Jamaica RPCV Bill Owens: Suburbia Revisited



Jamaica RPCV Bill Owens: Suburbia Revisited

Bill Owens: Suburbia Revisited

Workshop history

Reworking themes that have a renewed contemporary edge - but working with a master of techniques whose eye is guided by the tools he uses to materialise his vision. Unlike many contemporary practitioners Bill remains true to the core values of Photography.

The workshop will be based around how to create a documentary project, researching, shooting and reshooting to get it right!

A chance to work with an artist who, while pointing his camera with razor edge precision at his subjects, somehow manages to respect those subjects and reflect his own humanity in the pictures. Maybe there's a secret?



(c) Bill Owens

About Bill Owens Extensive Website at www.billowens.com, here's some abstracts....

Says Bill about his aspirations:

"My goal is to finish a documentary photo project conceived of some 20 years ago. In the 1970s, I published three photography books on the middle class in suburban California and began a fourth project on leisure. But in the early 1980s, I had to make a career choice between photography and supporting my kids. I left photography to turn my hobby as a brewer into a career. I founded and ran a brewpub for 14 years. With the recent reprinting of Suburbia and the renewed interest in my work, I would like to finish my project on leisure. This project, like Suburbia, will consist of photographs of friends, neighbors and the community I live in."

Biography

* Born 9/25/38, San Jose, Calif.; raised on a farm in Citrus Heights, Calif.

* 1963: B.A., Industrial Arts, Chico State College

* 1964-66: Peace Corps, served in Jamaica as a school teacher

* 1968-78: News photographer, Livermore Independent, Livermore, Calif.

* 1972-77: Published Suburbia, Our Kind of People, and Working

* 1976: Guggenheim fellowship

* 1977-79: Two NEA grants

* 1982-96: Founded and operated Buffalo Bill's Brewery, Hayward, Calif.

* 1986-present: Publisher of American Brewer Magazine

* 1999: Suburbia republished; working on Leisure, Americans at Play

Partial list of Suburbia exhibits, 1997-2000:

* Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, WA

* Matthew Marks Gallery, New York City, N.Y.

* Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York City, N.Y.

* Stephen Bugler Gallery, Toronto, Canada

* Galerie Gabrielle Maubrie, Paris, France

* Robert Koch Gallery, San Francisco, Calif.

* San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, Calif.

* San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, Calif.

Collections:

* Center for Creative Photography, New York, N.Y.

* National Museum of American Art Museum of Modern Art, New York, N.Y.

* San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, Calif.

* Los Angeles County Art Museum, Los Angeles, Calif.

* Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley, Calif.

* Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France

* Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm, Sweden

* Oakland Museum, Oakland, Calif.

* San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, Calif.

* Numerous private collectors

When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

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December 25, 2004: This Week's Top Stories Soldiers of Peace 23 Dec Nepal RPCV discovers new species of catfish 23 Dec Tom Murphy will not seek 4th term as Pittsburgh mayor 22 Dec Richard Celeste is spicing things up 22 Dec Gov. Jim Doyle streamlines state government 22 Dec Namibia Volunteers sworn in 21 Dec RPCV serves as Ukraine election observer 21 Dec Christmas Gifts for Peace Corps Volunteers 21 Dec Estonia RPCV John Isles wins NEA poetry award 21 Dec Director Vasquez decries racism and discrimination 20 Dec RPCV criticizes "harrassment by Russian government" 20 Dec War's horrors turn RPCV's son into pacifist 19 Dec more top stories...

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Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

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