A Holga Story Vol. 2

Hello Again!

Back again to bring you Holga Vol. 2! I discovered 3 undeveloped rolls and had to share. Don’t you just love my Lucy?!

Amoureuse.co

New project alert!

Hello everyone!

Back from a long hiatus to bring you my new online store. I would like to share a piece of myself with the world and this is my dream come true!

amoureuse.co

Here I share my holga and micro photographs that really capture my vision and show who I am as an artist. If you like some of my early work and you’d like to support a budding artist, please stop by and see what you like. I am still working on the store and pricing but I am open to all suggestions and critiques.

Thanks for your support!

Amoureuse

I’m back I guess…

I feel the creative juices flowing again. More to follow…

The new Anthem for People like Us

Here’s a great song by Kelly Clarkson which I think is the new anthem for the strange, weird, and misfit in all over us. It’s a great fun, uplifting song with a kill beat. Enjoy!

 

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

Hope Blooms with just a little bit of Sunlight

I will admit that I have been having a hard time these days. This middle stage between adolescence and adulthood, college and real life; it is full of stress, uncertainty, and loneliness. At least for me. Then, spring welcomed in a new sense of possibility and positivity. In a moment when I needed it most, at my lowest point I found hope. I went for a walk; I needed to reexamine my world. As I looked around, the beauty of springtime shined all around me. With the sun bright and the skies blue, I was awakened. The flowers, they gave me hope. They reminded me that everything blooms with time. As the seasons change, life brings new opportunities and and a renewed faith in possibility. As the sun warmed my skin, I knew that I, too, would grow in the sunlight.

 

As I walked, my spirits rising with each step, a song came on my iPod that seemed to voice this new hope that sprung up inside me. Florence seems to always have the right words to help me find my way. I hope you find what you’re looking for in life. And if you find yourself in the dark grasping for answers, remember that in every pit of darkness, there is hope. And it is always shining on you like the springtime sun on the flowers that bloom each year.

“It’s always darkest before dawn”.

Namasté

A Winter Night’s Dream

As we say goodbye to this LONG winter, a winter night’s dream…

I will love you, again

The Thing Is

 

to love life, to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you’ve held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
your throat filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
you think, How can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you, again.

~Ellen Bass

Cool People: Blu Noise

During the my year in LA, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful person and dear friend, Ziion. He is a talented musician who recently started a band, Blu Noise! The members come from very different musical backgrounds and each came to Los Angeles to attend the Musicians Institute. They come together to create a very unique sound and are experiencing great success in their short time together.  It is my pleasure to introduce them to the world of Unexpected Magick, so that you all can say you knew them when it all started! So Ladies and Gentlemen, the next big thing in Music: BLU NOISE!!!

*Unexpected Magick: SO first question, Who are you? !

Ziion: I am an openly gay singer from San Diego, Ca. I grew up singing at church. I moved to LA two years ago to pursue a career in music. 

Leland: I’m from Sitka, Alaska. I picked up the drums after playing trumpet in high school. I moved to LA a year and a half ago to attend Musician’s Institute. 

Matt: I’m from Tacoma, Washington. I came to Musician’s Institute a year and a half ago. I started playing guitar when I was thirteen, to get girls LOL

Caroline: HI! I’m from Baltimore Maryland. I moved to LA 3 months ago to come to Musicians Institute. I started playing bass when I was 14. I played upright bass in middle school. 

*Unexpected Magick: What kind of music do you make? Why?

We play a mix of R&B, Rock, and Soul. Ziion is a soul, R&B singer, Matt comes from a Metal back ground, Caroline and Leland come from a more Punk background. We combined our styles and influences to create a new sound. Our goal is to cross planes with our sound and have people that like Rock, Pop, Soul, and R&B music come together for some Blu Noise.

*Unexpected Magick: Who inspires you? Artists/bands? Why?

We all have different inspirations. Prince, Beyonce, James Jamerson, Death from above 1979, Periphy, Autograph, Green Day, and Blink 182.  When we play, the biggest rush is seeing people grooving and loving our music. It makes us want to work harder.

