In(search): Scout

Scout

Based in La. Beautiful vintage clothing. Inspiration for what is to come. I think a road trip to LA is very much in order. 

In(search): Black Cab Sessions

in(search): MATIN ZAD

He is beautiful. His photography is breath taking. MATIN ZAD

H&M really had no respect for Margiela at the same time Margiela did not have any respect for themselves.

Charlie May A/W 12: LOST SOUL

'Lost Soul' Charlie May SS12 from Polymath films on Vimeo.
VIA// My Labyrinth 

To You.

Steven Alan Lily Bag

The holidays came so quickly this year christmas popped out of no where and now I find myself in a New Year. It is quite exciting to see how much has changed since last year and I look forward to experiencing more challenges and growth. I've gone through three jobs in the past year and have finally settled down with two that I really enjoy. I hope that I am able to knock out one job in the New Year. I've moved twice and find myself getting closer to my dream space in the mission. I've  met some beautiful individuals who have helped me believe in myself and taught me so much about perseverance and facing rejections. My photography has been shown in two art shows and I look forward to where my execution of ideas will take me next. I went on a cleaning rampage and got rid of most of my closet including all the floral prints, short skirts, and colored tights I found myself so hopelessly clinging too. My style has morphed into a sea of black, greys, and whites. I find myself going through the all to familiar process of becoming comfortable in my clothing again. I am really look forward to traveling to Europe this summer to see my grandparents, finding a new found patience, and just continuing to meet and enjoy new people. The one thing I realize I need to work on this year is learning to slow down and not feel that there is a time limit on the things I would like to accomplish. Things happen as they should and I just have to embrace opportunities as they are presented and not expect any outcome. I look forward to posting more personal parts of my life on here, the people that inspire me and my outfits. 

Best to you all in the new year I look forward to hearing about the opportunities and challenges that you meet on your road forward. 

Men As Flowers.

I cried..I cried a lot and I wept as I hid under my covers early in the morning before anyone woke  I pretended to enjoy those shooting games my brothers played out in the yard. Whacking at each other with sticks until blood ran from their tender skin. I looked out the window from my room and shake my head. boy is that really what it means to be a boy? Sometimes I cried at how beautiful everything was flowers brought me the worst kind of tears the ones that lnged to be shared. Seen by others. the ones that didn't represent sadness no there was no sadness when I saw flowers. Just a peace. An understanding that I am just as delicate as the one thing that brought me so much pain. But I am a boy and feeling this way is wrong. 

I-Photo?

  Meet  Damon, he's kind of my love.  Good night may your evening be filled with plenty of drinks and good eats.

Film Studies: Oakland

Developing film is expensive I guess it helps that I have three jobs now. 

Children of the Trees

There is this idea that we are taught from a very young age that becomes engrained in us as we grow. That once we get past a certain age we’re no longer children. With that it becomes forbidden to dream or believe as we did in our youth. We’re taught that in order to be successful we have to follow the paths that have already been created. Our hearts are rendered silent and making a living becomes a means of survival. Dreams are spun into fables and fear is bred. We slowly learn that we cannot sustain by creative means alone. Many know they reside in a false reality but find comfort in this idea and very few are able to free themselves. We were not created to merely survive we are meant to thrive.

These were displayed the the Case Study event a few weeks ago. 

Case Study.

Last night was wordless love. My family came up to see my work. I saw Them Hellas perform which was amazing. Not to mention just being in such a positive uplifting environment this is everything that I moved to San Francisco for. I was able to connect with individuals that I've been wanting to work with for such a long time. To think it all started with a bus ride.

Case Study: San Francisco

If your in San Francisco thrusday night you should make your way on down to 111 Minna. I will be showing some of the work I created for my photo series "Children of the Trees." Along with Ashleigh of Death and Palm Trees, there will be jewelry, a fully stock bar and a performance by Duckwrth.

In Search (of): Death and Palm Trees

I've realized lately I've been hoarding ideas, old, new, concepts, clothing, food, all these things. Selfishly keeping them to myself and continuously depleting public sources in desperate need of inspiration. All so I could hide it from the eyes that I long to connect with and take along on my journey. I still plan on searching high and low for beauty that speaks to me. I am going to add to that reservoir of creations at some point it could run out and I don't want to be the sole cause of that catastrophe. So here's to sharing.

