Cony and UMA Collaboration

Digital Photography Course

University of Maine at Augusta and Cony High School are collaborating for the first time this fall by teaching a digital photography class that students enrolled in as college and high school students, known as duel enrollment. The course is supervised and team-taught by UMA’s Professor Robert Rainey with Jason Morgan, one of two visual arts teachers for Cony 7-12 grades. The Digital Photography Course is currently enrolls 22 Cony Juniors and seniors on Cony’s campus. This is during a time when art at Cony is struggling to reach all grades offering a comprehensive art program for students who want to pursue visual art careers. The collaboration provides a course in photography that hasn’t been offered at Cony and bridges both institutions preparing students for higher education. The course is 1 high school and 3 credits in college.  It is an Aspirations course available for junior and seniors.

“light-painted selfies” on display at Harlow Gallery Nov 6-28

Recently, the photography students took a field trip to UMA’s photography facilities as duel-enrollment UMA/ Cony English students visited English classes and took a tour of the UMA campus including an artist talk by Professor Peter Precourt on his work currently displayed at UMA’s Danforth Gallery, “The Katrina Chronicles.”

The photography students participated in a four-hour workshop creating photograms in a traditional wet lab darkroom. Also, students photographed long exposure “selfies” in UMA’s studio lighting studio. Each 30-second selfie was a collaboration of five students lighting one another with the LED’s from their smart phones. Students held the pose on the floor for 30 seconds as participants outlined their bodies and painted whimsical swirls of lights, wings, and flowers. The “Exquisite Drawings” will be exhibited at the upcoming Harlow Gallery exhibition “Maine Artists Creating Art on Computers” opening November 6th, 5-8 pm and runs until the 24th.

The UMA/ Cony Photo students are out in the Kennebec Valley Community taking their newly learned or refined skills shooting events such as Cony’s Spirit week and exhibiting at Harlow’s, “Transforming Violence II.”

The images from the UMA Cony Day, photo student work will be on display at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, as part of their “Transforming Violence II” exhibit, November 6-28.

Cony students in UMA’s Lighting Studio preparing for “light drawing”

Cony students listen to Peter Precourt’s artist talk in UMA’s Danforth Gallery

Cony students listen to Senator Roger Katz speaking on legislation regarding domestic violence

Exhibiting Cony students with art teacher Jason Morgan in front of their painting, “Breaking the Chain” now on show at Harlow’s, “Transforming Violence II”Danforth Gallery

Thanks to Cony art teacher Jason Morgan for providing this information. If you’d like to contact him please do so at jason.w.morgan@augustaschools.org. If you’d like to share information on what you’re doing with your students please email me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.