*Unexpected Magick:What kind of image do you want to put out to the world? What do you stand for?

Our image is eclectic. We are so diverse, we stand out in a crowd. We don’t only stand for the rights of the LGBT community but for all people. Our aim is to ignite a spark in the voice of the voiceless, enlighten minds, and open hearts. We want each of our personal styles to stand out. The funny thing is it all works.

*Unexpected Magick: What’s your inspiration? Where do you draw from?

We draw from the struggles of our past. Whether it be from feeling unaccepted, bullied, or discriminated against for being who we are. Our hope is for anyone that has felt the way we have in the past to hear our message and feel great about who they are regardless of what others say and do to them.

 

*Unexpected Magick: What’s your creative process?

A lot of people ask artists what their creative process is and we’ve learned that [for us] there is no creative process. The best creative experience happens in the moment. It’s not forced or structured, it just happens. 

*Unexpected Magick: What kind of work have you put out there? CD’s? Music Videos? Performances?

We have done a lot of shows, from when we were the featured act in an open mic venue called Outspoken sessions to a few LGBT events. We are fortunate to play at a lot of mainstream clubs like Angels and Kings. We played at the Key Club on January 31th, the Rainbow Room on February 6th, and at the DragonFly. We just got accepted in to the Rise Up and Shout show case on March 15th. We are working on our EP “War in a Place”. We released our first single “Soiree” on Jan. 31 and we will be filming our music video to it  in April.

*Unexpected Magick: What’s your most prized possession?

Ziion: My  most prized possessions are my brothers and sister in the band. 

Caroline: I would have to say it would be my bass. Everything else sux

Matt: My guitar rig is the most important thing to me.

Leland: I would say it’s my iPod and head phones. If i were stranded on an island, those things would keep my sane. 

 

*Unexpected Magick: Favorite colors?

Caroline: Maroon 

Matt: Neon Green

Leland: Blue

Ziion: Red

*Unexpected Magick: If you could pick and go tomorrow, anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Caroline: I would go visit all of my friends, loved ones, and cats in Baltimore.

Leland: I would go back to Alaska. I love it there and I miss it everyday 

Ziion: Coachella. I vowed I would never go there until we played the festival. 

Matt: The Brazilian rainforest so I could see all the pretty birds.

*Unexpected Magick: Do any of you have any Words to live by?

Caroline: WAKE UP AND THRASH.

Leland: You’re not being full of yourself if you’re actually really awesome….. kinda like me

Ziion: Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned, if your knowledge were your wealth then it would be

well earned.

~Erykah Badu

Matt: You only live once. “YOLOSWAG”

 

There new single Soiree is available to download on:

iTunes

Spotify

Amazon

CD Baby

Google Play

 

Check out the Blu Noise Facebook and Twitter pages to see what’s new the band!!

http://www.facebook.com/ZIIonandthenewvoice1989

https://twitter.com/BluNoise3121

http://blunoise.vemma.com/

Check out the links below hear their music!!

https://soundcloud.com/blu-noise

https://soundcloud.com/blu-noise/soiree

https://soundcloud.com/blu-noise/hand-it-over-mix2

 

 

Happy Hump Day! Get up and DANCE!

Here’s a video to spice up your hump day! I Love It by Icona Pop. Love the beat, love the energy, love this song!!

My jam of the week!! Doesn’t it make you wanna get up and dance?!?! 3 minute party anyone? Go ahead, no one’s watching!!!

Daily Schedule for Happiness

With some extracurricular activities added in, this could work 🙂

2012: The Year of Change, Growth..and the Dragon

As we come to the end of 2012, I can’t help but reflect on all that has happened this year. I began this year in Los Angeles, where my time so far from home and everyone I knew gave me the opportunity to truly explore what it means to be me. Through some deep soul searching and a breaking down of everything I thought I knew, I have come out the other side a happier, more fulfilled person, more at peace with who I am. My faith was tested, my view of the world shattered and rebuilt. I was lost wandering in the wildness and eventually found my way to understanding. Now I have finally figured out what I want to do and I await the arrival of my grad school ACCEPTANCE letters to PhD programs in Anthropology. After having what has been the craziest, life changing year of my life, I am truly excited for what this next year has in store.