A little while ago I met up with my friend Ashleigh who created the lifestyle brand Death and Palms. We frolicked around Golden Gate Park soaking in the sun and shadows. 

Story Tellers: Othello Grey

Our lives are made up of stories and they deserve to be shared.

I am finding that as I progress and align more with who I am it has introduce into my life individuals who are on the same journey of exploration. I had the opportunity to meet  Othello Grey when our paths collided when he found himself in San Francisco and I can say my life has not been the same since. He currently resides in Toronto, Canada and  is part of the creative collective the Art of Reuse that is revolutionizing the world of thrift shopping. He's a living dreamer, musician, visual poet and has a way with creating images that tell stories of lost nights and creating beauty in unstable environments. He showcases his breath taking photography under the muse of Penelope Moon. I featured his work on this space a few months ago and have been patiently waiting to be granted access into the mind of this creative wonder. 

Where does your story begin?
During a whirlwind that was my life. A few years ago I was met with an insatiable desire to document my journey. I was enthralled by the beauty surrounding me and I sought out the best way to capture it all. I had deep roots as an avid poet, illustrator and musician but none of  these translated my visions as quickly or as purely as photography did. So I sought it out, I bought my first film camera on ebay on a whim. A German issued camera from the 1930’s, it was beautifully crafted, I thought I’d found a gem. I had high hopes but was met with disappointment. Out of my first 8 rolls of film I probably only got 5 photos (out of a possible 192). I was heartbroken but not defeated. So I preserved and from there just continued through trial and error, one thing I cherish is the fact that I’m self taught everything. Whatever information I require I’ll seek it out and develop my own understanding of it. I feel as though there is so much more freedom of thought and flexibility that way, there are no predetermined confines that you ‘must’ follow. You form your own process and leave that for others to learn from when you move on.  

Are you enrolled in school, working or constantly pursuing the journey that is life?

Currently I work full time for Polo Ralph Lauren, as for school I attended college two years ago and was enrolled for about a year and a half of my life. I dropped out after realizing what I was searching for wasn't in textbooks or classrooms. I enrolled once again a few months later but was overcome by that same realization and subsequently dropped out for the final time. I was faced with a choice- either devote time to school or to pursue creative interests. The Art of Reuse- the business/creative group I am apart of was just coming to fruition at the time and I decided to hurl myself into that world rather then the path of the student.

Do you ever become consumed with an idea that all you want to do is fully immerse yourself in the creative process until your thoughts become reality?

That is actually one of my greatest and worst traits. At one point in my life I would ignore social expeditions and confine myself to my creative space and just work on whatever idea I had begun. I would become so enthralled by that desire to transform those ideas into reality that I'd lose touch with the outside world. My passion is my vice. Time is so fragile and I've gone through a difficult process of learning how to balance (creative) work and relationships with friends, lovers etc. I've lost both because of this.

How did your interest in photography come to fruition and what do you feel is your role behind the lens?

To be honest my interest in photography came about because of a very selfish need I had. I desperately wanted to capture the ephemeral. I began seeing so many beautiful moments all fleeting so quickly and to try to describe them in words was useless. So I sought out photography as my way to transcribe it all. It was a very natural progression. When I was in college we could rent equipment, so every now and then I'd rent a pretty basic camera (I couldn't get an SLR) and just start experimenting. I never took it seriously then and even now it’s still just a hobby that I love. Honestly I feel like I can play numerous roles at any point given the situation. For example during the creation of our second Thrift Boutique I assumed the role of onlooker watching greatness manifest. I exited the actual creation process and documented it as a man who had no awareness of it all and was in awe of what was happening. Throughout my daily life with my close friends I play the traveling visual scribe, capturing everything for us to share/look back on in the future. When I'm shooting with my digital camera I feel a different energy then when I shoot with my film camera. And all of my work derives from whatever energy is surrounding. I take what the moment gives and make it my own.

