zodiac style

Aries- "I am a hybrid fashionista, sporty, boss woman!"
Taurus- "I have an event to attend, time to get a new outfit!"
Gemini- "A wildcard at heart, but I always match!"
Cancer- "I am influenced by my surroundings."
Leo- "I am inspired by celebrities but my style is obviously more adorable"
Virgo- "Do you know how long it took me to step away from the mirror?"
Libra- "My closet is a collection of the most chic pieces that I have ever found."
Scorpio- "I'm wearing this because of my mood."
Sagittarius- "I'm trying to make a statement."
Capricorn- "I only wear comfortable clothes, back off!"
Aquarius- "I am a walking museum, you can tell by my eccentric jewelry."
Pisces- "Dramatic? Ugh! Not the look I was going for, no one understands me!"

How to be a holiday person when you are definitely not a holiday person:

1) Don't shop for the perfect present when you have a skill like art, cooking, or theater. Entertain your guest with a little song & dance, maybe whip up a DIY project or even get your Martha Stewart on and make specialty holiday baked goods.

2) Wear basic leggings (elastic for the sake of seconds,.. and thirds) with an oversized sweater, festive socks paired with boots and the most neck engulfing scarf you own! Remember you don't actually have to dress up, just wear one thousand layers, so as you make your stops you can be comfy and prepared for anything.

3) Instead of making small talk of 'what you're up to these days', initiate a snowball fight. I'm just kidding! I'm sure Grandma would not like that in her house, just bring along a fun bored or card game that everyone can engage in. Alternatively, ask a random question such as, "What inspires you these days?'

4) The best part of the holidays is that weather can interfere, so if you are worried about traveling stay home! I have found that the best Christmas I ever experienced was because the weather was so bad we just stayed home in our PJ's, mom made so much food, we drank mimosas, watched football and opened presents.

So what I am trying to get at is if you can, do absolutely nothing for the holidays except spend it with those who are important in your life. Being with your family and close ones for a day or two is really therapeutic when everyone can just sit around, and do absolutely nothing but enjoy each others company.

One Way, or Another..

You may be feeling the seasons changing rather quickly. The air, the smell, the nostalgic thoughts of previous fall seasons that naturally  come to mind. There are the beautiful fall days where the sun is shining on the changing leafs while you enjoy a cup of hot cider & the next day it changes to cold and rainy.  Most of those dancing bright hues of leafs have coated the ground leaving the trees naked for winter. Why must there be so many contradictions with Mother Nature and in human nature itself?

With human nature there are so many more contradictions walking among us. Remember when you were an innocent kid and one day you just decided you were going to rebel against your parents? Yeah, that was just the start. Contradictions are a difficult subject, it is important to be aware of  them due to the complexities they can create. But what I am talking about here are actual walking contradictions. People are complex individuals with feelings, interactions, and thoughts that all differ from others living in this same world. Whether you are placid but passionate or stubborn but determined, people tend to take on different roles depending on the situation.

It is important to know where your boundaries are for obvious reasons. For example, if a woman dresses up sexy while acting innocent she may not have realize how much cleavage she had hanging out that day at the office.  On the other hand she could have purposely did it from feeling too confident before she left the house that morning. Now whether she did it to be rebellious or out of confidence, a female cannot demand respect when they think they are going to get away with something like this.

Now there are times the being a walking paradox does make sense. We are people, we have a variety of feelings towards a variety of subjects. So there are instances where we take on different roles that may contradict our previous actions. For instance teachers have to promote anti-drinking however they may go home to drink a beer every night. On the other hand it could be something as simple as a stubborn business man who wont give up his stance, however he will remain determined to do anything to save his business.


My observation is that these walking contradictions are just like the seasons. There is a reason and a rhyme for it. If there is no reason or rhyme you are not a walking contradiction you are a hypocrite.

"This is a song about an old Welsh witch."

Since it is witch season, where all of the ghost & freaks come out I wanted to share a video of the most influential witch I have ever laid eyes on. Over several generations Stevie Nicks has portrayed a witchy vibe that shows up in her voice, style, and fashion. I have had this video replaying everyday for about two weeks and still cannot get over it. This song based off of a mid evil story about a woman named Branwen who gets possessed by another woman, Rhiannon. After reading the story Stevie wrote this song that would soon get stuck in the realm of our minds. During the time this song was being performed by Fleetwood Mac, Stevie added her own mystical ambiance that possesses us all! In this specific vid Stevie definitely looks like a total babe! She was setting trends with a sheer black cape that connected to her fingers, Lolita platform shoes, and vintage jewelry. She rings like a bell through the night, and wouldn't you love to love her?

