Day 22

Writers Block

... ... ... yep, that’s how I feel... I sit down to write and blog and my mind just sits and scans... I love writing, I love writing well and as I sit down to write, I just stare at the screen fumbling over my words... I feel like they aren’t coming together and blah blah blah... I’ve been between K’s and my house trying to put things together and all I want to do is sit on the couch, watch movies and catch up on sleep... because let’s face it, I have barely closed my eyes in the last few weeks.

I love creating and doing this series... but it is a lot of work, I have my normal life and then add an everyday personal journal of my journey and making things come together over art... I feel like I’m back at college during finals week... I thrive off of it and like the end result of having everyone come together and view what i’ve been doing but I will be so happy to enjoy my b-day month going back to my 1-2 blog updates a week! I know that I am a few days behind now and as I try to catch up, I am still creating and let’s face it, if you are my true friend you know all about Loho time... no matter how much I love you or want to be there right on time, I am always late... I always show up or call but I am forever late... I hate it but this is me, I live in my own world and I don’t mean to be inconsiderate it’s just how my inner clock works. My mind is the same way... what takes an average person to do something times it by 3 and you have me... but when I get there or finish whatever I’m working on... I never disappoint. So as I’m wishing time would stand still for a few days I will continue to push on and I hope you guys can bare with me as I not only catch up but filter through my head. Thank you.

Today:
Song: Just Jack - Writers Block
Quote of the Day: “Things I’d rather be doing right now... You... :)”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Cheese Pizza
Craving: Shepards Pie
Drinking: H2o
Random Fact: I fantasize throughout the whole day... I make up visual stories in my head which makes me get those childish like smiles that stretch to my ears with a hint of evil... because being inner stimulating is fun and the hope that I may one day act out my thoughts is want keeps me going like a bouncy ball!

Day 21

FaceTime

Today was a day of showing face... I like to support the people who support me, and in doing so we show up. Sing for Your Life was down to the final 3 and with T by my side we watched them sing their little hearts out. After hanging out for a hot min, I took T home and jetted out to Marietta to meet up with Killah K and watch the drag show in support of Winter and while I was driving my way up there I reached out to GotYeah to see if she wanted to join in on the entertainment of Lebusted... (Lebuzz) and sure enough she came through. We ended up having a blast being dorks and sharing some good conversation.

At one point in the night someone came up to talk to me... now I try to like everyone but this is somewhat hard to do at times specially when every time I see this person, they get under my skin... the way they talk to me and how I feel like they are always trying to one up me or make me feel as I am not going along on the right path towards my goals and future. I understand that in working for corporate I can gain positives but I also know that I get worked up and stressed out in doing things for other people... and I much rather watch myself and my future grow then help build someone else’s as I work over time, being under paid and under appreciated... for I already have that down. I want to be happy, to surround myself with things that will build me up not knock me down. I love being contracted with people and companies, to build myself and to help others but when I’m at a bar trying to enjoy myself instead of working... please leave me alone... It must be nice to have a life all mapped out and not having to worry about bills but I enjoy my life and I enjoy how I live it... because it’s not about how much money we have or what car I drive and what I plan on doing... It’s about living in the moment, taking the people and situations in and learning from them the best that we can, to have a smile on our face and some pep in our step because nothing is guaranteed and we never know what is going to happen. I take this person as a learning tool... she pushes me, makes me want to punch her in the face at times... and after explaining to her gf that I needed space from her, for I am not a true fan. I understand that she in some facts might be jealous of the fact I’m doing it my way... for we are in the same field of design and I know she likes my work and tells me how talented I am... so thank you for recognizing and thank you for stretching my limits because without people like her, I wouldn’t get the push and pull of life that is needed from time to time.


Today:
Song: Abba - Dancing Queen
Quote of the Day: “I hate it when you have to be nice to someone you really want to Punch in the Face.” -Ecards
Fav Food Consumed Today: Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad
Craving: Milk and Cookies
Drinking: Strongbow
Random Fact: I’m 95% lover and 5% fighter... I love to love but if you cross me or the people I love... I just might surprise you.

Day 20

Play Date

Whoever said don’t play with your food?! Today, I had lots of plans and yet, sometimes things don’t work out the way we envision so we can either wallow or find our next adventure... Being exhausted from work and feeling overly stressed out I came home to take a nap when I got a text from Little Engine saying “Come Over!” So after taking a LoHo min, I got myself together stopped by the liquor store (for you should never go over empty handed)! When I got to C&A’s Underground Layer they had everything pretty much set up, burgers stuffed with pretzel crumbs and sweet potato fries w/ gorgonzola cheese! I brought over some cookies that we never ended up making but it was quite alright because we came up w/ a PB&J Frosty that was sure enough to get anyone HAMMERED! :)

Whenever I find myself over there, sitting around enjoying food, laughing till it hurts and having endless conversations, I feel full, that there is more to life than what is around me. I have always loved sitting around a table and finding out about life. As a kid most nights my family sat down, said grace, and ate together (that is if one of us wasn’t playing sports or going to some sort of practice). I am very grateful that when my dad came home and did his Mr. Roger’s act it was soon followed by us all coming together... It’s a way of getting to know someone, a way of sharing what’s happening and hearing people’s feelings and thoughts about the world around them. For getting to know and hear about someone or the stories they have is an adventure on its own and as for me there can never be to many adventures.

