Flickr | PHOTO CHALLENGE Seeing-Beyond-Sight (11am & 1pm)

(a bunch of people are RSVPing, but not through Upcoming... so should be a good crowd - and come to party too - info below)

The American Visionary Art Museum presents a blindfolded-photography challenge that has been played around the world.

Join a group of artists, photographers, Flickr members and other creative types for a 90-minute workshop and take on increasingly difficult photographic assignments (while blindfolded) that will get you to see the world differently.

> THE GOAL: to take pictures by using intuition, instinct and all your senses — except for your eyes.

> EXHIBIT your images on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/groups/seeingbeyondsight) and at the American Visionary Art Museum during the "SEEING BEYOND SALON: An evening of art & perception" from 5:30pm to 8pm Dec 8 – a party with interactive art, music, food & drinks and stories. More event info: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/311273/

> TIMES: two 90min-workshops (chose either one):
1) 11:00am
2) 1:00pm

> WHO: for people of all visual abilities & photographers of all skill levels & a special event for Flickr members

> BRING: your own digital camera

> SIGN UP (free): RSVP here or by calling AVAM (410) 244-1900. FYI, many people are coming that don't use Upcoming.

> COMMENTS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS:
"This continues to be a profound personal exploration. " (Australia)
"I felt so ready to be open to new experience and perspectives." (Illinois)
"This experience freed me to think of photography in new ways." (San Francisco)

Workshop partners: American Visionary Art Museum, Wide Angle Media, National Federation for the Blind, Flickr members. Workshops conducted by Tony Deifell & Julie Stovall Lauver

About SEEING BEYOND SIGHT

THE SEEING BEYOND SIGHT CHALLENGE is an experiential extension of a new book by Tony Deifell called Seeing Beyond Sight: Photographs by Blind Teenagers (Chronicle Books) — a collection of stories and images that challenge our definitions of art, vision, and perception and what it really means to see.

"savvy, passionate, witty, and yes, beautiful" ~ FastCompany.com

"This book will make you look—and look again—at how you perceive and what you assume." ~ Shambhala Sun

For more information: http://www.seeingbeyondsight.org

About the AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM

"AVAM... is a monument to the failure of words... which are not yet able to describe the fantastic creations here, starting with the four-story high whirligig that greets visitors." ~ All Things Considered, NPR

For more information: http://www.avam.org