Justin Germain

monOrchid

Art Director/ Curator

the monOrchid is jumping on the viral video bandwagon!  We will be taping our version of the Harlem Shake in the main gallery at 8pm.  Invite your friends, come out and visit the space and view the exhibition 25 Years Downtown and bring your craziness for the video!  If you aren’t familiar, educate yourself!  Search “Harlem Shake” at www.youtube.com and get an idea for your character.  Hope to see you there!

Great article by  Clarissa Cooper in the Downtown Devil

“Wayne was the person that was willing to put his money where his mouth was and invest in downtown,”

see the full article here- Downtown Devil

Mr. Germain is an Arizona native, hailing from Sierra Vista on the border south of Tucson, and moved to the valley 13 years ago to pursue his education in Art History.  He now holds a Master of Arts in Art History and a Master of Public Administration, two fields that developed not only his aesthetic sense but also a love for community engagement and exploring the crossover between art and society.  Justin comes to the monOrchid with over 10 years in gallery management and curatorial experience with organizations in the Phoenix area.

“I have always been disturbed by the comments that Phoenix has no cultural activity and I strive to explore and share the rich and diverse culture that the valley offers to its residents and visitors.  I am thrilled to work with monOrchid because the space embodies the ideals of promoting our local flavor, developing awareness and interest in the arts, and serving as a magnet for urban redevelopment.”

“My taste and aesthetic are broad; as a curator I am open to exploring any style, any form, and issue, and any ism.  I take much of my inspiration from Alfred Barr, the first director of the Museum of Modern Art, NY, who was the subject of my M.A. thesis.  Barr described artists as the sensitive antenna of society whose products are the result of the surroundings they inhabit.  We, as art professionals—curators, critics, gallerists—serve as disc jockeys for the radio station of culture to entertain, educate, and provide insight to the public.  This is why I chose to curate and write for all visitors, I prefer to describe and explain art in plain language so that it is accessible to anyone.”

“I look forward to working and collaborating in a creative environment focused on generating a buzz for downtown.  I think we are going to develop some amazing programs and opportunities and hopefully, inspire other arts businesses to follow along!”

“I’m Courtney Sargent, owner and photographer of Courtney Sargent Photography.  I shoot weddings and portraits in Arizona and beyond.  I am a modern wedding photojournalist and my goal is to capture the story of my client’s day through candid, emotional moments and artistic portraits.  I want my clients to be able to re-live the emotions of their wedding day each time they look back at their photos.  It’s also important to me that my clients have creative artistic images worthy of hanging above their mantel.  I love capturing those in between moments, experimenting with light and interacting with my incredible clients.  I have a very straightforward and simple approach to my wedding packages and like to make the wedding process as easy as possible for my clients.  Therefore, we tend to have lots of fun together!

I’m a second generation Phoenician and LOVE downtown & uptown Phoenix.  I feel most comfortable with a camera in my hand.  I like to think of myself as a free spirited explorer, or maybe that’s what my family & friends would call me.  I’m very laid back and my main goal is to enjoy life.  I drink a lot of coffee, am a beer snob, eat a lot of burritos, love to cook and spend too much money at vintage shops.   I have a growing camera collection filling my shelves due to my thrift store addiction, some of which work and some which I just enjoy tinkering with.  I love to travel, see new places and meet new people.

I’m really excited to be working out of monOrchid and to be a part of the downtown community.  We have an amazing group of creatives who are experimenting, sharing new ideas and building up our young city.  Living in a city that is so young means we all have the chance to contribute and make Phoenix an incredible place.  It’s great to be surrounded by other small business owners who are focused on local endeavors.”

Courtney Sargent

www.courtneysargent.com

Stephen Gittins, Photographer and Founder of Capture 12, is working on achieving the “American Dream.” A Wales, U.K. native, Gittins moved to Arizona in 2008 to advance his studies in photography, obtaining a Masters of Fine Arts degree from ASU in 2011. Since then, he has been teaching photography courses for the Maricopa Community College network. He began to look for the perfect space to start his own business – a photography classroom and studio- to expand upon his life’s work as a documentary photographer and bring the joy of photography education outside of a traditional classroom setting.
“When I walked into the monOrchid in downtown Phoenix, I knew it was the perfect place for my vision.” says Gittins. “All of the right pieces were there – a classroom space within an art gallery on Roosevelt Row, a building with fantastic architectural details, a group of creative people to collaborate with and close proximity to public transportation. My goal is to help people fall in love with the art of photography by teaching them in a relaxed and encouraging environment. I’m excited to be living my American dream!”
Class sizes are limited to no more than eight students to allow for plenty of one on one instruction and are extended to all experience levels – from beginner to advanced – sixteen years and older. Class offerings include 4-week sessions, half day workshops, and “bite-sized” lunchtime classes. All photography classes will include art walks and photo excursions around downtown Phoenix, as well as ample time to explore and photograph the 14,000 square foot monOrchid warehouse which was built in 1937.
Current available classes include: Point and Shoot, Digital SLR and Smart Phone Photography.
As an active photography studio, Capture12 also offers specialized imaging services such as event photography, image restoration, analogue to digital conversion, headshots, scanning and color correction.

For more information on Capture 12, please visit  www.capture12.com

Champion PR + Consulting