Alumni Residencies

May Flies by Holly Lynton

The fiftieth anniversary of the Aegean Center prompted us to create an alumni residency program this spring. Seven students have returned to share some time with us over the past weeks, each bringing a new perspective to the current group of students, sharing their work and their stories since leaving the school and inspiring us with their adventures. 
Holly Lynton, now a fine art photographer, shared her work with us three weeks ago. Holly was a student at the Aegean Center in 1992. Her work has been evolving along certain themes: ecology and sustainability, people working in concert with nature, and documenting disappearing ways of life. Her work, both black and white and color, reveals forgotten or lost aspects of the rural American worker. We will look forward to another visit in the future for an update on her work. For more images please see her website: http://www.hollylynton.com 
Claire Huffman was a student just last fall and has been backpacking through the Far East since her departure. She spent her two weeks here painting, making books and attending classes. We were all impressed with what she accomplished in such a short time, including three paintings and more than a half dozen books. She will attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
Jessie Parks gave an impressive lecture just a few days ago on her odyssey through Kurdistan photographing the refugee crisis and life in the migrant camps. She is still editing her work as she came directly to Paros after her sojourn there. We saw a wonderful selection of images and heard of the hardships as well as the joys of these people caught in the crossfire. Jessie was a student in the fall session of 2011, we remember her for the wonderful photos she did of the nuns at Thapsana. Her work can be seen at: http://www.jessieparks.com
We are also very happy to have Ashley Cudderford with us. She has been very supportive of the school and is here working in the digital lab and renewing her acquaintance with the island. The same can be said for Valerie Jorgensen who is also working with her photography again and plans to stay for another week.

We enjoyed a visit from Lis Carney and Lily Barberich several weeks back who both made innumerable monoprints, joined classes and felt they were home again. They attended different sessions at the Center in the past but became friends once they met in New York where they both live. This was their first time spending time together on the island. They made a presentation of their work  to the book making class before their departure. Lis works as a freelance photographer in New York.  Lily works as an interior designer and has her work on: http://cargocollective.com/lilybarberich/watercolors 

All of our alumni are special, we love your loyalty to the school and your support. We hope to see many more of you over the next years in residencies.

From the series, ‘Thapsana’ by Jessie Parks