Lake Menomin Summer Institute
Three-day workshops, July 20-22, 2009
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
The Short Story
Edward McPherson
We will examine the short story by way reading, writing, and discussing stories written by outside authors and each other. There will be a strong in-class writing component to the workshop and all participants will be asked to bring copies of a short work of their own fiction on the first day. These works will be read and discussed by everyone in the class in a supportive and enriching
environment. This should not be intimidating—we will be reading not as judges, but as earnest, eager questioners!
Edward McPherson recently moved to Minneapolis from New York City, where he was a writer and editor. He is the author of two nonfiction books: Buster Keaton: Tempest in a Flat Hat and The Backwash Squeeze and Other Improbable Feats. He has written for the New York Times Magazine, the New York Observer, I.D., Esopus, Absolute, Salon, and Talk, among others.
Stone Carving (Cancelled - another Stone Carving opportunity is available here)
Julie Dierauer
This workshop in stone carving techniques provides basic instruction of carving in free form, representational and decorative. Dunnville sandstone used on the Mabel Tainter Memorial Theatre Building will be provided. Students will create smaller sized carvings using mallet, chisel, files, and sandpaper.
Julie Dierauer is the resident stone sculptor from Dunnville Cutstone Company, an instructor in the art and design department at UW-Stout, and at UW-Marshfield/Wood County. She has a BS-Art Education from UW-Stout and a MA-Art from UW-Milwaukee. Her influences are Inuit carving and African carving.
Wood Carving
David Myers
This workshop in wood carving techniques provides basic instruction with a Scandinavian-style influence. Students will carve pieces from Northern Basswood and hand paint them with acrylics. Time will also be spent learning proper tool handling and safe carving practices. 
David Myers has been teaching wood carving for the past year at both the beginner and intermediate levels. He has been wood carving for 10 years and has a passion for the art. He focuses on the design of the project and the simplistic style of the Scandinavian influences.
Writing Fiction Using Fairy Tales,
Folk Tales, Myths and Legends
Laura Owen
When approaching fiction writing, emerging writers can find themselves overwhelmed by the pressure to create an entirely original plot. This class suggests that a useful source of material is the fairy tales, folk tales, myths, and legends that we all know. By retelling familiar stories, beginning writers can start to explore plot,
structure, conflict, character development, as well as their own voices as writers, within an established template.
Laura Owen was born in England, grew up in Arizona, and came to Minnesota for school. She has a B.A. in English and Theater from Carleton College and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Fiction Concentration) from the University of Minnesota, where she taught literature, creative writing, and composition. She is recipient of the University of Minnesota’s Gesell Award for Fiction and a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Landscape and Nature Photography
Julie Bower and Pete Schlosser
Explore landscape and nature photography with the use of digital, creative and alternative photographic techniques. Learn basic digital imaging, scanography and pinhole photography with an emphasis on photographic exposure, natural lighting, and composition. Discover your creativity while you
capture “nature's garden” and learn creative and alternative photographic processes. This workshop will be team taught by Julie and Pete.
Julie Bower is a freelance photographer and artist with a spirit of adventure and a creative nature. She specializes in outdoor, nature photography. She teaches Exploring Photography at UW-Stout.
Pete Schlosser has 28 years experience as a professional photographer, in still, video, and digital. He is also an experienced outdoorsman and nature photographer. He teaches photography at the UW-Stout.