Focus on Youth » Blog

New Mentor Brings Canon With Him

Larry — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 23:29:38 +0000

We’ve been extremely fortunate this year to have Canon representative Shawn Weishaar join our corps of mentors. Shawn, shown here with one of the great kids from New Avenues for Youth on our Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival safari, has been representing Canon in the Northwest for seven years.

He’s been also been teaching photography classes- including concepts, lighting, printing, and general camera use- in Oregon and Idaho during that time. He’s brought that Canon experience, expertise, and some really great equipment to each of the classes we’ve conducted since he joined us and he’s been a particularly great hit with the New Avenues for Youth kids for his patience and easy unforced respect for them and their capabilities.

Huge Thanks to JillMarie Wiles of BAS

Larry — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:19:27 +0000

Over the years I’ve dealt with an number of auctioneers – professional, semi-professional, and amateur (including myself)- but JillMarie Wiles of Beneficial Auction Services (BAS) is unique in my experience with her combination of honesty, professionalism, and generosity. Her donation of almost an hour of her valuable time to advise us on the challenges of getting a good professional auctioneer for our September 29 auction was more valuable to us than it was for her. In a very short period of time she gave us a dozen bullet points of things we’ve done right and things we’ve done wrong but could correct. Thanks to her, our September 29 auction will be, from a preparation and implementation point of view, the best we’ve ever done. Huge thanks to Ms. Wiles!

Int’l Conservation Photo Awards Invitation

Larry — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:54:53 +0000

Famed photographer Art Wolfe, who has been extremely generous with and supportive of Focus on Youth, has announced that submissions are now being accepted for the International Conservation Photography Awards.

The ICP Awards is a worldwide photography event focused on conservation and the environment. The 2012 edition of the biennial juried photo competition, along with awarding cash & merchandise to selected photographers, will include an online exhibit, a 5-month museum gallery exhibit at the prestigious Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle and publication in national photography magazines and other printed communications.

New this year is that the museum has agreed to “tour” the top images to other national museums and venues after the show closes in Seattle providing an incredible opportunity for photographers to impact an even wider audience providing an even greater incentive for participation.

Photographers new to this program should be sure to check out the online gallery on this site to see the stunning imagery chosen for the 2010 ICP Awards. We’d encourage all our friends in the photography community to check this out as we review potential submissions from our students.

New Images on Gary Wilson Photography Website

Larry — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:44:46 +0000

Past Focus on Youth board member and president (and longtime mentor to our kids) Gary Wilson has posted some new images to his website, GaryWilsonPhoto.com. Doesn’t seem to matter whether they’re softly romantic realist or vivid and colorful modernist, Gary’s images always seem to grab your eye and hold it. The accompanying images here is the City Center from the top of Hawthorne Bridge (l) and Fremont Bridge (below). Stop by and have a look. Gary’s also working with Polar Pans which for the moment is technology beyond my understanding… but apparently it places the photographed object on the globe. More on that in future, I’m sure.

New Officers and Assignments for FOY Board

Larry — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:15:37 +0000

At the December, 2011, meeting of the Focus on Youth Board two new officers were elected and several working assignments accepted. New board member Shanti Villareal, Program Manager, platform development at Xerox, was elected Secretary of the Board and 2011 Auction Chair Larry McDonald was named President. New board member Brian McCauley, Umpqua Bank, agreed to be the board member working most closely with Donna Lee on grants and funding support applications; Christopher Cabatbat, Cabatbat Photography, will direct IT research and functions, especially as regards donor and volunteer tracking; Shanti will complement her board duties with gathering and editing biographies of board members, mentors, and advisory committee members for our internet outreach; Sam Hutchison, longtime mentor, board member, and financial supporter will work on developing of a Code of Conduct/Behavior for volunteers; Jay Hager mentors, as well as continuing to work with Donna Lee on printing needs; Chris Poole Jones will continue working on community outreach; and longtime board member and mentor Leo Remington will continue in administrative support for Donna Lee.

Hochfeld Posts New FB Album

Larry — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:15:50 +0000

Ken Hochfeld – Focus on Youth friend, mentor, and chair of our 2012 Auction Youth Auction,- has posted a new album of his work on his Facebook Page. The collection is titled Forest Through The Trees: Intuition, Imagination and Enigmas. The images are visually arresting- sometimes with a palpable evocation of mystery, intimidation, and disorientation. Bravo, Ken! (By the way, Ken will be overseeing the mounting of our One Week Only! Photo Exhibition and Sale at the PDX Q Center in January (8-14) with the help of volunteer Alison Tongas, mentor/Board Member Sam Hutchison, and, of course, our invaluable Donna Lee.)

OnPoint Community Credit Union Bank

Larry — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:54:22 +0000

On Point Community Credit Union Grant

Much many thanks go out to OnPoint Community Credit Union. This week they not only announced that they were granting us $1000 for administrative expenses, they sent us the check. I told somebody at another non-profit recently that Focus on Youth doesn’t operate on a shoestring – metaphorically speaking, we’re operating in flipflops. That’s why grants like these from local agencies and businesses mean so much to us. If you’re one of the wise people who do business at OnPoint, say thanks for us next time you’re in.

One Week Only Photo Exhibit and Sale

donnaholmes — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:36:24 +0000

Focus on Youth Photography Exhibit and Sale

One week sale only – January 8th toJanuary 14th 2012

The Q Center 4115 N Mississippi Portland OR

Join us at the reception on January 12th from 5 PM to 7 PM

28″x19″ glicée printed on high quality canvas wrapped on heavy stretcher bars.

Underwater photography rarely gets more storybook romantic than this striking image of an almost mythical beastie.