ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY
AUGust 3 - 24, 2025
Tonika lewis johnson
Making the Whole Artist
Expand beyond your images and learn to create an impactful, multi-dimensional photography project that incorporates supporting mediums, such as written words, historical archive, sound, object and video.
Tuition: $385
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Join celebrated social justice artist, and Gordon Parks fellow, Tonika Johnson for a photography workshop like no other! Expand beyond the photographic image and evolve your photographic works into multi-dimensional art pieces that manifest action, conversation and positive change.
In Making of the Whole Artist: Thinking Beyond the Picture, students will learn to elevate the impact of their photography projects by incorporating supporting mediums; written words, historical archive, sound, object, video, etc. In a world where there is much to analyze and reflect upon, it is imperative to extend beyond the confines of photography and add further context and meaning to your photographic projects.
Now that everyone has a camera in their pocket, photographers are being asked to do more to rise above the noise and get their work noticed. The camera is a powerful vehicle to call attention to important issues facing society but it shouldn't be the only tool in a photographer's toolkit. Tonika will share her own photographic journey of using photography as her primary medium but using supporting elements and artist collaborations to further the reach and impact of her art.
SESSION 1 (AUGUST 3RD, 2PM ET)
• Teacher introduction - Tonika will share her artist journey, existing works and her methods for project expansion and distribution for maximum impact. She will include examples of other photography focused, multimedia projects that have inspired her.
• Class introductions - Students will share 5 of their favorite images they've made in the past to give an idea of their style and focus
• Lecture - How to ideate, create and expand upon a photography project using supporting mediums.
• Brainstorming writing exercise (5 minutes) - Prompt: What am I passionate about or interested in? What skills do I have and what skills do I want to improve upon/learn? Where do those elements intersect?
Assignments:
Each student will come up with a concept for a multi-dimensional photography project. Students will be asked to write a 1-3 paragraph artist statement, shoot 3-5 images for the project and brainstorm what supporting elements they will use to expand and evolve the work. Students will present their concept, imagery and ideas for expansion to the class in session two.
SESSION 2 (AUGUST 10TH, 2PM ET)
• Group critique - Students will present their work in progress artist statement, up to 5 images from their photography project and their ideas for expanding into other mediums. Tonika and fellow students will provide feedback on ways to strengthen their concept and execution.
Assignment:
Students will continue building out their projects using the feedback provided. Students will create up to 5 additional images and up to 2 supporting non-photography elements to enrich the project. In addition, students will brainstorm a list of potential collaborators, supporters, promoters of this work - media outlets, organizations, funders, locations to display and any potential groups/orgs/people who could benefit from seeing and/or being a collaborator/partner of this project.
SESSION 3: One-on-ones (AUGUST 17TH)
• Tonika will meet with students individually for up to 15 minutes. Students will sign up for time slots. In these sessions, students will share their WIP projects, including their supporting elements. Tonika will provide feedback and ideas for improvement and expansion.
Assignment:
Students will work on finalizing their projects to present in session 4. Students will also be tasked with brainstorming specific ideas for distribution to expand their audience reach and impact.
SESSION 4 (AUGUST 25TH, 2PM ET)
Students will present their full project including their artist statement, up to 15 images and supporting medium(s). In addition, students will detail their methods and plan for getting their project out into the world. Tonika and the class will provide final feedback for additional improvements and expansion.
SCHEDULE
Class will meet at 2pm ET on Sunday August 3rd, 10th and 24th. Each session will run roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on lecture, discussion and critique times. Students will schedule a 15-minute one-on-one with Tonika on Sunday, August 17th. Time slots for one-on-ones are first come, first serve and will be booked via Google Drive link.
WORKSHOP SPECIFICS
Skill level
This workshop is designed for photographers of all skill levels who are interested in creating and/or finishing a multi-dimensional art project (with photography as the primary focus). Sessions will be hosted on Zoom. Once you have completed registration we will send you your Zoom login information for the course. You do not need to download Zoom to participate on a desktop or laptop computer. You do need to download the Zoom app if accessing from a phone or tablet.
HOURS
Sessions will be hosted on Zoom on . Sessions will start at 2:00pm ET and will run roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on lecture, discussion and critique times.
CLASS SIZE
A maximum of 14 students, and a minimum of 6*
*The workshop will be cancelled if minimum enrollment is not met within 7 days of the workshop start. If cancelled, a full refund will be issued to all registered students.
TUITION
$385 per person (+$15 processing fee)
SIGN ME UP!
Click the pink registration button to pay your tuition via credit card or Paypal. You will receive an email with your Zoom login several days before the workshop.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
TONIKA Lewis
johnson
Tonika Johnson is a social justice artist, photographer and life-long resident of Chicago’s South Side neighborhood of Englewood. She is also co-founder of two community-based organizations, Englewood Arts Collective and Resident Association of Greater Englewood, that seek to reframe the narrative of South Side communities and mobilize people and resources for positive change.
Within her artistic practice, Tonika often explores urban segregation and documents the nuance and richness of the black community, countering pervasive media depictions of Chicago’s violence and crime. As a trained photojournalist and former teaching artist, she has been engaged in building an artistic legacy that has gained citywide recognition in the last four years. In 2017, she was recognized by Chicago Magazine as a Chicagoan of the Year for her photography of Englewood's everyday beauty. Her Englewood-based photography projects "From the INside," and "Everyday Rituals," were exhibited at Rootwork Gallery in Pilsen, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Harold Washington Library Center and at Loyola University's Museum of Art (LUMA).
Her Folded Map project, visually investigates disparities among Chicago residents who are “map twins” living on opposite ends of streets that span the city’s racial and economic divides, and brings them together to have a conversation, was also exhibited at LUMA in 2018. Now, an excerpt of the project is currently on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art as part of The Long Dream exhibition. Since 2018, Tonika has transformed Folded Map into an advocacy and policy-influencing tool that invites audiences to open a dialogue and question how we are all socially impacted by racial and institutional conditions that segregate the city.
In 2019, she was named one of Field Foundation’s Leaders for a New Chicago and was appointed as a member of the Cultural Advisory Council of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events by the Chicago City Council. In 2020, Tonika formalized Folded Map project into a non-profit organization where she serves as Creative Executive Officer. Most recently, she was selected to be the National Public Housing Museum's 2021 Artist as Instigator to work on her next project "Inequity for Sale," highlighting the living history of Greater Englewood homes sold on Land Sale Contracts in the 50's and 60's.
