~Common Grounds Cafe~

Tucked away inside the Brewer Library on the Decatur Campus of Calhoun Community College is a hidden treasure called the "Common Grounds Cafe"
If you haven't had a chance to visit the "Common Grounds Cafe" this is your personal invitation...it is the next best thing to Starbucks! Actually I am going to go a step further and say it's better than Starbucks because their menu has more variety overall than Starbucks does!

Helen Dunn is the Owner as well as the Manager! :)... She does an awesome job of keeping the place in tip top shape! Her smile is one of the first that you will see! :) ...  I had only been there just a few minutes when I could tell she already knew her regular customers, and knew them by name!  

Heather Berry and Jerica Johnson work along with Helen...

Their menu includes Coffee~ Lattes~ Mochas~Smoothies~ as well as Breakfast and Lunch Sandwiches! ...  They open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursdays.  I recently enjoyed a Smoked Turkey Sandwich while I studied for a test in between classes and it was awesome!

There is another great thing that "Common Grounds" does for Calhoun Students... They support their Student's Art work... you may notice in some of these pictures there is "Art" hanging in the background...  Some of that "Art" just so happens to be mine ... ! :) ... After my Photography Exhibit was complete in September I was asked by Ms. Beddow the librarian if I would be interested in hanging some of my photographs in the Cafe!  I was honored to do so.  They will be hanging there until the end of December.  It has been such a privilege for me to be able to continue to show my Gallery in the "Common Grounds Cafe" and I thank them for allowing me to do that!  In turn, I asked for their permission to highlight them on my "Blog"!  I was also recently honored with an article in "Calhoun Community College Library" , blog where they shared some very kind words about me and my photography journey.  Thank you again Ms. Beddow for your support and encouragement and thanks again Helen & your staff for letting me slip in and play for the day and do what I LOVE to do with my camera!  You guys were GREAT!  I loved watching you work!  :) ... and I loved the smell of that Coffee!!

Stopping moments in time... on "Common Grounds" ... Make sure that you take time out for a cup too!

Tina :) ...
http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/

~A Big "Thank You!" ...~

Thank you all so very much for your prayers... your support... your encouraging words... and your visits to my Photography Exhibit!  Words simply cannot express what you all mean to me!! ... It was quite the undertaking, and a huge accomplishment that I can now somewhat say : "check that off of my list" ... :) ...  I say somewhat, because next I have to place a hard copy on a disk to turn in before the end of the semester and I wait for my grade... I did make a trip to Dr. Colagross' office this week and he was very complimentary of my exhibit with eye contact included! (I insisted! LOL!) ... This is an instructor that I admire and respect and have learned a lot from in the past 2-1/2 years.  Thank you Dr. C!

Dr. Colagross is the Head of the Department and I have had him for several of my Photography Classes along the way.  I have also had the privilege of sitting under the instruction of other local photographers who serve as "Adjunct Instructors" at Calhoun.  Today I am a better photographer because of these individuals and I had hoped to "Thank" them personally at my Reception but they were not able to make it.  Mr. Garth Fraser, who you will find a detailed article about in The Decatur Daily , I had an opportunity to chat with a couple of different times during the course of my Exhibit and I so appreciated his input and encouragement!  I had Mr. Fraser for my Photography II Class and for my Audio/Visual Techniques Class.  Jennifer Culp, a local photographer at 810studio in Decatur is a gifted and talented Photographer that I learned so much from in my very first photography class at Calhoun, Photography I.  I hoped to be able to see her & say a personal "Thank You Jennifer!" ...  I also "sat" under the instruction of a very talented and patient photographer, Mark Davis who goes by the business name of,   Mark Davis Photo and his studio is in Decatur.  Mark taught me about the business of Photography.  He also introduced me to the Studio world of Photography.  I had so hoped to be able to say a personal "Thank You Mark!"  Mark leaves his students in the end, with an "open door policy" so that we can have a future relationship as photographers and a network to help each other!  It is incredible!  I'm sorry that they did not get to come by so that I could let them know how much I appreciate the things that they taught me in the world of Photography, in order to improve my  skills! ...   

I concluded my "Exhibit" last Thursday with a Reception and many of you were able to attend.  During the week before I also had a chance to meet several friends and family to give you a personal tour!  That was a treat for me too! ...  Today I am posting pictures from the Reception that are including my immediate family and extended family that were able to be there that night.  They are each a very important part of my life and a very important part of my photography journey!