Passion or Clashin?

Naturally I am a pretty passionate person in the way I talk, feel, and through my actions. Recently I went through a couple weeks where I had lost all motivation. I had no energy or thoughts of blogging, doing some yoga, or even getting caught up on my monthly astrology report (which is a must for me). The problem was my mental state was not in the right place. I began to realize, that after not writing or sketching anything for weeks, somethings gotta give. 

After a little bit of time of feeling as if I was dragging a lead balloon around, something did change. I met up with an old friend who is very talented musically and we started to collaborate. I would throw out an idea for a song, he came up with a guitar riff, and we played around with wording for lyrics. Next thing you know we had a full fledged song on our hands that we are now proud of. It starts with one little ounce of imagination to build up your momentum.

The thing about passion is that you need to feel something to drive your energies. Passion blooms from positive and negative inner psyche that turns into an external expression.  So you may be wondering how to channel your passion. I cant give you a passion but I can try to help you narrow it down.

You first need to find out what is NOT inspiring you. Imagine if every morning you jumped out of bed happy and excited everyday, what would posses you to feel that way? Envision the things that would make you motivated everyday. No matter your age, you are always too young to stay in a position that makes you unhappy. Next you need to focus on hobbies or interest that make you want to read endlessly up on them, (aka sparking a passion).  Once you have done your research you will notice you have taken a stance and you can now focus on beating your craft. From this point, you may be passionate about a particular topic, found a driving force behind your hobby or ultimately discovered a way to create a career out of your passion.

Realms of Reality

The time seems to be closer to me than my own boy friend. I look at the time when I wake up, on my drive to work, every 15 minutes when I am at work, on my lunch break, on my way home, and right before bed. Side note: I even push my home button on my phone subconsciously and see the damn time. So I ask myself why am I living by these man made measurements?

The open road is hollering my name at unspeakable volumes! I want to live by my rules, my time. When I feel hungry I will eat and when I'm tired I will go to bed. Seriously life is taken too seriously, so take advantage of your own time and achieve what you wish to accomplish. Soon I will be breaking this bland routine of wake, wash, work repeat!

Listen, there is a beautiful clean slate awaiting for you each and every single day! Its there for you to make changes or just deal with the choices that you have made. Is your story going to be traffic delays, in business professional clothing just to make another taxed dollar? A passion burns in each and every one of you but the only way to start the fire is with you taking initiative!

Time is of the essence!

Pumpkin Spice Girls

Summer days are drifting away into fall very quickly! One day the humidity is melting you into the sidewalk and the next day it is damn near freezing. Take it all in because this is our rehabilitation from last winter to prepare for the upcoming season we must face.  According the the Farmers Almanac this winter is supposed to be colder and stronger than the last so prepare yourself!

Everyone at Starbucks today was giggling about the Pumpkin Spice Lattes and sharing laughs about premature fall Facebook posts. I just ignored them the best that I could because I was impatiently waiting to get the hell out of there. I am trying to hold on to every last breath of summer so that I don't have to put on my boots, legging and scarf to grab a PSL. However, fall is my favorite time of year and mother nature has to run her course.

So whats the big deal pumpkin spice girls? I want to know what about this particular latte gets you so excited!

Anthony D'Agnillo

http://anthonydagnillo.tumblr.com/

I remember very clearly how I had met Anthony D'Agnillo.  Every year I go to a  beautiful music festival called Bliss Fest.  I had reunited with some long lost friends in the woods, it was the last night so we had been walking around in a group following the electrifying shrieks and the drum beats.  After getting shutdown by security several times that night, we found ourselves sitting around a tree sharing our Bliss experiences and taking pulls from some whiskey.  Suddenly we realized that all this time we had never gone to Lake Michigan during the night. Since this night could not have been more perfect, we loaded up and headed (slowly) to the lake.  Listening to Truth by Alexander we rolled up to the beach where the dark sky was sprinkled with stars and the beach illuminated by our glow sticks. We each took a moment to ourselves to enjoy to calm, silent water. New friends were made along with a new memory that we had gotten to experience first hand together.

Since then, Anthony has created a space where he is able to uncover the boundaries within different art styles. Below are photos and drawings from his page I Am Entertainment, above is a link to view the particular artist of each picture within this interview.

I post a lot about astrology so I am going to start asking this; what’s your sign?

I am a Sagittarius with my rising sign in Libra.

What projects are you currently working on?

Well, lately I have been working on my wire wrapping. I’ve wrapped four necklaces in two days in an effort to better hone into my skill. Also, I am nearly finished with a 18x24 colored pencil portrait of an elephant with a large wingspan. Lots of inviting colors in the background.

