Continue the Board Workshop Takeover by exploring the very foundations of photography with board member and artist Connor Charlesworth!
// THIS IS A TWO-PART WORKSHOP. REGISTER ONCE, BUT ATTEND BOTH DAYS! // AUGUST 13 & AUGUST 20, 2026 //
Go Back to Basics // Pinhole Camera & DIY Darkroom Workshop
Our Board of Directors are, before anything else, artists and creative professionals who believe in what this place does. This year, they are stepping out of the boardroom to share that inspiration with our community. The Board Workshop Takeover is a special fundraising series where our board members step into the gallery as lead facilitators, sharing their creative practices and professional expertise directly with our community. Every registration goes straight back to the Alternator, helping us meet our 2026 goals and keeping this space open for everyone.
About the Session
This unique, two-part hands-on workshop invites you to slow down and explore magic of analogue photography. Across two sessions spaced a month apart, you will construct your own camera obscura (pinhole camera), capture images on light-sensitive paper, and step into a DIY black-and-white darkroom to develop your prints.
Session 1 (August 13): We will cover the mechanics of camera obscura, construct our cameras, load the paper, and discuss exposure techniques. You will then take your custom cameras home to experiment and capture your images.
Session 2 (August 20): We will reunite to develop your photographs in a temporary darkroom, wash your prints, and convert them from negatives into striking positive images. We’ll wrap up the workshop with a group review to share findings and look at everyone’s work!
What to bring
Participants are asked to bring 3 objects that can be converted into a camera—such as clean paint cans, coffee cans, shoeboxes, or anything else that can be pricked with a pin and made completely light-tight. Bringing a few options allows you to experiment with different formats!
Details
Presenter: Connor Charlesworth
Dates: Thursday, August 13 & Thursday, August 20 (Two-part workshop)
Time: 6 - 9 PM
Location: Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art (Onsite)
Cost: $60 for Members | $100 for Non-Members (not a member yet? It pays to join!)
Who is this for?
This workshop is open to everyone—from curious beginners and DIY hobbyists to practicing artists looking to add a resource-light, experimental photographic practice to their toolkit.
Meet Your Facilitator
Connor Charlesworth is an artist and educator born and currently based in Kelowna on unceded syilx territory. He received his MFA from The University of Victoria in 2018, and has since taught studio courses at UVic (Victoria), TRU (Kamloops), and UBCO (Kelowna). Connor maintains an active studio painting practice alongside a developing interest in darkroom photography. His work has been exhibited recently at The Lake Country Art Gallery, The Kelowna Community Theatre, The Audain Gallery, and the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art.