Student Post: Barbi Veitch

Waking up in Greece was something I had planned to do for years, but doing it every day for three months seemed out of the question. When I found the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts, and read letters that past students had written about how the experience had changed their lives, I knew it was my immediate goal to get here. Studying with such finely tuned artists and having their personal guidance is what makes the school so unique.

Leo Tolstoy said that an artist “must have such mastery of his craft that when working he will think as little about the rules of that craft as a man when walking thinks of the laws of motion.” The instructor in my Camera workshop and Documentary Photography class, Elizabeth Carson (who has a cinema background as well), is endlessly patient and insightful in helping the students know our tools so that finding our voice through the work comes naturally.

I am learning new details about not only the camera and composition, but also working with the digital information that I capture so that the print will reflect my vision. According to John Pack, the instructor, “Photography is poetry,” and his portfolio shows the poetry in full verse. Having a mentor like John is a gift many artists never get the chance at.

While on the island of Paros, I wanted to learn as much as possible about Greek history and art. Jeffrey Carson, who has published books and lectures frequently on the subject, makes Art History a lively and invigorating class.  An accomplished writer, Jeffrey also oversees the Creative Writing workshop where student writers come together to read and critique each other’s work in poetry and prose. His insights are meticulous.

Surrounded by the culture, history, architecture and the overall texture of Greece enhances the learning experience in ways that I could only imagine before. The intimacy of each classroom adds to the richness and fosters a sense of family, where each member is invested in helping the others.

Barbi Veitch is a photography student here at the Aegean Center.