Post-Processing

Up next is Hannah Höch, a German artist who rose to prominence in the fragile time between World War I and World War II. Watching people at the beach stand behind cardboard cut-outs, she had the brilliant idea to do the same with photos. Thus was the invention of photomontage. The only woman in the Berlin Dada movement, she eventually left, because her androgyny, bisexuality, and complete independence was too forward for even her avant-garde community members. Listen in as Amy and Chris discuss this pioneer and talk about how Hannah teaches us to live in a way where we’re always open to ideas, deconstruct what’s been handed to us to reconstruct either a mirror or new reality, and ultimately not care about the labels that put us into imaginary boxes. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram and Substack @itsamyliz.

Welcome to another episode of Brainstorm Buddies where Amy and her Marco Polo brainstorm buddy Cami Turpin bring their private conversations out into the public. This episode is all about finding the space to create. Whether you’re struggling with finding physical space, carving out time, or mustering the energy to create, listen in as Cami and Amy talk about these totally normal struggles and give you tools to get back on track! Cami Turpin is a fine art photographer living, teaching, and making art from her home state of Utah, USA. Learn from Cami by registering for her paradigm-shifting course The Process Is The Point with Illuminate Classes. Find Cami (and ooh and aah over her work) on Instagram or at her website. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry; registration for fall semester is open NOW! Registration opens on August 26 for Amy’s workshop Self-Portraits For Growth (a class about so much more than self-portraits) and her new Cyanotypes: Blue & Beyond workshop. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

This month we take on the Great Richard Avedon, the man who redefined fashion photography and portraiture. He added movement and dynamism to pictures we previously expected to be static. He captured unexpected emotions from celebrities and politicians we’re only used to seeing with their metaphorical masks on. He pulled out vulnerability, playfulness, and the inner lives of his subjects. But ultimately he was telling his own story through the images of others all along. Listen in as Amy and Chris discuss this Master and talk about how Richard teaches us to refine down to our most poignant images, the power of minimalism, and that juxtaposition is our most potent tool for creating art. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram and Substack @itsamyliz.

There is so much about Faith Ringgold to fall in love with. Not only might you adore her oil and acrylic paintings, soft sculptures, prints, performances, or her story quilts, but you’re also bound to be inspired by her determination, persistence, and drive to empower the marginalized. Her life was spent not only creating art, but creating change. She recognized the doors opened by the Black women who came before her, and did her part to carry on the legacy. Faith reminds us that art isn’t something we become, it’s something we simply do, and that when the world tells us “no” we must have the foresight and tenacity to double down. Come for the information, and leave with a heightened awareness of your inner-strength and capabilities. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to be endlessly creative while you’re just hoping for the tiniest spark of inspiration? No need to sit around waiting for a divine encounter with an ancient Muse, you can take steps today to unlock your creativity. In fact, the secret to being more creative is to let your subconscious do the work. Let inspiration strike while you’re busy doing other things. In today’s episode, Amy and Chris will walk you through how to tap into the powers of your mind to do the hard work for you, talk about why brute forcing your way though often fails, and give you a peek into the wisdom they often give their students. The tenets in this episode are truly foundational to anyone living a life of creativity (which is YOU!) Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

This episode is out to solve a mystery: who really is Jim Goldberg? For someone currently alive who gives plenty of interviews and publishes memoir-style photo books, we still can’t shake the feeling that we are kept at an arm’s length from really understanding Jim. Join us as we chat about Jim Goldberg, the Magnum photographer who engages in “total documentation” of his subjects. His use of collage, writings, ephemera, and even videos is all in an effort to make sure his subjects are fully seen. Listen in and weigh in. Maybe you’ll be the one to figure out the missing piece. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

The 60s ushered in a pursuit of heightened awareness. Not only was there a rise in the consumption of psychedelics, but the study of phenomenology advanced due to our curiosity about lived experiences shaping the individual’s view of the world. Scientists were developing technologies for mapping brain activity and tracking the various ways people process visual stimuli. We recognized our own perception of the world as our personal reality, and that there are as many realities as people to experience them. Enter Op Art. And enter Bridget Riley. But instead of fading away trend being taken away by the ever-changing tides, Bridget’s work endures. The experience of her work is as potent and pertinent as ever. Listen as Amy and Chris chat about Bridget, her work, and tackle the age-old question: if art falls in the forest and no one is around to experience it, does it emit a feeling? Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Anna Atkins might be becoming more of a known quantity, but it took concerted effort by some of her superfans after many years in obscurity to put her in the spotlight. We don’t know much about her personal life, but we do know one important detail: she is the first person to create a photography book EVER. (Kind of a big deal.) But for her, it was simply a way to share her passion of illustrating the natural world and give aid to books that were text heavy. Tune in as Chris and Amy talk about Anna Atkins, the dilemma of capturing what we see with our eyes, why being generous with our knowledge matters for advances, how science and art work in tandem, and BONUS: learn one simple trick to impress strangers when they ask you to take their picture. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

What does the ebb and flow of artistry look like in the real world? How do you know it’s time to return to the things you set down? How do you get back to the love of creating? Join as Amy talks about this and more with lifestyle photographer Summer Murdock. They tackle turning the camera on themselves, how to live as an “awe collector”, giving ourselves the gift of joyfully experiencing the world, and removing blocks for personal projects to flow. Summer Murdock is a lifestyle photographer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the founder and co-owner of Illuminate Classes, and teacher of The Magic of Light and the NEW Magic of Motion. Find her website, Instagram, and Illuminate Classes. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

