lighting 101, as hosted by Professional Photographer Tuscany Gray and the staff at Studio Tropico.

Using Profoto Lighting, shapers and modifiers (such as umbrellas, soft boxes, reflectors and more) you’ll learn how to understand and control studio light sources. Using a light meter we’ll run you through a mix of classic and new lighting techniques with 1, 2 + light set-ups that can be used on people or still life. You’ll learn the importance of key and fill lighting and how, when and why to use certain light modifiers and shapers and what settings create what style of photography. You’ll work with equipment in break-out style groups, and be provided with a discount code at the end of the workshop, so you can hire the equipment you've learnt with (and/or other!) to enjoy your new skills out in the wild.

Welcome to Camera Basics

This workshop is an inclusive, practical and functional workshop for the beginner who is new to, or looking to brush up their knowledge on a DSLR, mirrorless, or digital camera with manual settings. A 4 hour workshop that brings you into the studio, and takes you outside, we’ll introduce you to the controls, functions, and settings of your digital camera. You’ll learn how to understand and control aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and how these variables interact, as well as how to select the right lens for what technique, or need. You’ll also gain an understanding of lighting; the quality of light, and how to produce a different look & feel with different types and direction of lighting, and how this reflects in camera settings. We’ll also take you through colour balance, and composition, so you can leave with everything you need to know take a great photo, in any condition.

You’ll work with your own equipment in a group setting, and be provided with a discount code at the end of the workshop, so you can hire the equipment you've learnt with (and/or other!) to enjoy your new skills out in the wild.

Hosted by Professional Photographer Tuscany Gray and the staff at Studio Tropico.