So maybe my day didn’t turn out how it was planned but I got realness, I got to smile, I got to feel whole for a moment and that is worth everything.


Today:
Song: Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
Quote of the Day: “We are always running for the thrill of it.”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Little Engine’s Burgers
Craving: A Fresh Ball of Mozzarella
Drinking: Pear Cider
Random Fact: At the dinner table my Dad was always ask my brother and I about our day as he would tuck us into bed later that night, he would then make up stories featuring Poppy (me) and Katchy (brother) telling us about our day and how much we were loved.

Day 19

Working Together

So I have been commissioned to paint a door for Dave’s Cosmic Subs... Joel (my favorite old man and boss) has given me the opportunity to do something cosmically awesome and my guidelines are only that it represents the rock n roll era, for it will hang from the ceiling in the patio! After looking though and getting some ideas, I plan on incorporating the Beatles Yellow Submarine and Pink Floyd’s pink pig from the cover Animals... I also have ideas of colorful water drops and a few other 60/70‘s graphical ideas but what I can’t wait to do is collaborate with my friend and upcoming artist Katrina!

I met her through LiLo... (her younger sister) who is one amazing illustrating artist, every time I look at her work or drawings I get excited wishing I could come up with the things that she puts down on paper... I love getting together with equally creative people and making things come to life and even though she is young I feel like we can both teach each other a thing or two and have fun while making a cosmically awesome door come to life. I want to see people thrive, to grow specially if I believe in them and I think by reaching out and working with someone who is just as excited as I am will be a great mixture for something cosmically awesome!

Katrina, get ready!


Today:
Song: Bad Company - Shooting Star
Quote of the Day: “Proud to be Fuckin Weird, You Basic Bitches Can Not Compete!”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Coconut Thai Soup
Craving: Pancakes
Drinking: Fresca
Random Fact: When I was in high school, I had an art mentor who pushed me to find my greatness and told me to keep going... to forget about the negative people who said I would never do anything, it was her and the other people in the world that said I couldn’t that made me hungry for the greatness I think I can create.

Day 18

Time Off

The past few days I have wandered off being MIA from the forever whirlwind that I live in and made my way to Killah K’s... I’ve still had to work so I stop in and check on Mr. Squinz but have spent the last four nights out underneath the stars watching movies and working on art/writing...

I love the city, I love what I do... but sometimes it gets heavy and I need to breath... to get away and filter the air... Parts of me loving being out, meeting people, doing it and living it but I also love being a grandpa... I love reading, going through coupons, sitting out by the pool, leaning back and letting the sun beat down on me... I love writing, getting lost in my mind and staring off into space. I love bringing myself around K because we can have conversations for hours or just chill in silence and know that every little thing is ok... I like how we wake up early and watch CNN and find out facts about the world and that the only thing I worry about is what time I have to leave to make it to work... haha... It’s funny, I know I keep talking about her and bringing her up in blog posts and honestly, if we were sexually attracted to one another I think we would have found our match... but I guess that’s were soul friends kick in! Because there is no one better to talk girls with or be 100% yourself and I like that we are so different yet similar... it makes for an interesting duo!

I hope that you can be as lucky, to find people who you connect with and that when you feel overwhelmed or just need an extra smile are there ready for whatever.


Today:
Song: Chlöe Howl - Rumour
Quote of the Day: “And in the middle of my chaos, I found a harbor”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Noche - Trailer Park and Grilled Steak Taco
Craving: Oranges
Drinking: Diet Dr. Pepper
Random Fact: I love water... drinking it, bathing in it, swimming in it, being by it... it brings a sense of calm to my life which is probably why I’ve been finding my way to K’s

Day 17

Purrs N Paws

At the beginning of the month I was contacted asking if I wanted to donate a photo for an Paws N Fur an Animal Rescue Benefit that is happening Sunday March 24 at MSR. I love the animals specially the kitties!!! So, I went in asking what type of photo they wanted me to donate and after hearing they wanted something with animals and preferably with a cat and I scratched the idea of a photo and am doing a 2 graphic print series for the animals!

I think it is important to do something new or at least try when you have the time... so with my new king kitty tattoo I am creating 2 prints based off him and something that I think people would look at everyday and get a kick out of it! My idea, I will have 2 mid-sized prints framed and signed with the first having the phrase “You have me crawling up the walls like a cat in heat.” with kitty claw marks down a wall and small paw print! The second piece will say “King of the Castle” and have my king kitty with a castle in the background. The two original prints will go up for the silent auction which will start at 6pm on the 24th in which I hope they bring in some good money for the benefit. I will also be selling a handful of the 2 prints at my show on April 2 at Cru Urban Lounge, in which anyone that buys a print at $5 I will donate half of it back to the animals! So that way if you can’t make it to MSR you can still help out and get something to take home with you at the same time!

Animals have a way of connecting with us, giving a purpose without even trying... The way they can love you without an ounce of negativity, they put a smile on your face... And as an animal, you know you’re something special when people get down and talk in a cute funny little voice saying how cute and how much they love you. They are our best friends, seeing us at our best and worst... they never judge just love, as you love them back and play with them from time to time, becoming your loyal love. So, of course I want to help out because I know if I didn’t have my little guy, my world would be a little less colorful.

Hope to see you on there on the 24 and then again on April 2nd!


