Technology/Equipment Grant

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$688
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Alexa Carson
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
November 2017
End Date
January 2018
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
St. Louis
St. Louis
Project Overview

Technology/Equipment Grant

Project Details

Zoom lens for my camera

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Moira Villiard: visual artist, Cultural Programming Coordinator at American Indian Community Housing Organization; Jeanne Doty: Retired Associate Professor UMD Music, pianist; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Margaret Holmes: visual artist, poet, and former Children's Theatre employee; Tammy Mattonen: visual artists, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kayla Schubert: Native American craft artist, writer, employee at MacRostie Art Center.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Margaret Holmes: visual artist, poet, and former Children's Theatre employee; Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; Jon Brophy: lighting and costume designer; Ryuta Nakajima: professor of fine art at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, visual artist; Amy Varsek: Education Director at Duluth Art Institute, visual artist.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2017 Regular Session, chapter 91, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education

2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$688
Other Funds Leveraged
$811
Direct expenses
$1,499
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The goal of purchasing the telephoto zoom lens for my camera is to be able to take my own, quality reference photos of my subject matter, wildlife. Since my work focuses on the details and physiological accuracy of many species, this would make me more independent, quicker, allow more creativity, give me more ownership of my work, and provide better accuracy. It would allow me to better explore the long-term goal of doing children's illustration. Switching from photos from friends and found in public domain databases (often after hours of searching), to my own, high quality, zoomed in images, would revolutionize the way I am able to work. I will look at how many paintings I am using my own reference for, and how often I have to look for outside reference images. I will compare my output time to before I had the lens. Taking ownership of my process from beginning to end, adding authenticity doesn't need to be measured it just is. I can look at how many projects and paintings I had previously put on hold or couldn't accomplish would be feasible.

Measurable Outcome(s)

The main measurable outcome is being able to take and use my own photos as reference material for my paintings, instead having to find and use someone else's images. The effects of this include shortening the length of time for each painting by eliminating the step of searching for appropriate reference images and allowing me more creativity (with the ability to take the photos I need for what I envision). I am able to create paintings that would have been very difficult or impossible before. The authenticity of me having ownership of the entire process, beginning to end, may not be measurable, but is equally important.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes.
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Alexa
Last Name
Carson
Organization Name
Alexa Carson
State
MN
Phone
(614) 592-8233
Email
alexa@alexacarson.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

424 West Superior Street, Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802

Phone
Project Manager: Rebecca Graves
218-722-0952
Email the Agency