I couldn't do my life on this side of eternity without my better half!  (and I don't want to!)  God has blessed me with this partner in life.  And this particular night was no exception!  He helped me plan, set up, and we were there until late that night cleaning up, taking down and packing up!  And Craig does have a regular job by the way!  He has his hands full with me... Don't forget to pray for him too! :) ...  Thank you Craig for all you did and all you do for me and for our family!  I love you!!  Always have... Always will!! :) ... 

  

My youngest sister Deb (Thanks for coming!) and My very special Mom (Mary Boyd Bevis)... My Mom is probably my biggest Fan!  She met me on Day 1 to help me hang my pictures and probably would have stayed late to pack up if she hadn't of had passengers in her vehicle that night!  :) ... My other sister Shirley wasn't able to make it due to being in the hospital earlier in the week.  I missed her being there!  My brother Dan and his family also missed it, and I missed them too! ... 

This is my Uncle Dodo (Jim Weaver) and Aunt Gwen... two very special people.  Dodo is an artist himself who does fabulous Folk Art Paintings.  It meant so much to have them there.  My uncle is recovering from a major accident and has only recently gotten "on his feet" again.  It was major for them to be there with me to see my Gallery.  Thank you two for being a part of this Event with me ... :) ... 

This is my sweet Alex... he is my oldest son ... and his girlfriend Corrine, also a sweetheart.  I don't get to see these two near enough so I was so glad they got to come.  Alex made sure a couple of weeks before that he had the date in his phone!  He was ready to be there for me!! and He didn't really want me to show him any of my prints when they would come in the mail, because he wanted to be surprised when he came to see the Gallery complete.  Thanks you two for taking time out for me! ... :) ...    

This is my sweet Austin, who I am still lucky enough to have living under our same roof!  I am going to enjoy that as long as I can, because it passes by SO fast!! and he is growing up to be quite the young gentleman, I'm very proud of him.  On his arm is our adopted daughter... :) ... that would be our sweet Breana Lynn, Austin's girlfriend.  Breana's precious real Mom, Rita is standing next to her!  ... and Thank you Rita for being there too!  Breana gave up some Homecoming festivities of her own to be there with me! Thanks you three!  It meant so much! ... :) ...   

For so many of you that did not get to make it to the Gallery, I will be posting pictures later on my FaceBook Fan Page that will hopefully give you an idea of the Gallery.  I have also been asked by Calhoun Library to display 12-15 of my pictures from the Gallery in the new "Coffee Shop" that is located on the Decatur Campus, connected to the Library.  It is quite an honor to be asked to do that. I am in the process of working with the Head Librarian, Mrs. Beddow on the details.  They should be on display by the end of next week and will be available for purchase as well.

There are so many more to say "Thank You" to!  and if I began to name them I would surely leave someone out.  Just like I missed taking pictures of several guests that I had visiting my Gallery... It always happens when I go through my pictures after an Event and I begin to look through the pictures and I will think of people that I saw and I will notice who I "don't" have a picture of!  No matter how hard I try to capture every single second, it seems impossible. However, I always try harder the next time!  You can count on that!  So... my friends... Thank You again for caring about me and for encouraging me in what God has called me to do!  I am so excited about the days ahead!

   

Blessings to you... as I continue to "Stop moments in time" ...

Tina :)

http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/

~Photography Exhibit Continues this week... ~

My Photography Exhibit continues through Thursday this week... so I just wanted to send out a reminder of sorts as Week two begins tomorrow! ... :) ... I had a very exciting week last week as I checked on it on the days that I had classes to make sure that my pen was still attached to my "Guest Book" and I made a walk around the room to straighten each picture again... Of course I would glance at the Guest Book too, and read such sweet comments that were written.  God is blessing me so and answering specific prayers that I have prayed.  He is so Amazing!

I was also able to go this past Thursday with my very special friend, Mrs. Dot Brooks.  She is having an outpatient surgery tomorrow morning and will not be able to attend the reception on Thursday.  I was able to give her my "Guided Tour" a week early!  It meant so much to me that she wanted to be able to see it!  Mrs. Dot is very precious to me...

I will conclude my Gallery on Thursday, the 23rd  with a "Come & Go Reception" that will be from 3:00-7:00 p.m. ... I hope that you will be able to come so that I can thank each of you for your special support and encouragement!  Light Refreshments will be served. 

Thank you all!!

Stopping moments in time...