What is I Am Entertainment?

I Am Entertainment is an online showcase for various artists and their works. I photograph and curate each piece and archive them on the showcase allowing them to be preserved and appreciated by all who wish to be inspired and entertained.

When did you know that you should start up something such as I Am Entertainment?

I was looking for a way to get in touch with people who have made their art into a way of life. I have to admit, I didn’t quite know what I was getting into at first, but the closer I got to the artists and the deeper the insights became, the more I knew I was doing something worthwhile and positive for the creative community and the more I could see how it was making me a part of that community. For me, that is the most rewarding part of this undertaking. I am truly grateful to be surrounded by so many expansive and inspirational minds.

I love how you showcase different aspects of life, artists, and music! Is there a specific subject that you enjoy to photograph or look forward to shooting in the future?

I’m glad you can appreciate the variety in the showcase. At the same time, one of the objectives of I Am Entertainment is to be able to convey the implied line or common thread that all things are interconnected and, in spite of all the differences, it’s all an expression of Truth. I say Truth with a capital “T” because I find it to be less dogmatic than throwing around the word God or perhaps more effective than simply referring to infinity or the universe. In every moment, you can find truth and relevance and that is what I try to capture; the raw, unadulterated moment. I look forward to the next time the moment grabs me and I can’t help but capture it. There can be no telling when or what that moment will be.

Being someone who appreciates the simple things in life, was there a certain moment you began to recognize the worth of these varieties of art and music?

I don’t think there was a specific moment where it all came into perspective that I can speak of, but I can say that experience has taught me that complacency in any aspect of life, whether that be at work, in your diet, in art, in music, in relationship, complacency is a lethal thing. The mind needs to be stimulated with variety, movement, and fresh ideas. The worth of variety in anything in invaluable and should be taken to heart.

Since you also perform music, what instruments can you play? Where do you normally play?

I can play the Guitar, the Banjo, and I was brought up on the Piano. Normally, when I play, I play for myself. It’s something I enjoy doing when I have a few minutes to spare or if there is a song I hear that I want to learn, I will learn it so I can play it for myself. The emotion I put into my music is very personal, and I have shied away from playing for large groups. 

When you’re not capturing moments or creating concepts through art, how else do you like to spend your time, what are your other hobbies?

I’ve found it difficult to maintain many of my hobbies once I dedicated myself to my crafts. I used to skateboard and maintain a strict running regimen, but it became too stressful and damaging to my body. I find taking walks to be much more therapeutic. I also maintain a healthy, well rounded, vegetarian diet. Cultivating a strong awareness and an open heart have become my main focal points in life. Art is best channeled through a clear mind with no distractions. I create a space for this using incense, candles, light background music, and lots of rest.

Throughout  your explorations to find artists of all kinds, what pieces of advice have you picked up from them?

Stay true to who you are and your own path. Don’t be afraid of failure and don’t let doubt stop you from trying new things. You are capable of amazing things. Decide what you want and don’t lose sight of it. Have faith because this moment is the only one you will ever know. Keep breathing and listen. You will never be free as long as you judge people. Love indiscriminately. 

Having a gypsy soul is inspiring for many people these days that are stuck in the cold cubes of the corporate world, do you have any advice for up and coming artist who are trying to pursue this lifestyle?

Yeah. You don’t need my advice. Listen to what I have to say, but always check in with yourself to see what holds most true to you. Don’t put people or things on a pedestal. All the wisdom you will ever need can be found within yourself. You are an infinitely powerful and unique part of this universe connected to everything. See this and marvel at it. Don’t force creation. Sometimes being still and silent and listening is the most valuable thing you can do for yourself. Let your creations come to you and when the moment hits you, be ready to capture it.

New Moon August 25th

Under a Virgo Sun we also experience a new moon in Virgo. As some may think, the Virgo represents a a virgin, this isn't the case at all! The virgin is supposed to be concept to portray the attitude toward life, such as purity & the receptiveness of the Virgo.

With a new moon it is the perfect time start new projects, make way on personal health goals, and to leave the last two weeks in the past. This phase of the moon can signal a personal rebirth of some sort and to focus on the positive aspects of this moon being in Virgo. This a good time to work on a project that needs an eye for detail and some constructive criticism. They say that the Virgo is the workhorse of the zodiac (true or not) they make the most rational decisions to fulfill the easiest way to accomplish their goals. So with the moon at the beginning of its natural cycle focus on the things that you want to achieve, because they will come to culmination by the full moon on September 9th.