As my year end wrap up, I’d like to revisit the things that were a great inspiration for me in 2012.

I read some really amazing books this year that I highly recommend. These include the Elegance of the Hedgehog, On the Road, What matters most is how you walk through fire, The Hunger Games series, The Sun also Rises, and Jane Austen Ruined My Life (to name a few).

This was also a big year in film. I watched countless number of films this year I that truly love. Some old, some new. Most highly recommended. Check out my post on Breakfast at Tiffany, HappyThankYouMorePlease, and Moonrise Kingdom! My favorite this year? Almost Famous! How did I go so long without seeing it?!

This was a big year for music. I was introduced to many new artists that I have to come really love. Some of my fav artists put out some great albums. And I was reacquainted with some old favorites. Samples below.

So pumped that No Doubt is back!

However, the soundtrack of this year for me was definitely, without a doubt Ceremonials by Florence + the Machine. Through all the craziness, fun, and frustration of this year, Florence’s ethereal music carried me through. The highlight of this year was seeing her in concert (front row!) with my brother. Check out the post I wrote dedicated to Florence!

2012 was the year of creativity and self exploration. This was the year I gave my love of photography an audience. I bought a Holga toy camera, a Canon Rebel T2i, and a Canon AE–1 Program. I’ve truly enjoyed this form of expression. I’ve discovered new ways to express myself and share my point of view. Here’s part 1 of 4 of my Holga love story.

But my greatest accomplishments this year has been this blog. The opportunity to share my thoughts and view of the world with the world has been truly inspiring. I created some articles I am really proud of. These include my first interview with my cousin Carl-Philippe, my article on environmentalism and health, and my October Photo Challenge.

Yes, 2012 was a defining year for my life and I am grateful for everything I learned along the way. I was broken, I was lost, and somehow here I am, excited for what 2013 has to offer. This has truly been the year of unexpected magick, and I look forward to seeing what the new one will bring!

Happy Halloween!! October Photo Challenge

Happy Halloween! My favorite day of the Year! In celebration of this frightfully fun day and the end of October, here are the pictures from my one month photo challenge. Turns out it’s not that easy to find something interesting to photograph every day. But it’s been a fun experiment and I came up with some really good shots! Maybe you’ll be inspired to try a photo challenge of your own!

October 31

October 30

October 29

October 28

October 27

October 26

October 25

October 24

October 23

October 22

October 21

October 20

October 19

October 18

October 17

October 16

October 15

October 14

October 13

October 12

October 11

October 10

October 9

October 8

October 7

October 6

October 5

October 4

October 3

October 2

October 1

Artist Spotlight: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

One of my favorite bands these days is the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. They are so much fun to listen to! Their music is high energy, totally edgy, and a great mood changer. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They have 3 albums: Show Your Bones, Fever to Tell, and It’s Blitz! Their crazy colorful performances are so much fun to watch, and Karen O has got to be one of the coolest people on the planet! Below are some of my favorites from their albums. If you need to liven up your day, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are definitely the band for you!

Cool People: Carl-Philippe Simonise

I am fortunate to come from a family of many talented individuals. So for my first interview, I chose to interview my cousin, Carl-Philippe Simonise, an artist with many talents and a brilliant viewpoint to share.

Carl-Philippe Simonise
Photograph by Dimitri Rousseau

*Unexpected Magick: Who are you, where are you from, and does that affect your point of view?

Carl-Philippe Simonise: A filmmaker who takes photos sometimes, and wishes he was a novelist.

I don’t live on Earth by choice. I never fully know who I am, because I’m not too sure where I am. The universe is travelling, so I’m not sure of how close we are of wherever it’s going…

Everyone says that, but music is everything to me. (Everyone says that too, fuck ‘em, lol). But seriously, I get depressed or antisocial if I don’t have new music to listen to. Every two weeks, I need to listen to at least three new albums, and that’s what keeps me sane. Barely.