Today:
Song: Miike Snow - Animal
Quote of the Day: “Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened. “ -Anatole France
Fav Food Consumed Today: PB Toast Crunch
Craving: French Toast
Drinking: Pear Juice
Random Fact: As a kid my best friend was my cat name Bullwinkle (aka. Bubby) he would go on adventures w/ me all the time, be there with me as I made forts and played by the river... he got me through a lot of my darkness as a child and was lucky to have him for 16 years of my life... Click here to read more.

Day 16

CirqueDeCabaret

Saturday was full of work and going, going, going... so when I got to Killah K’s Kastle I was ready to crash and just enjoy the weather while cookin up a Grill Master feast... Catching up and having our bro time all I wanted to do was enjoy my food coma and not leave the couch but I had plans to take some photos at Barry Brandon’s, Bedlam’s party CirqueDeCabaret and in showing support and knowing it would be a great time we got ourselves together and headed out.

I’m so glad that I got the energy to enjoy myself because the photos came out amazing... Jungle was full vibrancy and life, color was flying and so were the acts. I was enthralled by the silks and so was Killah K (she even talked and got information on taking classes and took sunday to check it out and is excited to get wrapped up in it)! I love watching and capturing people in their element and this was nothing short of majestic... for I love seeing people fly through the air and make gravity their bitch.

Taking everything in from the people to the color to the moment... to getting up and out of the house to enjoy something different, memorable and fascinating... this is what I live for... because let’s face it I am anything but dull!


Today:
Song: Die Antwoord - I Fink U Freeky
Quote of the Day: “When I get down on my knees it’s not to pray.” - Madonna
Fav Food Consumed Today: Grill Master time w/ K, Bacon stuffed Burgers
Craving: Reese Cup Milkshake
Drinking: Water
Random Fact: Challenge yourself to say Yes, to take a chance and see what happens!

Day 15

Converse

Con-verse - Verb: Engage in conversation.

Today was my day of communication... talking, listening, finding out, sharing and advice... Getting home late from the night before, I didn’t fall asleep till around 4 and then woke up after tossing and turning for 2 hours... I couldn’t take it... my legs were restless and my back was killing w/ pain... I got up and started working on art but by 9am I was so tired that I passed out till I got a call around noon seeing if I wanted to do lunch! So I got up, got going and met Little Engine... she had just gotten good news and was telling me about it when I received a phone call giving me good news and an awesome new job! We both were beaming with happiness and enjoying random conversation while being foodies... It’s nice when you have people in your life that you gel with... where a conversation just flows and you can’t help but get smiles that leave you grinning ear to ear...

I then went to work where everyday is filled with random conversations and everything under the sun is up for subject but recently M-shell and I have been talking about situations and looking beyond the subject at hand... how when something presents itself how I, as a person, can be more responsible and understanding, being truthful not only to the people around me but myself and knowing when to let go and when to fight for something... I like hearing advice from her because she has been through a lot and with her age comes wisdom and knowledge and being young I am all ears, willing to learn the truths and facts.

While in my head reflecting, I got a text from my friend GotYeah saying she was in the area and would love to meet up when I got off work... even though I was exhausted and had a mountain of things to do, I put it on the back burner and chose to go have a drink with her and a few new fabulous gays! I was welcomed with open arms and smiling faces... we spent a lot of time talking about relationships between people and how when you connect with certain souls the energy and vibrancy of life is shown to us. I truly enjoyed sharing stories and how our connections to family, our everyday heros and friends help make us who we are... pushing us, molding us and challenging us. I left feeling alive and at peace, I was inspired and had a kick in my step... for who knows how the people we meet will impact our lives but in the moments that we have them may we enjoy it to the fullest.

From phone calls to text and face to face conversations... it’s all about connecting and letting ourselves be real, to sit down and truly enjoy who is in front of you, to equally listen and share.



Today:
Song: Cherub - Doses and Mimosas
Quote of the Day: “A simple hello, could lead to a million things.”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Holy Taco - Chimichanga and street corn
Craving: Strawberries and Pineapple dipped in Coconut Yogurt
Drinking: Moscow Mule
Random Fact: Sometimes I really hate being ADD... and that it takes me 3 times as long to do something than the average person...

Day 14

Watching It Go

I have always been fascinated by balloons, luck, wishes and being strong when I didn’t see anything around me... I have done a number of projects with balloons for I feel like they symbolize so many things from making wishes and sending them to the great sky above to letting go and watching them disappear... but now I’m watching the process of letting go and moving on...

I have taken 3 red balloons for in life we are usually given 3 chances, 3 wishes and for the fact that I have 3 on my arm symbolizing my family... with that said I have filled them w/ helium, tied a string around them and have attached them to a painters stick and hung them up high so my little man, Squinz can’t get to them... For the next few days I will watch them as they deflate and come back down to the ground... for when life gets the best of us we can start to drift, to go toward the sky but as we gain our consciousness we being to come back down from our high where our feet hit the ground and we rejoin gravity... this is my way back to take the moment to physically watch something come back to where it started and then who knows... maybe I will attach it to a canvas and make something out of it or I will just leave them on their string and painter stick...

And so this is life, and I am forever figuring out how to live it, with all the ups and downs, turns and twists... with the experiences and the people who walk in and out of my life... for I am truly thankful that I feel and for the fact that in loving with all I have and being genuinely interested in finding out about people’s little things makes me who I am.