Meditate

Last night after a busy day of work I got home to a dinner prepared for me, so kicked my feet up and turned on Netflix. After catching up with my boy friend I washed my face with this amazing, 3 step Tea Tree face wash from the Body Shop and felt so rejuvenated after! I would definitely recommend this for any skin type, but it truly kills the bacteria that lives on your face as for amusement park lifestyle. So I wiped my face clean with a warm cloth and could not ignore the sound of the tree frogs coming from our opened windows. I am from the country where silence is actually a bunch of creatures in the night on full blast. While I sat there raving to frogs croaking, I took some deep breaths of the cool nights air and I thought about many things that have unraveled lately. I decided to do some light yoga and let my thoughts pass through my mind, then out with each breath.

Sometimes life gets us caught up in things that happen to be far from the way we wish it would turn out. Every once and awhile we have to slow down our busy minds and bodies. Think about it, when is the last time you just sat outside at night to breathe and look to the stars for clarity? 

Slow down. You deserve it.

Briana Autran: Breaking the rules of fashion & working toward her passion...

Brianna has made herself a brand in the photography world with her, built from the ground up, business brianaautranphotography. She maintains focus by keeping an independent mindset of becoming a "Girl Boss".  This process does not come easy, there is a lot of work that needs to happen in order to become a freelance queen.  As a creative, chic fashionista you must always remain loyal to yourself and the work that you do. 

If you could choose one song to be your theme song, what would that be?

My theme song would be Float on by Modest Mouse. :)

What inspired you to become an independent, self-made business owner?

Well I’ve always loved the feeling of making my own money. My 1st job was at a young age and I quickly learned the value of a dollar. I started a small babysitting/nannying business when I was 13 and by the time I was 22 I had 4-5 families that I worked for regularly. I was able to create my own hours and when I wasn’t working I had a lot of free time to work on my art and travel. I never set out to be the type of business owner that I am today but I knew that whatever my future “big girl” job was that it would have to allow me to be a free spirit so I can do my thing.

I noticed an online post of your saying that you told your mom that you can make it without a bachelors degree, what was her reaction to this choice of yours?

The 1st time I told my parents I didn’t need a BA to be successful in life they were a little disappointed. They didn’t discourage me from my way of thinking but they wanted me to have a back up plan incase being a photographer didn’t work out like I had dreamed for it to. I was still a nanny at this time and photography was a new venture for me so I understand why they were a little concerned for my future. I love my parents and I love that they have my best interest at heart but photography was the first thing that felt right to me and I was proud of the work I was doing at that time and I knew I could take it further. There was nothing stopping me from being a successful photographer and business owner. Today, I’m 24 and a full time photographer and business owner. I don’t think my parents are too worried about my back up plan like they were a few years ago. They see the drive and passion I have for my work and I’m pretty sure they realize a backup plan isn’t even an option for me.  

In the beginning what was your strategy to make your photography business thrive?

When I first started charging for my work I had no idea what I was doing. I was starting a business without even realizing it. I don’t even think there was a strategy. I just worked hard and made a lot of people happy.  Word of mouth brought me the business. Today, I am still no business expert but there is a little more method to my madness. 

Do have any mentors who you go to for guidance?

My 1st and number one mentor is my momma. She’s the most influential person in my life. She taught me at a young age that you can’t rely on anyone except yourself. She showed me the importance of being an independent female in society and I’m truly grateful for this. I think a lot of young girls are told to find a man who can take care of them, get married right away and have babies right away. But should we rush? After the excitement of marriage and kids what’s next?  You’re going to be 25, a wife, a momma and not even know who you are as an individual. 

I’m still learning who I am and I think marriage and babies should wait. I want to keep traveling, keep having crazy experiences that I can laugh about in 10 years, and I want to keep grocery shopping in the middle of the night. Men, marriage, babies and schedules will always be there once I know who I am. I feel like because I’m waiting I will truly know exactly what kind of person I want to share my life with and will be better equipped to be a mom.

You have great style & big visions, how do you stay motivated to keep grinding?

Thank you. Honestly the people I photograph keep me motivated. I love getting positive feedback from my clients after they see their photographs for the first time. I get an adrenalin rush from it and want to do more and make more people feel like that from my art. I want to get out in the world and capture people in candid moments to show them their true beauty and happiness.

Throughout this process of beating your craft, what have you learned along the way that you could pass along to aspiring photographers/business founders?

I have 3 things to pass along:  

​1.) Mistakes happen- Humans were not created perfect. When you make a mistake do right by it and learn from it.

