AARC Creative Workshop and Exhibit Reception: Saffron Snapshots

Learn how to take and edit photos with members of SAFFRON Creative House. Artists and creatives of all ages and skill levels are welcome!

SAFFRON Creative House is currently one of the AARC’s selected exhibitors for the 2023-2024 season. Their exhibit “Artistic Redirection” displays different photographs from their collection, encouraging viewers to grapple with the philosophical questions that underpin our relationship with the environment. Learn more about their exhibit.

Participants will hear from the guest artist, Ashwin Suresh, a videographer and visual storyteller with a passion for cinematic content and After Effects work on how to approach creative direction, different types of photography styles, how to use lighting and color in photos, and ways to edit in post-production. You’ll also have time to view the exhibit, ask questions, and meet some of the artists, curators, and founders of SAFFRON Creative House.

Participants are welcome to bring their cameras, laptops with editing software, or simply notepads if they’d prefer to take notes. However, none of these are required—this will be a very conversational and interactive workshop. Kids are welcome, but the skill level may be more suited to older participants.

Light refreshments will be provided. This is a free workshop, but space is limited and registration is required. 

Go to Eventbrite to register.

About Ashwin Suresh

Ashwin is a videographer and visual storyteller with a passion for cinematic content and After Effects work. His journey began in high school, where he played a key role in a show that went on to earn a Lone Star Emmy nomination, sparking his interest in creative media. Since 2016, Ashwin has honed his craft, capturing weddings and major events in Dallas, and developing a unique style that resonates with his audience. Follow him on Instagram at @ashwinxsuresh.

About the artists

Saffron Creative House (formerly Saffron Magazine), is an online platform and production house aimed to produce content that emboldens diasporic narratives and creatives. As a collective, Saffron aims to be an online platform for storytelling and a space where diasporic narratives take center stage in production. Starting as a magazine in 2023, Saffron published three art editorial issues traversing the likes of surrealism, nature vs mankind, the sixth sense, and so much more. Backed by diasporic stories and the notion of occupying a seat at the editorial table that has been vacant, Saffron Magazine transformed into a production house aiming to platform creatives that refused to be constrained by the bounds put upon them.

About the curators and founders

• Avani is currently studying architectural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, and starting pursuing her interest in fashion styling by joining Saffron in 2023. Her experiences in Saffron sparked her initiative for creativity and inclusion within the field of architectural engineering and she is excited to combine her interests in her career. Avani Instagram at @avani.sun.
• Jayashree Ganesan is the Executive Director of SAFFRON Creative House. A passionate storyteller with a background in writing and creative direction, she enjoys bringing people together to create art. A graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, she is excited about all the new art in Austin. A co-curator of this exhibit, she believes that nature has a prevailing chance to exist beyond humanity, but we have a duty as a society to not only protect our nature but understand its power. Follow her on Instagram at @jayashree.g.
• Anna Ranabijuli is the Operations Director of SAFFRON Creative House. As a current second year medical student with a love for community building, she strives to bring efficiency to systems that have a direct impact on the people around her. Holding a Management BBA from the University of Texas at Austin, she hopes to continue to develop strategies for improving organizational frameworks both in the medicine and creative space. In her free time, Anna spends her time trying new coffee recipes at home. Follow her on Instagram at @annaranabijuli. Anna is also a co-curator of this exhibit.
• Ila Singh is the Finance Director of SAFFRON Creative House. She loves seeing how the creative world connects people through art, self expression, and shared stories. As an Austin native she has seen the city grow and become a center for creators and is thrilled to co-curate this exhibit. A graduate from McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, she looks forward to continuing to support the vibrant creative community in Austin and to help bring more creative projects to life. In her free time, she enjoys growing plants, hot yoga, hiking, and walks around Lady Bird Lake with her dog, Fairy. Follow her on Instagram at @ila.singh22.

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