Today:
Song: Bronze Radio Return - Shake, Shake, Shake
Quote of the Day: “If you’re always trying to get to the top you will never get to the bottom of anything...”
Fav Food Consumed Today: LoHo’s Cornbeef
Craving: Sushi - Philly Roll
Drinking: Vodka Cran Tall w/ Cherries
Random Fact: Nothing will put a smile on your face like doing the twist with a lady in her 50’s... Thank you Johnny's Hideaway!

Day 13

Making Moves

As the last few days... heck the last 2 weeks have had me in the clouds wandering without a place to go and the only thing that I’ve looked at was an empty frame in front of me that I though should be filled with something... only thing, you can’t have anything if you don’t fill it or create it yourself...

This series is turning into something way more personal then I thought it would... not only am I a blender of emotions with everyday life but pulling inspiration to create and to morph something into something new has brought up a lot. It’s like the sea, it is beautiful it’s majestic but has the power to consume us, to swallow us and as grace and beauty shows itself the misfit, chaotic and unknown lie underneath... I thought about throwing my anchor down and trying to stop the roar of the sea but there would be no use because in ruff seas you will just get pulled down further so as I woke up, I decided to find a surf board and go for a ride because yes, I maybe sad but I have the choice to find something else, to be happy... I have to find it myself because any other kind of happy is temporary... So I’m choosing to keep paddling till I catch that wave, that perfect wave where you can ride it, trick it and then sit in the tube gliding your hand up and down catching the saltwater spray on your sunkissed face while your wet hair hits your skin and in that moment I will find that unexplainable happy no matter what is going on in my world, smile or no smile but the feeling inside.

So metaphors aside I got up and decided to make a change and get to my grind, because when I’m moving and doing something there is no time to sit in my head, to feel sorry for myself or to dwell on what has happened to me being the past and/or present... I started booking myself, sending out emails and personal messages and will now be shooting March 20th at the Drunken Unicorn for VYIE, I got commissioned to paint a piece in which I will be asking another upcoming artist to help me out on, will be hitting up a few events this weekend and surprisingly, got a random call from an agency asking about a shoot for a big time corporate client and if everything goes as planned (I will know by next week) all I have to say is, I will never want to grow up! I also then received a text asking if I would be interested in shooting some stills and behind the scenes shots for a video that is being shot this weekend... I find it funny, I can go awhile with what seems like a strike out and then all of a sudden I got the perfect pitch and I feel like I’m about to hit a grand slam just as long as I stay on track...

I guess it’s true what they say... you need the bumps so that when something good grabs you by the hand you can enjoy the ride for I know what it’s like to be in quicksand only wanting to sink and let go. Thanks Karma... You're not always bad.


Today:
Song: Long Live KoKo - Float
Quote of the Day: “Soulshine is better than Sunshine...”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Flip Burger Nutella Burnt Marshmallow Shake
Craving: Scrambled Eggs
Drinking: H2o
Random Fact: I grew up on the beach... Living in ATL is nice but I miss the water, waves and saltwater air...

Day 12

For My Killah K

Recently one of my best friends just bought a house and as I helped wipe down, puddy, prime and stocked her cabinets with a few essentials I came to her with a house warming idea. I love my friends specially my close ones and if you happen to have me on your side... I will not only have your back like my favorite sweater but I will want to make your world pretty by creating things around you.

I wanted to make her a piece for her house, something that when she looked at it she would not only said “hey, Lo made this for me.” but also, “damn this is totally me.” and I’m hoping I can do just that... A few days ago I started a mixed mediums piece for the one and only Killah K. I am taking somewhere around 500 army men if not more and molding them together through a mixture of plaster, paper and hot glue... it is my idea that by using textures and familiar pieces that I can create something beautiful, I then plan to cover the canvas as one color bringing the focus to the art itself and then to the objects that lie down...

I’m creating this for her because she is one of the most amazing individuals I have ever met... as kids our stories relate but then as an adult who signed up and went over seas her courage and manhandle is jaw dropping... I am very blessed to have her in my life and to know some of the things that she has been through let alone come back from making her more than a stand up person and friend. A true SoulFriend.


Today:
Song: Fuel - Shimmer
Quote of the Day: “We don’t meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason.”
Fav Food Consumed Today: M&M cookie
Craving: Bananas dipped in PB
Drinking: Diet Coke
Random Fact: Relationships will shine and fade but the best ones are the ones that when you think they’ve faded show up to be the most vibrant...

Day 11

Never Never Forever

Sweet little Peter back to the window for another beautiful adventure...

And today, I step away from art to tell you a little bit of the way I think when it comes to women... Yes, I believe in fairytales like some people believe you must have oxygen to breathe... I do however understand you must work for them and that they do not turn out like disney movies because lets face it... in this world there is more reality and harshness and to illustrate that for a small child just may crush their dreams or become overwhelming, skyrocketing prescriptions of xanax...

Since I was a little kid I always loved Peter Pan... Hell, I thought I was him... he flew around, children loved him, he handed out inspiration and the sunshine of life to the misfit boys, he made everyone happy except for the mean old Hook... And when played in Playhouses around the world he was mostly played by females, giving my boygirl-self hope for pretty girls and my theory for my Peter lifestyle.