​2.) Only show your best work- if you are a photographer or an artist only put your best work out there. Don’t give anyone mediocre work unless you want mediocre clients who will pay you just enough to live a mediocre life.

​3.) Take days off- As a business owner its hard to go a full day without doing at least one business related thing. From my experience; if you work non-stop 7 days a week you will go crazy and coffee spills happen much more frequently.

Everyone needs time for themselves to unwind and find peace. No shame in being a super lazy bum while watching New Girl re-runs from bed and eating dry cereal from the box for all 3 meals…promise you will wake up the next day back at 100% and ready to do some work!

Instagrams- brianaautran & toxicpony__

Recently you just launched a new project, Toxic Pony, tell us what led you to this idea?

Toxic Pony is an online vintage resale shop that I started with my childhood friend and roommate, Lauren Conway. We both have always been into fashion…especially vintage fashion. We chose to sell vintage instead of new clothing not only because we have passion for vintage clothing but also because the quality of real vintage clothing is unbelievable! Vintage is made to last, patterns, material and fabrics are one of a kind and you can bet you will be the only one wearing it! Any woman who knows how to use a credit card can go to the mall to buy a trendy dress that they see on a mannequin. They wear that dress out and then see 3 other women in the same exact thing. We got tired of that scenario happening to us. Lauren and I express ourselves through the way we dress and we don’t want to blend in with other women. We started Toxic Pony to encourage woman to step away from the cliché mall window front and stand out.

Now how are the pieces for TP selected?

Lauren and I currently live in Michigan so we have been traveling all around MI mitten this summer and hitting up the best consignment shops and vintage markets. Everything is hand picked by us and fits our style and our brand. We alter most of our inventory to make it even more unique and one of a kind. In the beginning of September we are taking a 2-week cross country road trip to buy more inventory outside of MI and to promote our new online store to vintage lovers out west!

TP is mostly woman's clothing & accessories, are you planning to start a men's line?

We actually just launched our Toxic Pony Men’s line last night! When we originally launched Toxic Pony in July we had a lot of men contacting us and asking if we were ever going to carry men’s clothing. Lauren and I both drool over a well-dressed man so it was a no brainer to include Men’s clothing.

brianaautranphotography

I am obsessed with closets, how is your closet organized?

Oh man, I have 3 closets in my bedroom and a lot of space to work with so one closet has all my pants, jackets and blazers which are all organized into groups. My 2nd closet has all my dresses and tops. 3rd closet is mostly shelving so I keep all my handbags, accessories and undergarments. I’m very OCD when it comes to how my closet is arranged. I like everything to be hung so that when I’m deciding on what to wear I can see everything easily.

Social media can be very powerful positively and negatively, what are your experiences with your brand on social media?

I love social media and I believe the world is at your fingertips if you know how to use it to your advantage. It can make or break you. Fortunately, I have had only positive experiences from social media- I have gotten the opportunity to connect with so many artistic people who have the same drive as I do. I come from a small town in Michigan so big opportunities are hard to come by without the use of social media.  I’ve gotten to travel and do a lot of business this summer out of town because of social media connections. It’s a beautiful thing.

Is there a go-to band or genre of music you play during photo shoots?

It depends on the client and the type of shoot I’m doing. If I’m working with a model I will most likely play something electronic and upbeat. If I’m working with families, seniors or newborns in studio I will play something safe like Lana Del Rey to set a mellow relaxing vibe.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

From this day in 5 years it will be the end of summer 2019 and I see myself just getting back from my month long backpack through Europe. A large energetic dog that I will consider my child will welcome me home with lots of sloppy kisses. I will go back to work in my downtown studio in a city that I love. Toxic Pony will be successful and known by trendsetters all around the world. In 5 years I will be happy and enjoying life as it comes at me. I will still be making mistakes and learning by them. I will be surrounded with true friendships and people who understand me. I will host hangouts with my friends and order greasy pizza with a coupon. I will still hate wearing heels and never understand football. Most importantly, in 5 years, I will still be ME. At the age of 29, I will still be the same silly, quirky and creative person I love being!

brianaautranphotography

Zodiac Signs in a Fight

♈️Aries: I'm sorry for what I said to you but I got my point across, didn't I?
♉️Taurus: I will physically kick your ass after I bruise you verbally!
♊️Gemini: I will talk circles around you until you are confused, & then forget why I was even mad.
♋️Cancer: I will remain silent until you get what I am upset about, or plan a way to hide your body.
♌️Leo: Mess with me & I will attack you, leave the past in the past!
♍️Virgo: You honestly are not even worth my precious time, get out of my sight!
♎️Libra: I will out wit you and then booby trap your house!
♏️Scorpio: The look on my face is enough to scare you off, if not, revenge is already waiting for you.
♐️Sagittarius: I am the champion of all confrontations, so bring it.
♑️Capricorn: Ill give you a piece of my mind & some to spare-I'm not afraid to slap you.
♒️Aquarius: I'm seeing you speaking but cannot hear you over my elite opinions.
♓️Pisces: Everything has built up to this point, my emotional volcano will blow in 3-2-Run

Experimental Powers

It has been a giant secret for many years, but every individual has their own secret powers. I'm not kidding! The Law of Attraction has actually been kept from many people over the course of our history because it is so powerful.  With the right mindset the world could be yours.

