Tuesday, May 12 | Transfer Pizzeria Café 101 W. Mitchell Street
5:30 | Schmooze and Photo Feedback
6:30 | Announcements
6:40 | Feature presentation: Larry Oliverson
Lawrence W. Oliverson
Lawrence W. Oliverson has worked solely as a fine art photographer since 1979. He began his career as a black & white purist and studied with Ansel Adams, Michael Kenna, and others. Eventually he transitioned to color photography. After decades of working with a large format 4” x 5” view camera and film, he now uses and embraces digital photography. His bodies of work include the natural landscape, the nude, abstractions, architecture, and street photography. Despite the different content of these bodies of work, there are some common threads that unite his vision. Two of these threads are a minimalist approach and a focus on small sections of a scene. Similar to his large format work with film, his digital imagery is primarily created in camera with very little post processing. Many of his photographs transcend the original subject matter evoking a personal interpretation of the image by the viewer. The familiar often becomes uncertain.
In his presentation, Oliverson will focus on his creative process, his use of previsualization, and how he distills an otherwise ordinary scene into a visually, emotionally, or intellectually stimulating image or abstraction. He will encourage audience interaction and will be available to answer any questions, including business questions on making a living as a photographic artist.
Biography – 2026
Larry Oliverson has been an artist and arts advocate for over four decades. As a fine art photographer, he has exhibited at museums, galleries, most major art festivals in the United States and has also exhibited in Japan and Mexico. He has worked internationally with artists and arts organizations in Cuba, China, and Japan. At the Milwaukee Art Museum, Oliverson has served on the Exhibition Committee, on the board of Trustees, as President of the Friends of Art, and as co-chair of the Lakefront Festival of Art. He also served as President of the National Association of Independent Artists, organized and presided over numerous art festival director conferences, and was instrumental in the development of ZAPP®, the leading on-line application system used by art events nationwide. He also has served as juror and judge for art events throughout the country and his work is included in numerous public, private, and corporate collections.
All photos copyright © Lawrence W. Oliverson
Schmooze and Photo Reviews
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., we will continue to host photo reviews in small groups. Anyone who wishes to participate is encouraged to bring three to five photos to share and discuss. Tablets or laptops are best but prints work too. Join when you arrive, the earlier the better, and enjoy some food and drink at the same time!
