Category Archives: Artist Profiles

Samiya Bashir: Stabilimentum

poetry-stabilimentum

Samiya Bashir is the author of Gospel, finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and the 2009 Lambda Literary Award, and Where the Apple Falls, a Poetry Foundation bestseller and finalist for the 2005 Lambda Literary Award. Bashir is editor of Black Women’s Erotica 2 and co-editor, with Tony Medina and Quraysh Ali Lansana, of Role Call: A Generational Anthology of Social & Political Black Literature & Art.

Bashir’s poetry, stories, articles and editorial work have been featured in numerous publications including, most recently and forthcoming, in POETRY, Poet LoreMichigan Quarterly Review, Crab Orchard Review, Cura, The Rumpus, Hubbub, Callaloo, and Encyclopedia Vol. 2 F-K.

She is the recipient of two Hopwood Awards from the University of Michigan, as well as awards, grants, fellowships, and residencies from the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, where she was a recent NEA writer-in-residence, the University of California, where she served as Poet Laureate, the Astraea Foundation, the National Association of Pen Women, Community of Writers at Squaw Valley, Soul Mountain Writers Colony, The Austin Project, Alma de Mujer, the James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts, and Cave Canem, among others. Her long poem, “Coronagraphy,” was nominated for a 2013 Pushcart Prize.samiya

A long-time communications professional focused on editorial, arts, and social justice movement building, Bashir is a founding organizer of Fire & Ink, an advocacy organization and writer’s festival for LGBT writers of African descent and a recipient of the 2011 Aquarius Press Legacy Award, given annually in recognition of women writers of color who actively provide creative opportunities for other writers. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon, where she teaches creative writing at Reed College.

– See more at: http://samiyabashir.com/bio/#sthash.zmcalhwT.dpuf

15 Portraits of Unrelated Doppelgangers

Have you ever met or seen another person that looked exactly like someone you know? If so, then you’ve encountered someone’s Doppelgänger. I’m not a look-alike! is an ongoing project by François Brunelle (featured previously).

http://twistedsifter.com/2014/08/unrelated-doppelgangers-photo-series/

Up Close with Mykal Hall – Part 1

Re-post from onOne Software blog

Bilgola+Beach-2726942703-OIn Part 1 of this two-part blog post, we are excited to introduce you to Mykal Hall, a talented photographer who we became quick fans of after seeing his images online. Mykal is an amazing landscape/seascape photographer from Sydney, Australia. Most often you will find him shooting beaches around Sydney and avoiding those sneaker waves. His stunning seascapes capture the beauty of the ocean. When we got a chance to speak with Mykal, he had great stories to share and the techniques he uses to fuel his passion. Today, we’re excited to share those stories and techniques with you.

Bio:

At the age of 34, my life changed from aimlessly wandering through life without a purpose to finding the “WHY” to my life in the form of my wife/soulmate/best friend Dianne and her 3 children. My home life is now perfect and I could not imagine a better family to spend the rest of my days with. There was, however, another yearning that wasn’t fulfilled. My work life. Having no real passions to pursue at an early age, I fell into various work situations from Storeman, Forklift Operator, Service Technician, to finally a Truck Driver. After 43 years, my interest for “Geekdom” from my Service Technician days, was reignited once again. I discovered “Podcasts.” The ability to learn about any subject at my own leisure was too tempting to resist. So what subjects did I choose to fill this quest for knowledge? Psychology and the latest technology trends. It was the former that I thought I would be pursuing as a career until I stumbled upon the podcast “This Week In Photo” (TWIP). It sounded very geeky (with all the cool gadgets) and creative (which would make up for a past failed interest in drawing). That’s when I purchased my first camera, a Nikon D90. Having never held a DSLR, or for that matter any SLR camera, I thought I should learn to use it in Manual mode first. When I say manual mode, I even mean manual focus. Everything I learned came from two sources: podcasts and a book called “Understanding Exposure” by Bryan Peterson.

click link to continue

http://www.ononesoftware.com/blog/up-close-with-mykal-hall-part-1/

Instantly Interesting Photographs with Reflections

Levi Sim's avatarPhotofocus (old site)

Reflections should be on your short list of images to make every time you go shooting. These are the steps for making a reflection picture like the one above.

Step 1: Frame Your Mind

Firstly, you’ve got to have photography on your mind, you’ve got to be looking for a picture. I was wandering around at the Newark International airport waiting for my flight when I noticed a woman wearing hot red high heels. I thought to myself, Those shoes would make an interesting subject…. That got me thinking about what picture I could make, and what picture I could convince the woman wearing the shoes to make. While I was stewing on the picture, I planted a seed when I said, “Wow, those are great looking’ shoes,” and she said, “Thanks!”

Step 2: Find a Surface

I looked around me and saw lots of busy airport stuff—all things…

View original post 579 more words

These Vector Logos for Animals are Awesome

twistedsifter's avatarTwistedSifter

Graphic designer Tom Anders Watkins created a wonderful series of vector animal logos that have been receiving plenty of accolades on the creative showcase website, Behance.

The 19-year-old, half Finnish half English artist is currently studying Creative Advertising at the University of Lincoln (UK) and hopes to pursue a career in advertising after graduation. You can see much more of his design work on Behance as well as his personal website.