You know those times of doubt when nothing can lift your spirits and people say motivational things to you to try to get you to believe in yourself? Those are the moments that those annoying people with their two cents are actually right. Even though you may be looking for sympathy for them to understand why you feel like a piece of shit, you really just need to get over it. In the long run you are the only person who can help yourself.  Just having a little belief in yourself and a change of mindset you are unstoppable! If you sit around dwelling on whatever it is that has you feeling out of whack, you are only attracting more bummers to come your way. But if you change your outlook and visualize the things that you want positively, they too will come to you!

Think about it this way-when you are driving to work in a hurry, speed up-slow down, and try to get around other cars, you are probably not going to get to work at the time that you desire.  When you switch lanes a million times you end up further back than if you would have just stayed in your lane and patiently waited like every other person on the road. When you stay in your lane, not worrying about time, and focusing on the positive things you will accomplish that day, you will get to work at the time you expected and bring forth a positive mindset for your day.

The energy you put out into the universe is what will come back to you. When you are determined enough to get something you want, you can be the force to bring it directly into your hands. Try this method to get a green light; see yourself driving through a green light, feel the way you would once you have gotten through the green light, and $20 bucks says you turn that light green.

horo[PSYCHO]pe

Cancers have personality problems & don't like to share

Pisces cry...a lot then plan revenge 

Scorpios are narcissistic stalkers who secretly know everything about you

It may seem a little harsh.. but only because these three signs are also your best friends. They let you cry on their shoulders, they listen to your life situations that you bitch about, and they are always understanding. 

The reason their level of understanding is so immense is due to the fact that they want to feel with you. Water signs literally want to know every detail of a situation that you are going through so that they can see it from your perspective. This allows them to asses the problem and give you the best advice that they can provide. 

Water is deep & the ocean is wide. Water signs go through so many emotions at one time it's hard for them to put words to their thoughts. Often times these people will not open up because they feel like a burden. This does not mean they don't want you to try and be there for them, they do.

Ha! But if you cross these individuals you will regret it depending on their personal planets, otherwise most water signs are passive. Just like they put themselves in your shoes to help you, it can work in reverse to hurt you back. So be careful these people are you life long friends who would do anything for you, do not mess that up.

August

I woke up this week and BAM it was August I thought, "where did May go?" ...

There literally was not a June or July, either way its a bad dream & a terrible joke!  It is already several days into August & I am confused as to why I am as pale as Casper.  Though I have seen the outdoors for several brief moments this summer (on my hour long lunch break) I feel like a part of me is missing. 

Do you remember in grade school how 3 months of summer vaca seemed like never ending? I'm not sure if that's because our imaginations were so big & our levels of awareness were so small, but I wish every summer was like that.  I mean sorry for the reality check but there is only 4 months left in this year. So what are you going to do to make this summer last?

If you have lost all hope, dont worry there is still time to engage in some summer action. Make it a priority to get out of town to get the tan you deserve. I know its so depressing but labor day is coming up which means last call for the beach. So pack up the cooler, grab your floaties, and call all of your friends who own boats!

Sketch by Arianna Harris 

It is about creating adventure and doing what makes you happy! Hurry before you start complaining that you have not completed your non-existent summer bucket list.

Sussie Loves Lillie's

It is Mid-July and the Lilies are blooming!  

The Day Lily is a personal favorite of mine, and I highly recommend them for beginning gardeners.  

 Day lilies are EASY....they will grow in full sun, part sun, part shade, even shade...and they thrive in any soil type.  Here in Southern Michigan, they grow wild on roadsides.  We affectionately call them, "Ditch Lilies". Day lilies are beautiful from spring until fall.  They are some of the first to pop up in the spring, turn into beautiful flowing green foliage and then burst into a variety of bright colors.  They compliment other perennials and annuals whether they are blooming or not.

