Macon Film Festival - Macon, GA

www.maconfilmfestival.com

I went out to Macon and volunteered for their 8th Annual Film Festival. I decided to volunteer for this on a total whim. Truth be told, I almost flaked out at the last minute, but the chance to get out of Atlanta and breathe some different air coupled with the possibility of being able to see some dope indie films weighed out laziness and I hopped on the road with a friend and did the damn thing. And I'm sooooooooo glad I did!! I met some cool people and saw a couple really great films. And I would volunteer again next year in a heartbeat!! I've gotta find a reason to head back out there sooner than next year though.

I can be very social and personable (at times), but I really don't enjoy it. I'm okay at parties, but it's way more enjoyable to me to sit back in a group of about 5 and kick it lowkey. I like to sit in the back of places where I can see everybody, but they can't see me. I think I do a pretty decent job at turning on the personality when I have to. Inside, I'm grueling though. The inner me is yelling at myself and calling me out for being a poser. "Show your true colors, Self!! Let them see the Darkness!!" Smh. We all have it in us. Some people's Darkness is just louder than others'. Mine can get very loud, but this dream in my heart is keeping an abundance of Light around me. As a result, it's getting easier to ignore the Darkness (images coming soon). Paranoid, much? Haha! I digress...

Downtown Macon is a really dope area. There's a bunch of alleyways that connect all the streets. Old brick buildings and whatnot. You can tell there's a lot of history in the town just by looking at the buildings downtown. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't more lively. There are quite a few buildings that are boarded up, but they are building down there. And the locals were very vocal and very excited about sharing the progress that has been made down there. It was very beautiful to see.

Here are just a couple of images of the area. I might post more later. I need to.

HIATUS

I need to do better about these long stints in between posts on here. I've been producing some pretty dope images I'm excited to share. Working on the site too. More content, better flow. Yadda yadda.

BOSCO/BOYKINS - 10/24/12 - The Five Spot, Atlanta, GA

BOSCO
This show was sick! First of all, there were two other performers there, but I only caught the second half of Micah Freeman's performance. I have seen him mentioned in the twitter world, but I hadn't heard anything by him. What i did manage to catch was pretty solid. He reminded me of a young Ryan Leslie. I think with a little more development and a small budget, this kid could put on a hell of a SHOW! I would be excited to see that. He definitely has a future in the game if he sticks to it though.

On to the meat... I heard about Brittany Bosco some years ago trolling the web for new music. I followed her when I joined twitter mainly because she was a local ATL artist and i wanted to get plugged into some good local music. What better way than through other dope local artists? I kept meaning to catch one of her shows, but i was never able to. I went to the 1st CMYK show she put together and she did a quick impromptu lil something, but it wasn't really enough to get any idea of her artistry.

This Boykins show was my first "real" Bosco experience and all I can say is O-M-G!!!! A-fucking-MAZING!!!! She steps on the stage and draws you in almost immediately. Her voice emotes the way a raspy voiced rocker's would, but hers is not raspy at all. In total contrast, the tone of her sound is buttery and smooth. Sultry. Even when she screams! She oozes sensuality. Watching her move around the stage was like watching someone try on a glove that was made specifically for their hand. It goes on easily. It fits perfectly. They make a fist and the glove becomes one with their hand. You watch her move around the stage and you know that's where she belongs. I feel privileged to have been able to experience her performance. I wanted  want more!!! I will be sure to keep an eye out for more BOSCO shows in the future.

BOYKINS
Wow!! What a showman!! Not a dry panty in the house. *mental note* This is a great date show!! Jesse does all the work for you. All you have to do is get to the bedroom and take it on home!! His voice was just as smooth and soulful as it is on his albums. His slim frame was topped with a head of wild natural hair that he used as a prop throughout his performance. Ladies love that long natural hair. Made clear by the (many) screeches throughout the audience every time he pulled at his tresses dramatically.

Whereas Bosco's performance felt very much like she was inviting you into her world, Boykins' performance felt more like he was coming to party with you. He made a lot of eye contact with the crowd. He scanned the audience wanting to make sure he knew who was there. He reached out and interacted with the audience several times throughout his performance. And the predominately female audience loved every second of it!

It was a pleasure and a treat to be able to catch both of these amazing artists. I left wanting more from both and am excited to see what the new year holds creatively for both of them.

BACK!! :-D

WOOOOOOOO!!!!! It's been too too too too too long!!! I gotta get better at being more consistent with this. And so it shall be!! Some new new...

Atlanta's Prison Farm

Finding the beauty in the dilapidation of a structure like this is the same feeling that comes from finishing a puzzle. 


She doesn't understand. 


She says, "They should be black and white. They would look better." 


Would they? Why? 


Why do people always want to suck the color out of decay? The color is where the beauty is!!! The paint peeling off the walls, the dirt on the floor, the rust on the bars, the white light peering in from the windows all create a masterpiece I am humbled to be fortunate enough to have been able to capture. Beauty is everywhere! You just have to be open to seeing it. 


Shalom!


-@-


more from the Prison Farm...

4/20 tribute: "Clarity" by ari the photog

We all have those demons in our head. The little voice that tricks you into thinking you're not good enough... sometimes all it takes is a little bit of smoke to rise above those demons, find peace and stay on the path to righteousness.

Here I present to you: "CLARITY"

Hope you enjoy.

~@~

"art inspired by art and Light"

A close friend recently introduced me to the work of visual artist Dawn Okoro (www.dawnokoro.com|@dawnokoro). This painting called "Turned Away" was one of my friend's favorites. Mine as well. I purchased a glicee print (#3 of 15) as a gift for my friend, but wanted to create a piece in my own medium for myself as a keepsake. I took several shots of the print in the streets of Atlanta which can be seen on my tumblr photo sample page: www.arithephotog.tumblr.com.

This particular shot, however, I feel best represents the light, energy, inspiration and delicate beauty embodied by the piece as well as both of these very special women.

Hope you enjoy.

-@-