Orin

Orin Rutchick and his wife Abby are foundations to the Minneapolis' arts community. He is a graduate of Minneapolis College of Art & Design and has 35 years of experience as a photographer, graphic designer and art director. He is a 2006 recipient of the McKnight Photographic Fellowship Award and continues to explore people oriented documentary projects. Orin and Abby founded the Mpls Photo Center in September of 2008 with a vision to be the place, for photographers to meet, socialize, learn, grow, create and exhibit. Orin has asked me to join the board of directors of the MPC and I jumped at the opportunity.

A very big focus of the MPC is its PATCKids Program which was formed with one simple goal: to inspire the next generation of photographers. PATCKids do this by engaging disadvantaged youth ages 10-18 through free educational programming.

PATCKids fosters relationships with schools and community organizations by offering innovative educational programming. We increase access to photographic arts programming for underserved youth populations, including the African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Hmong and American Indian communities through culturally targeted programs. Perhaps most importantly, PATCKids offers opportunities for young people to discover photography as a visual art and means of creative self-expression.

Next month the MPC will be hosting a five week Vivian Maier Exhibit which was curated by Orin. The exhibition showcases master prints of Vivian Maier's images from the Jeffrey Goldstein Collection. The documentary of Vivian's life will also be exhibited. For Minnesota-centric blippers, here is a link to the exhibit information:

Vivian at the MPC.

Orin has become a very dear friend of mine though we have known each other for less than one year. He is "that kind of man."

For some reason this image only seems to be accurately displayed in large.