 Day lilies are often FREE.  They propagate and need to be split up every few years.  This is good news because all you need is a friend with a beautiful day lily plant and chances are they will be happy to share a "chunk" with you.  Dividing day lilies is good for them, you can't hurt them....they are TOUGH!

  

I have two rows of day lilies (above photo) in my garden to share with my children when they buy homes of their own.  The day lilies (pictured below) are from my mother.

Day lilies give us so much joy!  

Hope yours do too!

Im an artist, Kcin Point (case & point)

Throughout our friendship, Nick (aka KCIN) has amazed me through all of the faces that he has transferred onto paper. I had seen a collection of portraits that he had done of some female friends of his and instantly knew that he had to whip up a portrait of myself. At first when I looked at the portraits, I thought "wow he really can capture every single detail on a persons face".  After I asked what he had used to create my portrait I was so shocked to find out that it was in crayon. Personally, I cant even stay in between the lines when using crayons. Going unnoticed is not an option for Kcin or his art work. Because there is half a country in between us this interview was constructed through Q&A in e-mail form, his character definitely reflects through his responses.

In three words how would you describe yourself?

Haha only three? Full Blown Scorpio, or the ever so artistic, reliable, and outgoing. 6 words and I would use all of them haha. Or conceited, confident, and caring, my three C's

What is your definition of art?

My definition of art would be that I don't have a definition for art. To define something, means to give it meaning, a permanent meaning. Art is too open and free flowing and never ending to actually define you know? How can you put a definition on something that can constantly be changing all the time? Art is whatever you, as an artist or individual want it to be. There are no rules or definitions and never let anyone tell you that, "that isn't art", tell them to fuck off.

Your style is so realistic, what mediums, techniques, or preliminary concepts do use? For those who are still in Art 101, what is the most unique medium that you have ever chosen?

Haha.. sometimes my style is super realistic, other times it is so trippy and out of this world that I'm not even sure how I came up with it when I'm done. Depends on my mood. Usually when drawing realistic photos, I first look for a good reference picture. I guess I'll get into my process here too, kill two birds with one stone. Speaking on stone, I am stoned. Anyways, I'll usually spend some time looking for a good reference photo, mostly females, including you miss cleo, I've captured you on paper the most. Once I find one that peaks my interest I go into this OCD obsessed mode, where all I can see is the finished product in my head then usually start right away on it. Prisma colored pencils have always been my go to medium of choice. I only used to work in black and grey because I loved the way the dark shadows would look on paper. I realized that with color I can achieve a higher lever of realism if I take my time, which I'll admit, I'm really bad at taking my time sometimes haha. Once I select my medium I will line the entire drawing with a micron pen so I have a solid black outline to start. Most of the time I'll free hand my portraits, but if I'm working on more than a couple, I admit to using my light box just so I can line them all faster. Once lined, I start the long, usually 20+ hours of coloring. I usually will get burnt out half way through and have to take a break for a few days. I'll obsess over it not being finished and finally get it done. My only special technique that I use is that I always draw the eyes first and the mouth last. The eyes tell the story, I can't count how many of my drawings have not made it to completion and have only the eyes set. I'd have to say, even though its not very unique, clay was awesome. So many endless possibilities, if you haven't played with clay, I suggest you go get some Sculpy (oven bake clay) and let your imagination run wild.

You are so talented, was there a specific moment that you knew you had artistic talent or has it always just came natural to you?

Thank you.. I wish I could say I was always naturally talented at drawing, but that wasn't the case at all. I would doodle occasionally as a kid, but nothing serious. I never thought about becoming a full time artist up until my senior year of highschool. I had no drawing skills prior to that year. It was my last year and I had no idea what I wanted to do after highschool. That summer I sat down noticing one of my album covers from a cd, HIM (Razor blade Romance to be exact). Any HIM fan will remember that photo of Ville Valo in that fur coat with pink eye shadow. It caught my eye, no pun intended. Anyways, I spent all summer working on a portrait of that, then I ended up finishing it the first week into my senior year. Not trying to brag, but for the first portrait I had ever drawn, it turned out amazing! My art teacher was really impressed so we had a talk about my interest in art school after graduation. I figured I had nothing to lose because besides art class, I hated everything else about highschool. I'm glad I had all of my credits to graduate at that point because I was able to take art class 3 out of 4 hours a day, only having to take one "normal" class every quarter. So once I realized I was going to be spending a lot of time in the art room, I dove right in. I made it an obsession to learn how to draw my pictures as realistic as I possibly could. The work I was handing in at that time was "above and beyond words" my teacher would tell me. I had finally found something that I was good at! The best part about all of it, was that I was only setting myself up to get better and better. That's what really has motivated me to pursue art and all it has to offer.