Tina :) ...

http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/

~Gallery Opening! It's a Big Day!~

The Journey that began at Shiloh in 1973 has brought me to Calhoun Community College this 13th Day of September 2010... and I arrived on campus around 6:42 a.m. this morning to hang one more picture, a few more caption cards, make a few more adjustments, walk around the room one more time and take one more deep breath.  Ready or not... today was the day that my "Photography Exhibit" opened for all to see... Some of you may be thinking, "Why is she making such a big deal out of this whole thing?" ... :) ...

 I came to Calhoun over two years ago at age 46, as a "hobby photographer" to obtain a "Photography Degree".  I have worked very hard incorporating not only my Photography classes but regular curriculum classes as well, because I did not finish college right out of High School.  I basically started from scratch!This is my last semester and I will finish my Photography/Associates degree, and the "Exhibit" is part of my Graduation requirement, I will be graded on this assignment.  I have placed my photography on display for an entire campus to see including instructors and peers as well as family and friends who I hope will attend.  Because I take SO MANY pictures it has been very hard to decide just which ones to include!  That has been one of my biggest challenges!  I still looked at it this morning wondering if I made the right decisions...  But... I have said... it is what it is!  and there are so many of them that I am so very proud to have hanging there!  Even though it is a bit awkward for me being on "Display"... 

     I began hanging the pictures on Thursday with the help of my wonderful Mom & my very wonderful, dear Husband, Craig!!  (Thank you both! because I couldn't have been on any of this journey without the two of you very special people in my life!  Also my two biggest fans and supporters!)  Then Craig met me on Friday afternoon to finish.  The "book" said "it will take longer than you think to hang your work" ... guess what?! It takes longer than you think to hang your work!!

This is just a small "sneek peak" of a wall and a half after I had completely finished on Friday afternoon at 6:30 p.m. and vacuumed! 

The Gallery will run from September 13th-23rd on the Decatur Campus in the Fine Arts Building ~ 2nd Floor

9:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. 

Monday-Friday

I will close my Exhibit on Thursday the 23rd with a "Come and Go" Reception that will be held from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Light Refreshments will be served.  You are all invited to attend!  If you can't come on this day I hope you will be able to drop by on another day and sign my Guest Book!  If you let me know that you're coming I will try & meet you there, so that I can tell you my "Stories" in person!

Thanks so much for your support! and for you prayers & encouragement along my way!

Stopping Moments in Time along my Photography Journey,

Tina :) ...

http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/

   

It was only a "Drill" but...

For this Photographer, the day was very real, and I took my job very seriously just like all of the other students and Medical staff did on this particular day:

"It was just a regular day for a bus load of students who had participated in a camping trip when suddenly they found themselves involved in a deadly crash..."  and so the scenario began ...  

This past Wednesday on the Campus of Calhoun Community College in Decatur, I had the awesome opportunity to participate in the "Mock Disaster Drill".  The Drill took place in front of the Health Sciences Building and the purpose was to benefit primarily the students in the Medical/Emergency program at Calhoun. As a photography student I had the opportunity to participate as a photo journalist.  I wiped away tears in between shots, and fought back more, keeping it together, telling myself of the job I was there to do.  I truly got caught up in the atmosphere, hearing the screams of the students, I was on the "scene" just as the sirens were turning the corner and the students were wandering aimlessly crying out for help.  (Wow, they did an awesome job...  I told them, they will be in the Fine Arts Dept next in Theater!) ...  I listened as one student tried to push her way past medical staff, crying out, to get back on the bus, to look for her cell phone, to call her parents... students devasted to learn of a friends injuries... "Is he dead...Is he dead???..." ... the problem was that "yes", some of the students were going to be "tagged" as "DECEASED" ... and I made the mistake of knowing who those were (I met them earlier...).  I found it impossible to take close-up shots of those "bodies" all I could think of was "What if their parent's saw this in the newspaper?" ...  My instructor later reminded me that I could be a "Forensic Photographer" and they needed that photo for evidence, and so I blew it! (of course I told him, I wasn't a Forensic Photographer! :) ... ) ...  but he was right, I should have taken the shot for evidence just the same.  It was just too hard for me at the time.  Then of course I thought of the student(actor).... by the way, not dead... who would like to have seen himself as the actor (sorry about that!) ...  One of them I did get a shot of "accidentally" .... 

It was a day of adventure... and a day of hands on learning, that I am really thankful for...and in the end... I believe if it did come right down to it, I think I could do it, I think I could cross over from "Mom" to "Photo Journalist", because capturing some of those images was an incredible experience that day ...

Capturing Hands On Experience,
Tina  :) ..
 http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/

  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Huntsville-AL/Tina- Wright-Photography/281608874156