Really it’s just me: Calj Green Umezono. I’m a multimedia musician/artist interested in keeping things fresh through the practices of observation and exploration. As a violist, I have studied with a number of fantastic teachers at a handful of institutions and am completing my Doctorate of Musical Arts sometime…soon... As a photographer, I haven’t had as much institutional training, but I follow my passion for the medium and the intrigues of my eye.

So what’s with this “Observatory?” I conceived of this project as a sort of conversation with the concept of a “conservatory.” Having attended a few music conservatories, I am familiar with their rigorous operations and what their educational goals are. I wanted to branch out from that and ask what that artistic process is missing and figure out how I can express myself in different modes. What would it mean to abandon a mindset focused on “conservation” and geared more towards “observation?” That’s what I’m seeking out. And I know the only thing more dangerous than that question, is a definitive answer. The goal, then, is to always be observing, always searching. The continual service of that ideal is its own reward.