I look at the world through a kaleidoscope, that the world is a playground and we can do anything with a little imagination, positive thinking and a little magic of hard work. I love women, the way they move, how they speak, how their hair falls in their face and how when they walk into a room true beauty brings a sweet sweet smell of there own scent of Channel No. 5. As I look, as I take them in and burn their image into the back of my head, I can’t help but fathom adventures I want to take them on and how I want to bring them to a world of ecstasy, showing them and treating them in ways they’ve never imagined... But like a child, I fall hard... I give all that I have and put everything out there with enthusiasm, not seeing the black ice in front of me... not realizing if they truly want the adventure.

I have said that I am on my journey to find my Wendy but after thinking about it... Wendy always goes back to the window leaving Peter selfless and forever young for he took her back. I believe for the women that have been in my life I have come to their life trying to find my shadow and I find them, I give them a taste of fairy dust and tell them that they can come with me to a land of fun and free, that all they have to do is take my hand and have a little faith... I open the doors to wonder for I look at the world with different eyes and I excite the unknown... I avoid sticky situations, I hate fighting and complicating things, I tell you how it is for I myself, hate games... I have a feeling that after awhile this scares people, that they either think this is a scam or they are waiting for my tables to turn or they themselves are just not ready for the adventure... i’m not 100% sure and I hate to think I run them away but I know that our stories have come to an end that they have asked me to fly them back to their window and in only wanting happiness for the beautiful souls that have given me a chance... I fly them back and wish them well... Flying back from time to time reminding you of a fairytale and being one of your best friends but never good enough to adventure on with... for they want to grow up while I live in my own world... And that I will never change.

So, as I could write a book on this theory and tell you the stories of my short lived fairytales I will leave you with this: Maybe I don’t want Wendy... maybe I want a women that I have no idea what their name is... and I will continue to fly around till I find her for when I do not only will my world shine but so will hers.

“You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you. That’s where I’ll be waiting.”

Today:
Song: Lumineers: Stubborn Love
Quote of the Day: “One day, you’ll be just a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one.”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Turkey Jalapeno Sandwich
Craving: Strawberry Milk
Drinking: Lemonade
Random Fact: I know my worth...

Day 10

Karma's Imperfections

The only thing that kept me afloat today was the constant playback of the night before as Carmellow, Little Engine and I ran around a playground at 3/4am swinging, laughing and talking in British accents for today was anything but easy on me... really hard and to be completely honest when days like this happen even the sun can't bring in the light... I tried to get out of my house and be social but in going to brunch i couldn't even get that right because after waiting for who knows how long, I left breakfastless and unsatisfied... not to mention the damn time change and feeling like I got hit by a truck and the cloud that I’m in even though I try to wear a mask so everyone looking in thinks that my life is all fun fabulous!...

Anyway, I was suppose to have a big shoot, which I would have loved in my portfolio but in with being a freelancer nothing is guaranteed, a job can be taken away just as fast as it is given to you which is why we write contracts but when things don’t get finalized or things don’t get taken care of face to face my normal nonrefundable fees can't be applied even though they cancelled at 2am two days before the shoot saying someone wanted to do it for free as a gift... Leaving me with my Sunday open and pockets empty... Seriously, mess with me and my money... Karma, Karma, Karma... I don’t get it... I am more than disappointed because it just shows how people will waste your time and take the easier route being that they want to save money and don't care about their word... Because trust me I would have loved to cancel shoots or other events so I could do something else but my ethic and work morals kicked in and honestly I wish I didn't have them because I would have a lot more cool experiences... I swear karma... WTF, kicking in when you do... but then again it will never kick in, in the moments we want it to...

So... I got lost and walked the aisles of Walmart and then stared at the canvas that holds a darkness over me and started to paint trying to find a light in the darkness...


Today:
Song: Asa - The Way I Feel
Quote of the Day: “Keep smiling and one day life will get tired of upsetting you.”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Caesar Wrap
Craving: Egg Scramble w/ Spinach and Portabellas
Drinking: Water w/ Lemon
Random Fact: We all get tired... We all get hurt... We all get overwhelmed and trying to find balance can be a puzzle in itself... So, we must remember when the sunrises it is a new day

Day 9

BlockParty

My life moving at what seems like lightning speed... things being given and taken away from me, I needed to take a break from running and who better to do that with then w my artist and foodie friend Little Engine?! Ever since we met almost a year ago we could both could sit, view the world, have conversations on color and type then turn to the kitchen and create something just as tasty, being the dorks we are! It’s a fun, carefree and refreshing relationship... So, after work I picked her up and we went over to EAV where we walked through the market then up and down Flat Shoals looking at all the vendors taking ideas and viewing the creative.

Not eating lunch and both of us needing something to hold us over till dinner we stopped in for old fashioned ice cream, taste testing and laughing till our hearts contentment filled w/ sugar... After walking around for a bit more I went to drop her off when her and her gf asked me to stay for dinner so I pulled up a chair and we spent half of the night swapping stories over drinks and good food... I love when you can get lost in the moment and take in what is around you... to take time to hear the stories that make us, us, how we became who we are and where we came from... I know people have walls but when you can take them down and share yourself you give the opportunity to move yourself and connect with people on another level... And for someone like me who wears their heart on their sleeve it’s nice to connect with other people.


Today:
Song: Zedd: Spectrum
Quote of the Day: “She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that’s important.” -Marilyn Monroe
Fav Food Consumed Today: Color Cluster Ice cream
Craving: Lasagna
Drinking: Cider
Random Fact: Having my heart on my sleeve is both a gift and a curse... For I love with everything I have and getting hurt is inevitable...