[via Behance]

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Artwork by TOM ANDERS WATKINS
Website | Behance | Dribble | Twitter

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Artwork by TOM ANDERS WATKINS
Website | Behance | Dribble | Twitter

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Artwork by TOM ANDERS WATKINS
Website | Behance | Dribble | Twitter

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Artwork by TOM ANDERS WATKINS
Website | Behance | Dribble | Twitter

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Artwork by TOM ANDERS WATKINS
Website | Behance | Dribble | Twitter

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Artwork by TOM ANDERS WATKINS
Website | Behance

View original post 97 more words

Poetry Corner: Judgmental Stares

Judgmental Stares

By Divanna

I’m constantly being judged even when I don’t know it
My pride wont let me show its effects on my.mind

My illness had been made to hide
Leaving me acting on a whim, smiling at them and feeling crushed from the inside

Not be in stride with what a disease should be
The looks focused on my face trying to find the pain I hide everywhere but within my eyes

I sigh
disgusted and delirious
The world is growing oblivious
my sight is getting serious
because they say my eyes will eventually grow to be faulty

I cant open the door more
The need to hide and cry and work my ass off to get by..
makes the illusion of my being alright grow loudly

I tip toe with heavy steps
My knowledge doesnt matter when they dont think im capable of fighting something I cant control

Like a pick and roll except the defender clings to me
Does things to me
Makes me cry and have my personality rescind in me……
Because it never plays nice or leaves my  my ego intact

What is given can not increase without guidance
I am forced to hide in
My own mental prison
Getting lost in the mazes of wonderland
Lacking wander

Im not buying what you tell me I fought for
It seems irrelavent in the scheme of things
I canqt make you feel my pain
Or cling to these truths I bring

So continue to judge and tell me how I don’t look sickly
How im faking what’s in me
How no one can understand it is continually with me

How no one can seem to get how it gets to me
Incubating a hate that knows no bounds
I been around….

But no one seems to see how hard it has been…to be….around

Davinna is a N.Y. blogger/writer who believes that your own experiences shape and make you. She shares her experience in her battle with sickle cell disease through poetry. Check out more of her work on her blog page http://iusedtohavetheblues.blogspot.com/[glittery.jpg]      

Artist Profile: Mara Hoffman

photo courtesy Mara Hoffman's  bio page

photo courtesy Mara Hoffman’s bio page

Mara Hoffman is a New York based fashion designer. She is known for her bold bright colors with prints  inspired from nature, world travel and fantasy. Mara’s loyal following includes; Katy Perry, Halle Berry, Megan Fox, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Drew Barrymore, Lauren Conrad and Eva Longoria Parker

Mara graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City and studied at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London. She launched her first ready-to-wear collection in 2000, she got her first big break when Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field stopped her on the street to complement her outfit. Field was so taken by her work she decided to sell them in her shop, House of Field.
If you love Bohemian Fashion, you will fall in love with designs by Mara Hoffman.

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http://www.marahoffman.com/collections

MLK Day Celebration: Sweet Honey and the Rock

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK will join the Reston Community Center for three days of activities in celebration of the 29th Annual Birthday Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.

To see the full schedule of events visit RCC’s website

http://www.restoncommunitycenter.org/mlk-schedule.shtml

This group first formed as a quartet in 1973 by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon at the D.C. Black Repertory Theater Company in Washington. Since that time,  Dr. Reagon retired and 23 vocalists have passed through the group. The original members drew their name from the first song they learned, ‘Sweet Honey in the Rock,’ based on Psalm; “Sweet honey speaks of a land that is so rich, when you break the rocks, honey flows.

Despite the changes in members of the group, the voices have always maintain a spectacular sound and the actions and attitude of the group remained constant throughout. Their voices and a few African hand percussion are the only instruments on stage… and each and every time Sweet Honey in the Rock are a powerful presence that take my breath away.

2014 Reston Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Birthday Celebration

http://restoncommunitycenter.com/mlk-schedule.shtml

Poetry Corner: Forever Present

re post from  ‘I USE TO HAVE THE BLUES’

Mortality is my reality
Built on a hereditary technicality
Forever to be carried through this adventure of living
Removal of blinds
This was designed to be my baggage to carry
So I roll with the collapse of my veins
The needle exchange and the blood taken out of me
The fight taken out of me

Dispatched
Like a knick knack
Throw this girl a bone

Inside of my head asking for forgiveness
Streaks of lightening blazing through the vessel holding my essence
It is always present
Always

24hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Sometimes I forget as if it was an illusion
Only for it to attack crippling my nature
Destroying my confidence
Displacing my light
Allowing the dim and darkness to invade

And so I lay me down to sleep
But this hospital bed is uncomfortable,
keep clicking my caller but no one will come for you….you don’t look sick….
Fighting this biting pain as my disability continuously rolls through my veins in a never ending story

Wheezing, body seizing, pain meds hardly relieving
But my moans never escape
For I am strong, I am woman hear me roar
Or whimper, or cry, or……or…….or………sigh……

I’m so tired

glitteryDavinna is a blogger/writer who believes that your own experiences shape and make you. Check out more of her poetry on her page ‘I USE TO HAVE THE BLUES

BO SARIS THE ADDICT – ARTIST PROFILE

I love the animation, I love the voice – Bo-Saris is a very talented new artist. This is a re-post from one of the FABULOUS blogs I follow. Thank you Fashion Soundtrack for bringing this artist to our attention!  Check out the video and check out their site, you won’t be disappointed.