Posts in curator
Ann Jastrab
Ann Jastrab

Welcome to Season 2 of the Diffusion Tapes. We spent some quality time with the illustrious Ann Jastrab for this episode.

Ann Jastrab is the Executive Director at the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel California. Ann grew up in the village of Whitsboro, New York. She studied literature and art in college and received her MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Since then she’s been an educator for multiple organizations, a master printer, editor-in-chief, gallery director, executive director, portfolio reviewer, and master of the universe. She still carries around a wooden view camera.

In our conversation, we chat with Ann about her journey as an artist, educator, and all-around champion of photography. Some of the notes we hit are about building community, portfolio reviews, curating exhibits, and collecting photographs (some influenced by liquid courage). We love Ann, and she is f’ing smart!

Recorded January 5th, 2023. These are the Diffusion Tapes... 

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photographer, historian, curator, educatorBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, ann jastrabComment
Jennifer Schlesinger
Jennifer Schlesinger

Welcome to Season 2 of the Diffusion Tapes. In our third episode, we had a great time chatting with photographer and gallery owner Jennifer Schlesinger.

Jennifer Schlesinger is an artist, curator, gallerist, and educator based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico. As we discuss in the Tape, Jennifer has approached her photography, as well as her Director role at both Verve and Obscura Gallery, with an interest in the historical development of photography as an artistic medium. In our talk, we learn how she pivoted from studying law to focusing on fine art photography, her interest in 19th and 20th-century photo processes, and her journey from the non-profit world to fine art photo gallery director. We also learn about her philosophical outlook and her marketing hustle for promoting photo artists.

Jennifer, it’s always a pleasure, thanks for spending some quality time with us.

Recorded November 2, 2022. These are the Diffusion Tapes... 

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photographer, curator, educator, historianBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, Jennifer SchlesingerComment
Michael Kirchoff
Michael Kirchoff

Welcome to Season 2 of the Diffusion Tapes. My first guest is Michael Kirchoff, who will from here on out be my co-host!

Michael Kirchoff is a photographic artist working in the worlds of both commercial and fine art photography, an independent curator and juror, and an advocate for the photographic arts. Based in Los Angeles, California, he is Co-Host at The Diffusion Tapes, as well as Editor-in-Chief at Analog Forever Magazine, Founding Editor for Catalyst: Interviews, and a Contributing Editor for One Twelve Publishing.

In our tape we talk about him growing up in LA, how his photography career evolved, some of the folks that mentored him and moments that inspired him along the way, his love of writing and advocacy of photography, and his love for the photo community. I even asked him about his day job working in the entertainment industry of LA and how that relates to all the work he does in the fine art world. You’ll discover after listening to his story that he’s pretty much a YES man and it’s aided in the evolution of his career in the most fulfilling and sometimes surprising ways. 

Recorded Aug 9, 2022. Welcome to the Diffusion Tapes, Season 2. 

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photographer, curator, podcaster, writerBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, michael kirchoff, analog forever magazibe, catalyst interviewsComment
Hamidah Glasgow
Hamidah Glasgow

Welcome to Diffusion Tape no. 9 with curator Hamidah Glasgow. Hamidah is a member of Strange Fire Collective and is the Executive Director of the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado. We sat down for a nice chat during the 2019 Photolucida Festival in Portland. I’m in awe of this woman and I hope you enjoy hearing some of her personal stories as much as I did. We talked about her youth, her path to art, her exciting and unconventional career path (spoiler alert, there’s helicopters), the amazing work she’s done at the Center for Fine Art Photography, and her involvement with Strange Fire Collective. The only thing I think we missed talking about is our mutual love of good bourbon… maybe next time.

Recorded April 28th, 2019, All conversations are recorded face-to-face. These are… the Diffusion Tapes.

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educator, curator, writerBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, hamidah glasgowComment
Aline Smithson
Aline Smithson

Welcome to Diffusion Tape no. 8 with the photographer, curator, editor, writer, and educator Aline Smithson. Smithson wears many hats and in our conversation, we talked about the cultural evolution of photography, female representation in the medium, archiving in a digital world, portraiture, Smithson’s personal art history, her family, and the importance of play in the creation of photography. Aline Smithson is a Los Angeles based artist best known for her conceptual portraiture and a practice that uses humor and pathos to explore ideas of childhood, aging, and the humanity that connects us. She is the founder of the highly popular photo site Lenscratch. 

Recorded April 27th, 2019, All conversations are recorded face-to-face. These are… the Diffusion Tapes.

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photographer, educator, curator, writerBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, photographer, Aline Smithson, LenscratchComment
Lori Vrba
Lori Vrba

In Tape no2 I chat with Lori Vrba. Vrba is a multimedia/mixed media photographer, curator, retreat host, and fire eater. We talk about her journey in life, personal work, family, her friendship with Keith Carter, some notable exhibitions and her involvement with Pigs Fly Retreats and Click! Photography Festival. Recorded during that very festival, October 2018. All conversations are recorded face-to-face. These are… the Diffusion Tapes.

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curator, photographerBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, photographer, curator, Photo Festival, Click! Photo Festival Comment
George Slade
George Slade

For Tape no.1 I sat down with writer, curator, historian, walking photographic encyclopedia, and guinea pig, George Slade. We talked about his history in photography, his passion for the medium and his camaraderie with Minnesota photographers. Recorded during Click! Photography Festival, October 2018. All conversations are recorded face-to-face. These are… the Diffusion Tapes.

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curator, writer, photographer, historianBlue Mitchellthediffusiontapes, photographer, georgeslade, curator, writerComment