Group Meeting 1-17-13

Today we focused on our favorite color and how it pertains to the 5 senses. Below are photos pulled from each of our most recent rolls of film that show how our favorite color works with seeing, touching, hearing, tasting, and smelling. This exercise was challenging since we were working with older photographs. We would have much more control if this was a specific assignment, which I think we'll do in the near future!

Carla - emerald green - HEAR when lighting the candles of the Advent Wreath.

Carla - emerald green - TOUCH - roses have thorns on their green stems.

Carla - emerald green - SMELL - the Christmas tree smells of evergreen.

Janet - pink - SEE the pink horse, TASTE the pink lollipops, HEAR the pink horse, SMELL the pink candy, TOUCH the pink ornaments on the silver tree.

Jessica - blue - TOUCH the blue wrapped presents.

Jon - blue - SEE the blue sky.

Jessica - blue - SEE the blue sky.

Jon - blue - HEAR the phone in the blue reflection.

Jon - blue - SMELL the blue flowers.

Jon - blue - TOUCH the blue sweater.

Kurt - green - SMELL the green grass.

Kurt - green - TOUCH the green bushes. 

Kurt - green - SEE the green leaves.

Kurt - green - HEAR the green leaves in the wind.

Megan - pink - SEE the pink stripe of the pillowcase. 

Megan - pink - TOUCH the pink blanket.

Megan - pink - SMELL the pink flowers.

Megan - pink - TASTE the pink lemonade.

Carla - emerald green - SEE - the green hand shapes make the shape of the tree.

Group Meeting 1-10-13

Today we each thought of 3 words that describe feeling safe and being comfortable. There were 4 plus myself in group today, so that resulted in 15 words. As we went over the words we realized that 3 words were shared by all of us.

Relax  

Home

Warmth

Each member pulled 3 photos from his/her most recent roll of film, which was from this past fall season, to be a visual for Relax, Home, and Warmth. Here are the results:

Carla - This is my kitchen window, salt and pepper shaker, and candle stick. 

Carla - This little girl is confidently growing up!

Carla - The snowman is making gingerbread, I think they are friends.

Janet - My little cousin is dressed for Halloween as a pirate but has such an innocent look on his face.

Janet - My little cousin plays in the leaves. He's relaxed and comfortable like he is in his bedroom.

Janet - The flowers are in the sunshine and brightness. I feel relaxed when looking at flowers.

Jessica - Holding hands with my husband makes me think of safety and being comfortable.

Jessica - A big sky and puffy clouds comforts me when I look up.

Jessica - The sun is always shining, even on overcast days. 

Jon - The sun through the tree branches in my neighborhood.

Jon - This is right next door to where I live. I see it every day.

Jon - This is my street in my neighborhood. I feel safe here.

Kurt - My house is warm, safe, and relaxing.

Kurt - This is my street.

Kurt - I am proud of these flowers. I can show them off. 

Fall 2012

Megan

Carla

Janet

Janet

Jon

Carla

Jon

Megan

Kurt

Kurt

PhotoVoice

PhotoVoice

By Milestone’s Photo Group Sharing Your World

PhotoVoice is a research project developed by the Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation that explores and exposes ignorance, prejudice, and discrimination through photographs and narratives.

§  Ignorance is the lack of knowledge or misinformation about mental illness

§  Prejudice refers to negative beliefs and attitudes

§  Discrimination refers to behaviors people or organizations practice that reject or avoid people diagnosed with mental illness

During this past year our photo group focused on PhotoVoice by utilizing the provided workbook, going on photo-shoots, and writing narratives about our images. The workbook is a chance for us to prepare ourselves for understanding what kinds of subject matter to photograph. To help with writing narratives the workbook asks the following questions:

1.     What do you see here?

2.     What’s really happening here?

3.     How does this relate to our lives?

4.     Why does this problem, resource, or situation exist?

5.     How could this image educate others, the community, and policy makers?

6.     What can we do about the problem, resource, or situation?

Each photograph answers these questions while each narrative helps share the photographer’s intent. There has been great success on an individual level where a heightened level of knowledge has surfaced and has been discussed and shared. The members of Sharing Your World are excited to share with everyone these personal topics and hope to erase the concept of stigma.

-Jessica Kalmar

October 2012

The Art of Giving

We call our photography group at Milestone Day Treatment and Deaf Services Sharing Our World, which is what we have been doing since our first class in August of 2008. When I approached Kane Regional Center last summer I had an idea to display our photographs in hopes to reach out to Kane residents by visually sharing snippets of this friendly city. An innocent inquire turned out to be a collaboration of photo group, art group, and Kane residents. 

During the recent winter months, the photo group met with some of the Kane residents to find which parts of Pittsburgh held treasured memories. We gathered this information and set out between January and April, in all sorts of weather, to make these photographs specifically for the Kane residents. Here on these walls are little windows into Downtown, South Side Slopes, Lawrenceville, and other well-known spots such as the Carnegie Library in Oakland, “The Igloo”, and Phipps Conservatory. I noticed that this experience has helped the photo group talk about their memories and share with each other heartfelt stories. We hope these photographs allow the Kane residents to have a similar experience. 

On behalf of the photo group, I’ve included a small documentary section to show who we are and how we approached this fun and exciting collaboration. Written underneath the smaller prints are answers to the question, “what are you giving to Kane residents with these photographs?” Each member of the photo group truly enjoyed this opportunity and we hope we’ve started a lasting friendship.

Jessica Kalmar

Spring 2011

Each member of this project was photographed while they photographed on location.

Under each of these photographs is a quote by the photographer about helping Kane bring the outside world inside.

Alongside our photographs were other works of art given by artists at Milestone.

We also did collages. This is Jon’s.

Janet's collage.

Kurt's collage.

This is a permanent exhibit. The walls in Kane have photographs we made that were specifically requested by Kane residents.