Day 8

Spostamento Buio - Shifting Darkness

The day I was moving out of the dorms my freshman year of college I walked by the trash hall, there was boxes upon boxes, there was art supplies and what seemed like mountains of treasures that could be made into something awesome yet everyone was moving and needed to get the clutter out and with that, I took it in... One item in particular... a 5ft by 5ft canvas and ever since that day I have carried it with me being a staple piece in my life.

When I took the canvas it had a stick figure and a car water colored on it with 3 stab marks from a samurai sword, at the time my girlfriend and I wrote hidden messages/jokes on it and covered it in red paint... As years went on and through moves and new relationships it traveled with me but after breaking up with someone they took a knife to my art and with this piece they not only carved into my wall but created 2 elongated cuts in the canvas... giving it negative energy, 3 year ago I took it off the wall and started over painting it white and stitching it back up, by stuffing the marks with translucent purple cellophane and red embroidery string making it into a yin yang piece taking all the good and bad things that had ever been said to me or physically done to me and wrote it on the canvas.

For almost a year in a half I have had fabric draped over it for it has been to painful to look at even though there are a lot of good things there is a lot of darkness and my true self on it which is hard to process since I like to displace my pain... because honestly the pain I have could swallow a sea... and no one wants to see that... But like I have said as an artist you pull inspiration through everything and some of the best things ever created have been through the darkest times... But I want to take the fabric down and take this canvas to the next stage... I want to show what I have moved onto because as time moves on so do the feelings that were once left behind... And as this canvas has been there, has seen the truth of me and my life... I will continue to be truthful to it, forever morphing into something new hoping to find the beauty in the darkness... So today I take away a part of my mask as I move on from the hate and pain that has left marks on my life much like this canvas.


Today:
Song: Daughter: Landfill
Quote of the Day: “You will never influence the world by trying to be like it”
Fav Food Consumed Today: Pub Dog at Elliott Street
Craving: Apples dipped in yogurt
Drinking: Moscow Mule
Random Fact: I love British accents but someone who can’t use their indoor voice while explaining their life story of fb should really get a hello kitty clue that no one cares... even if you’re hot.

Day 7

Repetition

Repetition: The act or process or an instance of repeating or being repeated.

Repeat, repeat, repeat... Not only can this bring a sense of calm but it can also drive us up a wall... giving us emotion... which is the whole point of art, or so I think. In college and I guess throughout school I was taught that using repetition in a design could bring a piece together, could bring it unity... heck by using repetition you could actually create a whole piece from the same object, feature, or word over and over again.

For instance Fuck YEAH! ... Fuck YEAH, Fuck YEAH, Fuck YEAH! See you got excited... almost like a football or basketball game it brings emotion, it pumps you up! Now take it and think of a hot porn or of fucking the shit out of someone... Fuck YEAH, Fuck YEAH, Fuck YEAH! Now you’re either turned on or find me to be perverted... which, I mostly am. Anyway, the main thing is, is repetition invokes something in us.

So wanting to use repetition in a piece, I have purchased around 500 army men (for a project that I will soon be talking in more depth about) in which I plan to use creating with mixed mediums. Ready, set, let’s Go!



Today:
Song: M.I.A. : Bad Girls
Quote of the Day: “You're mind is working at its best when you're being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity.” -Banksy
Fav Food Consumed Today: Lo Mein
Craving: Pancakes
Drinking: Water
Random Fact: ...I really dislike people sometimes... because I get that we need to put ourselves first and it sucks having to let someone down or hurt their feelings but there is also a thing called common courtesy... if you know something, don’t waist someone’s time and make them think other wise...

Day 6

My Oh My

Music is art... art is music... these two things go hand in hand. Without them my world would come to a halt.

The other day I was surfing through fb and I came across Terminal West’s lineup and as I saw who was playing I clicked over to youtube and fell in love with Tristan Prettyman. Her voice, her lyrics and her long dark hair swooned me. Not only wanting a mid-week adventure but after finding out that her featuring band was Anya Marina (which I get turned on every time I hear her version of TI’s song) I had to see her. So after finding out how much the tickets were, I hopscotched the idea of bringing my camera and persuaded LiLo to go with me, I called TW and had them hold me 2 tickets!

I love shooting artists, or should I say people in their element... a place where they excel, a place where their confidence shines through and they are completely themselves doing what they love, as I do what I love. With lights shining down on them and me figuring out how to use it to my advantage so I don’t have to use a flash. I feel as though I am truly capturing a pure moment in time... it’s not posed, it’s not fake... it’s real. While everyone takes in the music, I take in the moment not only through the camera but through my eyes...

I have shot many amazing artists and people, it’s funny how you meet someone you’ve looked at in magazines or watched on tv because when you get up close and personal with them you find out that they are just like everyone else... some are nice, some are funny, some are kind and then there are the assholes or raging cunts with pompous attitudes because they somehow think that because they get to do what they love and that people know who they are they deserve to be treated differently and seriously unless you are the Queen of all the land, royalty or my one day wife, then I’m not bowing down to you or your cockiness.

All in all, I’m glad I went. I got some really awesome shots, heard two beautiful women sing and I figured out where all the other Lesbians who I never run into go out... to a concert that is fit for a wedding serenade the only thing that could have made this better is if The Civil Wars and City of Colour magically showed up.


