After a long productive career as a writer and Montessori teacher, Melinda Rose returned to college and graduated (summa cum laude ‘03) from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts/Photography. Her innovative approach using the image as a tool for healing has been used on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and more recently in Louisiana’s Bayou communities impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Along with her documentary travels, Melinda lectures and conducts workshops for community groups and students of all ages. Her documentary work is shown in galleries and other venues throughout the United States.
Solo Shows
BAYOU TERREBONNE WATERLIFE MUSEUM GALLERY Houma, LA “Of Hurricanes and Healing” 30 B&W photographs combined with student art work 9/24/06 – 10/24/06 (Show will travel throughout South Louisiana in ‘07)
BANANA FACTORY ART CENTER Bethlehem PA “Sacred Nation: Lakota Stories for Our Time” (26 color and B&W photographs) 6/2/06 – 7/16/06
MAX CREMA’S ESPRESSO BAR Fleetwood, PA “Sacred Nation: Lakota Stories for Our Time” (26 color and B&W photographs) 4/1/06 – 5/1/06
KUTZTOWN AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Kutztown, PA “In Their Element: Portrait of a Pennsylvania Community” (sixteen 20×20 color portraits) 10/20/01
Selected Juried Shows
2006
PHOTO MEDIA CENTER Erie, PA www.photomediacenter.org “Gone” Series: Isle de Jean Charles, The Life and Times of a Vanishing Place 8/01/06 – 9/01/06
2005
GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART Augusta, GA 9/16/05 – 10/21/05 “Alien Politics”
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA Fall 2005, “Family Honoring Lost Loved Ones”, “Averia Red Cloud, Great ×4 Granddaughter of Chief Red Cloud” “Talking Fish” www.psa-photo.org
2004
NATIONAL WOMEN’S SHOW Washington Gallery of Photography, Bethesda, MD 3/12/04 – 4/12/04 “Badlands Secretary”, “Badlands Posers” Series: Healing on the Line
2003
NATIONAL JURIED GALLERY SHOW, Washington Gallery of Photography, Bethesda MD, 10/10/03 – 11/10/03 “Ringside Boys II”, Facing Allentown series
13th ANNUAL NEW IMAGES EXHIBITION A juried photo competition for the Mid-Atlantic states. New Image Gallery, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, 9/15/03 – 10/21/03, “Ringside Boys I”, Facing Allentown Series, Juror: Art critic for Newsweek, contributing editor, ‘Artform’, Peter Plagens.
2002
ABINGTON ART CENTER Jenkintown, PA, 2/9/02 – 3/2702, “Facing Allentown” One of six PA photographers selected by curator of Philadelphia Art Museum. Nine 5×7 B&W images depicting everyday activities of inner-city Allentown children.
2001
CALL AND RESPONSE: A SHRINE FOR HEALING 9/17/01 – 10/10/01 Kutztown University’s Sharadin Art Gallery, International exhibit responding to September 11th. “Healing Garden”, Interactive installation with sequential images.
MARCO’S DINER “Gordon Street, Allentown, PA” 8/18/01 Reception for six young photographers. (The kids’ photos hang permanently on the diner’s wall)
OPEN SPACE GALLERY Allentown, PA “Portraiture” 4/4/01 – 4/26/01 Nine Polaroids, Retro-Renaissance and Picnic series.
News Articles and Reviews
“On a Mission: Lehigh Photographic artist documents the plight of the Lakota”, Reading Eagle & Reading Times, Reading, PA, Sunday, 4/16/06, Entertainment.
“Two Storms, Two Schools and an Artist from Far Away” Houma Courier, Houma LA, 10/22/05
“Photo Exhibit Shows Life Beyond Blight”, The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, 12/6/03, p. B-3
“Photographs Focus on Diner as Seen Through Children’s Eyes”, The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, 8/18/01, p. A-43
Publications
The Photo Review, An international quarterly review/summer-2001 issue, “Ringside Boys I” Series: Facing Allentown Juror: Kathy Ryan, photo editor, New York Times Magazine
Presentations
RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA (April 24, 2001). Two 20 minute slide presentations: FACING ALLENTOWN, (photo project teaching Latino children to use cameras) and RETRO-RENAISSANCE, (project bringing 16th Century light to Polaroids.
SOCIETY FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC EDUCATION, (Mid-Atlantic Region) Philadelphia, PA (Oct 20 – Dec 1, 2000). One of two students accepted to present a slide show. Series: “Facing Allentown”. Conference theme: “Pleasures and Terrors of the City”.
THE ART OF HEALING Three-day conference, Kutztown University of PA (Nov 11 – 13, 2005). Slide presentation “Healing on the Line”
BERKS PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Reading, PA. Slide Presentation: “Sacred Nation: Native Stories for our Times” 4/17/06
Internships, Field Studies
“FACING DURHAM” (Summer ‘03 Field Study) Designed, taught photography course and produced short video at John Avery Boys and Girls Club, Durham, NC. Project advisors: Dr. Charles Thompson, Center for Documentary Studies, Professor Georgia Chamley, Art History Dept, Kutztown, University. (CD of short video available on request)
Educational Projects
OF HURRICANES AND HEALING Houma, LA. Month-long healing art project, reaching over 1000 students from Grand Caillou Elementary and Middle School. 10/05
LIFE GRID COLLABORATIVE Middle-school students from Melinda’s PA after-school program exchange mixed-media art projects with LA students from Grand Caillou Middle School. Students will receive a solo show at the Banana Factory, Bethlehem, PA (11/06 – 1/07)
ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM Allentown, PA “Family Fun and Photography” Designed and taught all-day photography workshop for families. 5/03
PHOTOKIDS.ORG Designed website, bringing children of different cultures and regions together through photography.
Grants, Scholarships, Awards
ILFORD CORPORATION Product grant awarded 5/03, one of three photographers selected nationwide for corporations annual grant. Project: PhotoKids, Pine Ridge SD
WAL-MART Grant awarded 6/03. Project: PhotoKids, Pine Ridge, SD
UNITED WAY, (Greater Lehigh Valley) Grant awarded 6/03 Project: PhotoKids, Allentown.
PUFFIN FOUNDATION Teaneck, NJ, 4/02 Field Study “Facing Durham” “Facing the Rez”
Contract Work
THE HERITAGE CENTER Pine Ridge, SD. More than 100 pieces of Lakota quill work photographed for archives. 9/03 – 10/03
RED CLOUD INDIAN SCHOOL Pine Ridge, SD. 12 stained Glass church windows, Lakota Stations of the Cross and promotional work.
ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM museum activities associated with Renaissance Festival ‘03
(References available on request)