Meet our Artists
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Mike Hazard | Visual Arts
Mike Hazard | Visual Arts
Nicknamed Media Mike, Mike Hazard teaches people of all ages how to make videos and photos. A poet, photographer and video artist, he writes, films, produces and directs videos and still photography.
Art is about seeing things, and the camera is a great way to see the world. Nine of his films have enjoyed national releases on public media. His documentary on the late Eugene McCarthy was awarded the D. L. Mabery prize, Minnesota’s Oscar.
His portrait of the artist Charles Beck won a national competition for short films. See it here.
A Bush Artist Fellow, his art is collected and shown in museums all over the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. To learn more, visit Mike’s website.
Learn more about Media Mike in his November 2015 Artist Spotlight Interview.
“I would book Mike again and also suggest him to a colleague. He was insightful and wise. He brought a new point of view to our students that challenged them to think differently. Mike also got students to try new things.”
“When I heard that our school was hosting Media Mike as our artist in residence, I was unsure of what to expect. Much to my surprise, our focus on masks transcended the media arts portion of our time together. My students independently dove into his teaching with life jackets off! They were eager to run cameras, perform and discuss their learning on and off camera. Our time together was a highlight of our year!”
Sample Programs: Customizable To Site’s Needs
Virtual and Remote Programs
Virtual Residency: Telling Stories with Smartphones
A smartphone can be a storyteller. In this virtual residency, we can focus on still images and/or film to explore aspects of cellphones as camera and editor. We use Zoom to present, teach, share, and dialog. We consider all aspects of the image and story. We focus on truth, beauty, and respect for people. Technical and aesthetic aspects are covered. We use social media to share student work, where appropriate. Each residency is specially designed to complement themes and prompts which sync with ongoing class subjects.
Virtual Workshop: Introduction to Camera Work - Documentary to Art
The artist presents a lively variety of photographs, still images, videos, movie clips made by a diverse selection of artists from throughout the world. The workshop develops critical thinking and visual literacy. The length of the workshop can vary from one hour to many, depending upon the time available. The artist designs the programming based on mutual planning.
Virtual Presentation: A Short History of Human Media
In one hour, the artist gives an entertaining short history of human communications media, from oral storytelling to video and social media. The Zoom medium is the message. The artist uses an array of images and video clips to tell the story. The examples are chosen to be age-appropriate and audience relevant.
Residencies
Photo/Poetry/Media Arts
PICTURE STORIES
Using still cameras and computers, we photograph and write to the pictures. Themes might be places or people. The residency then becomes a way to explore and celebrate the community.
We study the special language of the camera arts and visual literacy as well as explore the creative possibilities of the technology. The writing part can be focused on poetry or broadened to include brief stories. The goal is to create expressive combinations of images and words in ways that illumine each art form.
Every residency is adapted to your school's students and teachers, curriculum and equipment inventory. We always share our work, through many forms of community expression from social networking sites to school exhibitions and websites.
The Art of Making Photographs
We learn how to use cameras creatively and safely, how to look at pictures, what makes strong compositions, how to collaborate with subjects to make good pictures, and more. A residency can use all kinds of cameras—dsl, point and shoot, iPads, tablets, cell phones, and more. In addition, COMPAS can provide cameras for technical support when needed. Where appropriate, we share the work with social media.
The Art of Making Video
Making creative video involves teamwork, inquiry, writing, speaking, dance, drama, visual art and poetry skills. Mike teaches the technical knowledge needed for production and the vocabulary of moving image creation. All students work in front of and behind the camera to produce a video montage of many short pieces. The whole is connected by a common theme such as animals, masks or a theme that suits the school’s needs. Designed by the artist using a unique in-camera editing technique, we make beautiful videos without the usual labor-intensive edit process.
Video Making: The Art of Seeing (Artful Aging)
Art is about seeing things, and the camera is a great way to see the world. We make a video using in-camera editing techniques based on a theme that everyone explores together. I introduce what I call the three circles of respect: respect for the technology, the world we are filming and for ourselves. When these three circles are in sync, magic happens. When our time is up, we share the work and reflect on the experience.
Video/Media Arts
I love to teach the media arts the way I learned—hands-on, learning by doing, making real art for live audiences. No one is too young or too old to make videos. If you can push a button, you can make awesome movies. Designed by the artist with a unique in-camera editing technique, we make beautiful videos without the usual labor-intensive edit process. It is all about seeing.
We study the special language of the media arts and media literacy as well as explore the creative possibilities of the technology. Every residency is adapted to your school's students and teachers, curriculum and equipment inventory. If a computer lab is available, we can extend the residency to teach and engage editing skills. Where necessary, the artist can provide all the gear needed for a creative studio. We always share our work, through all forms of community expression from social networking sites to cablecasts.
Workshop
The Art of Media Literacy
Explore “the media”. Learn how to use the media, but also how we are used by the media. Look at samples of different kinds of programs, from commercials to video art to documentaries. Analyze their form and content. Longer workshops include making simple videos using sounds and pictures to model the effects that TV can create.