Today:
Song: Anya Marina: Whatever You Like
Quote of the Day: "I think I kinda just want your kiss, just for the thrill and just maybe to miss." -Tristan Prettyman
Fav Food Consumed Today: Strawberries
Craving: Chocolate Milk
Drinking: Moscow Mules
Random Fact: I highly dislike the taste of beer... if I’m going to waste my calories and elevated sugar levels I’m going to do it over something worth while such as doughnuts or hard liquor... but I will say I liked the Moscow Mule!

Day 5

Try to Stop Art

As I stopped at my fav spot to shoot a few hoops (way to windy, but oh so nice out), I ran into this stop sign and it made me think about a time in class where my teacher asked us what would happen if all of us artists stopped creating... what would the world do, how would the world look?!

If we look at art as the way of life stopping it or refusing to create for a day or letting it be produced... there would be no advertising... no tv, no music, no dancing, no pretty flowers to buy that someone, no culinary creations, no logos or store fronts, no pretty little signs, the color of the world would go dull the taste of the world bland... Most people when looking around at their everyday don’t realize that art is all around them. That everything was once created, whether it was a creative action or not is up for judgement but all in all the thought and execution had to take place and for me the act of art is taking anything and making it come to life in someway, invoking some sort of emotion.

Which is why I find it funny... the people who color this world are the ones that are usually under looked, under paid and taken advantage of... we are always asked for discounts or can we make a deal... Sure, when I can get those free stocks and bonds, financial advice, dinner on the house then maybe I can give you a free photo shoot or create your press kit. Now don’t get me wrong I love helping out and supporting things I believe in such as local non-profit org. but I’m to the point were free or it can help your portfolio is a joke at the same time though I’m flattered they like my work...

I for one, won’t stop art... You couldn’t pay me but just think about a world without it’s color, a heart without its beat... Art creates so much around us and brings us all emotions, to stop it would be stopping the world we live in.


Today:
Song: Tristan Prettyman - My Oh My
Quote of the Day: “Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity.” -Coco Chanel
Fav Food Consumed Today: Lo’s HotDog special (Japs, bp, pickles, k, m, hot sauce, horsey, cheese - baked)
Craving: Mac n Cheese
Drinking: Rx Energy Arizona
Random Fact: I am not the F word... I am not for FREE... but thanks :)

Day 4

The Art of Friendship

Sleep is beautiful but here lately I can’t sleep for more than 4 hours consistently... who knows if it’s my past creeping its way into my head or if I’m just stressed or what is going on... I feel tired and would love to spend a whole day in bed catching up which is probably why I’ve caught myself taking cat naps the past 2 days but still not a full 8 or even 6 hours of sleep... So after waking up with the sun from tossing and turning all night and staring at the walls in front of me I got up and as I started making my way to K’s house I pulled off and found a kiddie adventure of a quarter slot carousel and being 8am no one was around so why not take a ride... because let’s face it who’s going to stop me?! I like finding my thrills and even if things are cloudy in my head there is always room to find happy. After my min or so joy ride I made it to K’s where I spent the first part of my morning listening to music surfing blogs and catching up on worldly events thanks to Morning Express w/ Robin Meade which K and I swooned over before sitting out on the back porch letting the sun beat down on us, taking fresh air in and sitting talking about everything under the sun.

Once stepping back inside I decided to take this day to me and do me even though I could have made a list of things to do. But we sat back drifted away from the world and watched a handful of movies, taking a vegout day only getting up to go to the store to buy a armful of drinks and hit up the drive thru at Steak N Shake all while blaring Joan Jet! Hahaha, Bro day’s... a day of rest, a day to let everything go and enjoy what is in front of you or just drift away into our own world were just being in a room with your best friend turns into the best day given to you. Because sometimes, it’s not about the adventure and what you have done it’s about who you spend it with and how they make you feel.

So maybe today wasn’t full of art but the art of friendship...


Today:
Song: Joan Jet - Bad Reputation
Quote of the Day: “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” - Dr. Seuss
Fav Food Consumed Today: Jalapeno Crunch Burger
Craving: Popsicles
Drinking: Diet Dr. Pepper
Random Fact: Find the people that make you happy and surround yourself with them... not only will you have a smile on my face but one that shines through you.

Day 3

Mixed Affairs

Last weekend I hit up the High Museum, I renewed my membership and wanted to get some inspiration for my brain... As I walked through I was enthralled... I don’t care if you see a piece 100 times, if you’re interested in it there’s always a way to view the piece in a new way and find something you haven’t noticed before... to connect with it in a different way... It had been awhile since I had been and viewing the newer exhibits made my wheels start turning from Frida to Thornton Dial. I couldn’t help but get ideas... Thornton is more of a Folk artist using materials around him and as I viewed his work I wanted to try something. He had this one piece (Green Pastures, pictured below) that had rags on a wire resembling birds... I stared at a lot of his pieces but I think in that moment I took this one in the most. To me there has always been something romantic, free and symbolic of birds and I wanted to create my own mixed piece so I started painting, cutting, pasting, hammering, sewing and getting my hands dirty.