Most of your work is high contrast either with black & white or with radiant colors. It is easy to stare at your pieces to only get lost in the detail. Does this mastery just come to you or are you influenced by a particular piece of work, artist, or band?

Haha you should get lost in them on a good dose of LSD, am I allowed to say that? I would say the black and white portraits came to me naturally because I'm super observant and I just loved capturing the expressions on people's faces.  I feel like using black and white or even grey, makes it look very powerful. All of my colorful bright radiant things honestly come from past drug use and smoking weed. LSD really changed the way I looked at colors and shapes, that's when I started incorporating a more "trippy-3d" look into my colored pieces. I never have an idea in my head for my colored drawings. I usually will just get high, start drawing, let my mind wander and my hand do all the work.

Now this may not be a favorite topic of yours, but previously you have taken art classes. From what I remember a professor said something specific about the work that you do, could you elaborate on that? Was there anything specific that you took away from art classes, positive or negative?

Hahaha oh gosh, I hate that guy. I remember texting you during class and shit telling you how he was talking shit on my art, he was  giving me the hardest time everyday. Yeah he always said that my drawings were too "stylized" which I kind of understood, but not really. I understood that he wanted to see things on paper represented a certain way, but like, you can't force people to draw a certain way unless you physically draw it for them. My artwork has a very unique style such as, hard lines and dark contrasting colors, but I was graded down because they weren't drawn how he would have drawn them, so that was really frustrating to deal with all the time. As bad as this is gonna sound, I can't say I've taken anything positive away from art school so far. I feel I wasted my money sometimes. I don't know, both schools I went to, no one really cared you know. They all were just there to do there job, collect a check and go home. That's why I dropped out both times, that sounds horrible haha. But there's no point wasting money on something that I wasn't passionate about. But that's just my opinion. I'm not going to go back to school until I know it's exactly what I want to do. Sometimes I felt like I was only going because it's what "I had to do".

Social Media and the World Wide Web have obviously created their own medium, do you use either to display your art?  In an Internet based world do you find it lessons the intentions, or realism of your creations?

Social media has completely taken over the world haha. I mainly will post my artwork on Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook. I feel like it's good and bad sometimes. It's good for promoting and everything.  But I like seeing things live and in person you know? Sometimes I wish the Internet didn't exist at all.

Fashion and Art go hand-n-hand, one encourages the others style.  How would you describe the evolution & correlation of both your work and personal fashion choices?

Haha the more and more I got into art the more I started to care about my appearance and all of that. All of my tattoos have been drawn by me with the exception of one, so that's pretty cool I think. Wearing my own art that I've created on my body. I'm obsessed with tattoos, drawings on your skin, the perfect canvas. I just like to be me you know? Blacks my favorite color, it goes good with everything, paint looks awesome when it accidentally gets dripped and smeared haha. But yeah, art plays a huge roll in all of that for me, like even when I'm wrapping my dread, I'm thinking of different patterns to wrap the hemp, different color schemes, all that.

Being a Mid-West native, how has moving out West affected you as an artist?

I'll be honest, since moving out west my artistic motivation has dwindled down a bit. I think it's because I went from living in Grand Rapids, MI; a town that was all about the arts. I loved it there. You could just smell the oil paints walking outside everyday. It was great. Then I moved back in with my mom and kind of got sucked into a rut. I got diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and that has made it hard to find motivation to do anything lately, let alone draw. I'll usually get a bunch of ideas in my head every couple months or so and have a rebirth so to speak. Lately I've been trying to get back into the flow of things. This interview is definitely motivation for sure.

You currently live with your girlfriend who is also an artist (who also is worthy of her own interview), do you find that you motivate each others artistic style? I visualize you two sitting in your mysterious apartment watching movies or listening to music while sketching and critiquing each others sketch book, is this something that you guys tend to do?

Living with my girlfriend is amazing. I can't say enough, how hard she works and goes out of her way to make me happy and putting everyone else around her first. I'm proud of her and I look up to her for sure. We make art and stuff when we're not being lazy and can drag ourselves out of bed on her days off. Just little projects here and there. We've painted half of our kitchen like a black chalkboard and the other day spent some time making, well she made, I attempted, to make origami haha. I've showed her how to make space paintings and such, but I will try and help her if she asks for it. We both go into our own little art world when we're making art together,  so it's like the music playing and some giggles every now and then. But I wouldn't trade it for the world, it's the best haha.

Do you have any advice for other artist, young or old, advanced or beginner, so on and so forth?

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't draw or that that's not art. You're in charge of what's on the paper. It's your world, take charge of it!