I also manage a band, that creates and performs under two different names, so it’s like managing two bands.

I’ve lived as part of a privileged elite in one of the poorest thirty-thousand square miles in the world (growing up in Port-au-Prince, Haïti); and as a student (which is a fancy way of saying being broke in your twenties) in one of the best places in terms of quality of life (Montreal, Quebec).

I think my point of view is definitely affected by where I’m from. I won’t go as far as saying I’ve seen it all, but I’ve seen both extremes, and it kinda gives me a decently accurate idea of the world. A very important weapon in these days of media wars.

I live in a biligual city so I am also connected to two sets of cultures which is very cool.

 

*UM: What kind of work do you do? What’s your craft(s)?

Carl-Philippe Simonise: I’m an independent filmmaker, writer/director and producer of short films, and videos. I am currently producing various web based series/shows, and have been doing research for a full-length film I plan on writing this winter. Producing, gives a good sense of what’s needed for a film/story to work, so it’s a good way of mastering the craft. I sometimes work on music videos, but those can be tricky; it takes practice to know who you wanna work with…

 

*Unexpected magick: What’s your inspiration? Where do you draw from? What fuels you? Any guiding principles?

Carl-Philippe Simonise: Some artists will tell you that anything and everything can be inspiring, people, places, moments, stories. Others believe that inspiration is simply a voice in your head, dictating stuff. You basically connect to a global pool of ideas and your brain turns it into whatever your craft is. My belief is somewhere between the two, or rather a combination of both. I am fully aware of some of the ideas and questions that my subconscious is working on, and sometimes I’ll hear some words from a conversation in the streets, and later link it to a memory, and that becomes art. Or pre-art. I do hear a voice in my head, but that’s a different story…

I like to know what’s happening in the world, and like to talk about the stuff that’s considered crazy or unacceptable. The guiding principle, would be: whatever is associated with madness by the general population, has the potential to make a great story, and can start a conversation about that topic. That’s what art should be all the time. Starting conversations. Real art is probably the greatest conversation starter.

 

*UM: What’s your creative process?

CPS: I’ll decide on a topic to talk about, find out how many others have already talked about it, and how. Then I’ll be interested in something else, and go through the same process. Then I’ll go about my business for a few weeks, letting everything work out in my head. And at some point, I’ll come up with a story or two, or three, by putting together a number of anecdotes that can work around the topics (I never forget a story someone tells me. I could be completely high or drunk, or both, at any social gathering, if I think a story could end up in a movie, somehow my brain knows how to store it. Sometimes I don’t trust it, so I’ll use my iPhone notes).

The Process

 

*UM: Do you have a most prized Possession?

CPS: Um, now, I’d say my phone because it’s where I write ideas, or my camera, because I can test visual elements as I’m writing, which is cool. But if I lost both tomorrow, I wouldn’t cry and I’d still be who I am. Whoever that is.

 

*UM: Favorite color?

CPS: It used to be the absence of colour, as in black. Because I never really thought of it, but going over all of the visual content I’ve created in the past three years, I’d have to say red. Not sure why though’…

 

*UM: If you could pick up and go tomorrow, anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

CPS: I’d say Brasil, because they’re the empire of the future, the new new world. I like the direction they’ve decided to take on many polarizing so-called world issues. And I love that they’re very open about sexuality. Always trust a society that doesn’t hide or condemn sexuality. Or Northern Europe. Or another planet, where petty things like countries, currency, control, or religion, or beliefs have finally ceased to exist. Where the only goal would be to reach transcendental orgasms.

*UM: Any words to live by?

CPS: “There are no limits. There are only plateaus.” – Bruce Lee.

 

Check out the links below to see his work for yourself!

His short abstract film:
https://www.facebook.com/GaddafisDream

His album cover series:
https://www.facebook.com/albumsoftheyear

His photography page:
https://www.facebook.com/bipolarphotography

Please support my cousin, he rocks!!