I created a small cityscape using pages from a dictionary and built up layers of paint and sewing another scape onto of the newsprint. I am now working on the birds that will hang from a hemp wire tied off at the nails I hammered into the sides... part of me wants to make this a revolving piece that you view from all sides... because another piece that I connected with was a 3D structure showing a beautiful front view from the outside but as you walked around the piece there was destruction and darkness behind the walls which as much as I want to say everything in life is beautiful the truth is, it’s not and we all have our darkness that hides behind our own walls. So as I continue with this piece I will update you and show you the final product.

Thornton Dial - Hard Truths - Green Pastures

Today:
Song: Rihanna Feat. Future - Loveeee Song
Quote of the Day: "All truth is hard truth. We’re in the darkness now, and we got to accept the hard truth to bring on the light. You can hide the truth, but you can’t get rid of it. When truth come out in the light, we get the beauty of the world." -Thornton Dial
Fav Food Consumed Today: Chicken Biscuit
Craving: Steak n Potatoes
Drinking: Ice water w/ lemon
Random Fact: All those times where you see something that you like and think “I can make that...” I’m doing that I’m making someones idea my own with my own interpretations.

Day 2

Drawn On

As I was scattering around trying to put things together for Shaun's benefit I got sidetracked by the world around me... With little to barely any sleep and needing to stay on track I refocused after work by going and grabbing my stuff and making my way to Killah K’s Kastle... I love how it can be the most chaotic day or vise versa and just by walking through the door to her house I can decompress and feel at ease.

During our bro time I asked her to create some magic on my body to make myself fit the part... only getting my back, shoulders and half sleeve done we hopped in her small monster truck and made our way to the bar. Once inside we set up shop in the back room with the pool tables and people started coming around to see what was going on, I began to hand out markers/sharpies and told people to go at it! At some point T came and said “Loho, where’s my face?!” I incorporated her right along with her FUCT motto! I loved how not only I got to draw little jellies up and down my arms but I had everyone around me adding a little something... in art I think that adding people’s touches and letting people participate brings in the fun and art itself... I like getting people involved and making them apart of a piece... even if it does wash off after a few hours and a good scrub in the tub!


Today:
Song: Rihanna - Stay
Quote of the Day: “The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.” -Ernest Hemingway
Fav Food Consumed Today: Asiago Bagel
Craving: Wings
Drinking: Glacier Freeze Gatorade
Random Fact: I love exciting people, inspiring them, making them interested and getting them involved...

Day 1

Starter Kick

Starting a new series is always a little nerve racking because you have an idea but not all the pieces. I get excited and turn in every direction looking to get something out of everything while having nothing... much like in life...

Right now, I know of three pieces that I want to breath to life as of this moment and I can't help but get my living room cluttered with all my materials... If I had people over I'm sure it would be a tripping disaster, I mean Mr. Squinz, my cat can barely move without jumping from spot to spot and then I yell at him for sitting on something that I consider to be important... (Sorry little man)...

As an artist not only is my mind a cluster-fuck or rarely organized but so is my life and how I live... I mean, I would love to live in a beautiful home designed head to toe right off the pages of architectural digest and my pinterest board all while having a connecting studio where my mind could design the chaos but until I strike gold or win the lottery the chances of this are very slim...

Anyway main thing is I have started to dabble, to create something and hopefully tomorrow I can show you something worth looking at instead of a pile of materials and my messy mind...


Today:
Song: Cazzette - Beam Me Up
Quote of the Day: “I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” - Van Gogh
Fav Food Consumed Today: Pizzeria Venti Bocce Balls
Craving: Lo Mein
Drinking: H2o w/ lemons
Random Fact: I like to eat, eat, eat Apples and Bananas!

LoHoMatic Month of March

30 Days 30 Photos Following the Artist, Writer, Dork...

A month behind planned and I honestly could have skipped another one and started back up in April, but in saying that I want to do something why not try to stick to it and say I’m doing what I said I wanted to do... even if I am on Loho-time... :)

As fun as my last series was with Dante, it was a bit overwhelming... not the project itself because I took my photo everyday but with everything that was happening behind the scenes in which I somewhat wrote about (my hard drive crashing and finding myself getting lost) but I also had hidden monsters... My mom ended up in the hospital on 2 occasions... and with exhaustion as well as over working myself, the day after my show, I checked myself into the hospital for severe dehydration and diabetic complications, which added up I can see why I was finding myself in a cloud... But now after finding a way to get back on track, I have to say now is a good time to follow myself and my journey as an Artist, Writer and all around Dork!

Most of you know me as LoHo the photographer the one who is always out on the town doing something and trust me, I love it, but I promise you there is more to me than what meets the eye and I want to share it with you. For I have a number of projects that I am working on and a photo shoot or two set up! So, this go around I will be taking you on my everyday journey of getting my jobs, how I execute my creative, how I come up with ideas, how I deal with clients and how I manage all this as well as a social life...

This go around will be a little different, I will continue with the 30 Days 30 Photos in which I update you daily and will have the LohoMatic posters but I will be mainly be focusing on the art itself. So what you will be seeing on Tues. April 2nd showing at Cru Urban Lounge is all the pieces and ideas that I have pumped to life and created during this month! As of now I have 3 big mixed medium pieces in the works as well as ideas that haven’t even formed yet... So get ready for the ride of March, I’ve been finding my happy and in doing so I am swimming in inspirational gold!

I hope the window I give you let’s you see that being an artist is a full time job and I work my ass off to try and be who I want to be... ME!

Quote of the Day:
"Would you like an Adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?!" -Peter Pan