This month in The Art Lab, we study the man, the myth, the legend: David Bowie. Tbh it’s rather daunting to talk about him on this podcast and then create art inspired by him. How do you properly address and be inspired by such an icon? Listen in as Amy and Chris talk about the life and art of David Bowie, the circuitous route he took to fame, and how we can take our own cues from his life as we move forward in our own. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Martin Parr was a prophet speaking in parables, giving biting commentary on life in England wrapped in an entertaining story for the masses. Those with ears, let them hear. Except make it comical. because according to Martin, “if you don’t laugh, you’d cry.” Through this lens (pardon the pun), we witness reality amplified. Martin was quite clear that photography was highly therapeutic for him, and he teaches us how to process our own experiences unapologetically and with a flair for the dramatic. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Welcome to another episode of Brainstorm Buddies where Amy and her Marco Polo brainstorm buddy Cami Turpin bring their private conversations out into the public. We are declaring 2026 The Year Of Looking Backwards To Determine How To Move Forwards. Maybe not the catchiest of titles, but one that keeps proving essential for this year in particular. Cami Turpin is a fine art photographer living, teaching, and making art from her home state of Utah, USA. Learn from Cami by registering for her paradigm-shifting course The Process Is The Point with Illuminate Classes. Find Cami (and ooh and aah over her work) on Instagram or at her website. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. You can register for Amy’s newest class Self-Portraits For Growth (a class about so much more than self-portraits). She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Ruth Asawa: sculptor, painter, potato-print-maker. Nothing was off-limits to Ruth, and she even created a commercially sold textile simply by repeating a stamp with her college’s name on it. Although best known for her wire sculptures, Ruth has much to teach us about living an artful life, pushing through personal tragedy and adversity, and the beauty of dreams deferred. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

From perfectionism to imposter syndrome, we face all sorts of mental hurdles when trying to give form to our creativity. Tune into today’s episode as Amy and Chris tackle your questions, talk about the hurdles they face, and how they move through them. Leave feeling inspired and empowered to make 2026 your Year of Creativity! Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, and specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz. Chris Hajny is a senior product designer for a major corporation and an educator at his alma mater, MCAD. You can find more about him here. (And checkout the board game podcast he hosts!)

A major player in Dada and Surrealism, Man Ray’s first love might have been painting, but we know him for his photography. He embraced the experimental and helped elevate photography to a fine art. He stumbled upon techniques like solarization and the rayograph, which remind us to drop our expectations and welcome the “mistakes” that happen during the process. Listen in today as Amy and Chris talk about the magic of showing up, the importance of playing nicely, and what else we can learn from Man Ray’s lengthy and illustrious career. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Walk into a Kinko’s to use a copier…but make it art? That’s exactly how this month’s artist, Pati Hill, got her start—through xeroxing everyday household objects. What started as the role of family historian, turned into framed pieces on gallery walls. Why objects? Why a photocopier? And what makes something appeal beyond the reach of our own homes? Listen in today as Amy and Chris talk about using unconventional tools, finding creativity in the constraints, whether photocopies make for good art, and if objects might actually have a life of their own. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Just as exciting as studying an artist whose work is inspiring, is studying an artist with strong artistic philosophies. The advantage of contemporary artists is the myriad YouTube videos, articles, and podcasts we can find them on. We get to know them not only as artists, but as people with a real lived experience. Cig Harvey (b.1973) is one of those gems who is generous with her time and her hard-earned lessons. We see them in her work and in her media presence. and what we realize she isn’t just making art, but she is giving us a gift. She is wanting us to shift our perspective and see life as one sweeping act of ephemeral art. Join us as we talk about Cig’s work, the importance of inspiration, using tools that set us free, viewing art as a way to balance our inner states, and seeking out the beauty in the mundane. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, and specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

The man who gave us “good artists copy; great artists steal", “art is a lie that makes us realize the truth,” and "learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist" is none other than Pablo Picasso. His artistic philosophy was on point and it led him to shock and offend people time and again in order to pave the way for what would become the new norm of modern art. He had urgency, he had something to say, and he refused to niche down. Come along with us as we talk about his legacy: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Listen in as we wrestle with how to appreciate the artist while not glossing over his amorality. And ultimately leave inspired to use your voice as you follow your own calling of creativity. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, and specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

He might be the greatest landscape photographer of our time, and I can almost guarantee that studying his work will inspire you to pick up your camera. In this episode, Amy clues us into Michael Kenna’s artistic practice, philosophy, and the road that led him to seek out these moments of meditative solitude. Engaging with Michael Kenna’s work brings up so many topics even beyond the image itself, some of which are: photography allows us to capture a truth our eyes normally can’t see, the observer effect reminds us that our mere gaze changes how the world behaves, and without wabi-sabi we’re void of all intrigue. Grab some black and white film and maybe even an nd filter and get ready to learn some things about art, creativity, life and the intersection of it all. Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, and specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.

Although the florals and recipes of The Voynich Manuscript served as sources of inspiration for Amy’s final project this month, it was ultimately the indecipherability of the text that spoke the most. The fact that it can’t be decoded by modern humanity means it remains pure and lives on in unknown ways. But what about texts we do understand? How does our continual reading and adaptations of these texts affect the original intent? It ultimately begs the question: are we just living in a giant game of telephone? Amy Elizabeth is an artist and film photographer living in Minneapolis, MN. She runs the group The Art Lab for creatives who want to connect and push forward in their artistry. She is also the owner/operator of Film Lab 135, a bespoke lab dedicated to processing experimental film, and specializing in film soup. You can find her on Instagram, substack, and bluesky @itsamyliz.