What do you believe needs to change before civilization can grow as a whole?

It’s hard for me to say, I don't feel I've seen enough of the world to give an appropriate response. I have a few of my own ideologies which I live by though, one being to 'avoid capture'. Meaning no matter what comes before you, avoid being swept up. Have the ability to step outside of every prevalent movement, see it for what it really is and then take your stance. We all are individuals but through natural human desire to attain certain things- material wealth, spiritual wealth etc. we allow ourselves to be caught in waves. We are washed under other people’s ideas and aspirations, so drawn into them that we forget to develop our own. Even creatively some of us go to the point where we so desperately want something of our own that we exercise other people’s innovations- take from them stroke for stroke and believe/claim they are our own. We all need to avoid being caught. Be inspired by others but be self aware so that you don’t become another clone. 

The James Blake song Why Don't You Call Me featured in your short film (She Loves Me Not) is an incredibly broken song and suited your story perfectly. What was the idea behind that video and where did creating it take you?

I get an odd feeling of nostalgia watching that video. The process of creating it was emotionally grueling, revealing and uplifting all at the same time. While filming I wanted to define the emptiness and despair that we all find ourselves consumed by after turbulent affairs of the heart. Its difficult to put into words where I was taken during creating it, it was surreal almost. The night blended together in a way I can't explain, there was no thought involved, I was so immersed in the moment, well me and Sean were both immersed in the moment. He was naturally expressing his own feelings of loss and I was the third person watching a man on the brink of self destruction. I haven’t felt anything quite like that since. 

Your little piece of the internet is consumed with images and very few words. I did notice through your blog you've created your own manifestos. How do these come about?

I feel that on a visual blog such as my own, words can very easily persuade perception and I wanted to communicate with my audience without shifting how anything I created was viewed. I wrote a manifesto for an art project in high school at one point and the idea of it resonated with me. The idea of mission statements that artists once created, detailing intentions, points of views, desires- it intrigued me. So to compliment my apparatus I wanted to leave my manifestos behind to have their claim over that time period in my life. I expanded mine from only mission statements and emotionally charged them a bit, maintain the mystery of self but give an insight into the mad man behind Penelope's humble existence. 

Penelope moon sounds like quite the muse. How did she come about as a character in your life?

She floated around in my mind for a year prior to her conception. I wanted to give my ideas a life of their own. I wanted to detach myself from that selfish need I had to capture my journey, exist outside of my own odyssey in order to be able to view it and interpret it as anyone else would. I wanted to be able to visit my blog and see what I had created without that comfort of 'knowing' where these moments came from. So that when I flipped back through the pages I could still feel their importance- I could enjoy them as if I had never lived them to begin with. As if someone I knew as a child met me as I am now and reminded me of moments we once shared that slipped through the corridors of my own recollection. I wanted someone to know me. So I created her, gave her my life’s moments as her emotions and allowed her to grow on her own accord. Allowed her to gain people who appreciate her, adore her, visit her to see how she's changed and evolved. I allowed her to live through me so that I could live through her.

What type of music do you loose yourself in?

Naturally I listen to a lot of my own music as I develop it more. Besides that I listen to a lot of Porcelain Raft, Salem Al Fakir, Francis and the Lights, New Look, King Krule, How to Dress Well, INC, a bit of Blood Orange, a bit of POP ETC, Cocaine 80’s, Andre 3000, early Toro y Moi  and early Washed Out. And a lot of instrumentalist, Knxwledge, Kenlo Craqnuques, MNDSGN, Shlomo, FLYLO, etc. Since I’ve begun working on my own music I began seeking out new music less, so a lot of the music on my Ipod has been there for the last two years or so. I usually get new music from my friends lately.

I see that your the media director of The Art of Reuse can you explain the concept behind this Thrift Boutique and what are the responsibilities of your role?

Our business/creative group is called 'The Art of Reuse' and it includes Myself (Media Director), Sean Brown (Brand Director), Courtney Eastman (Administrator), Sarah Vee (Women’s Buyer), Bernard Manarin (Men’s Buyer), Sid Singh (Media Director), and Graham Roberson (Director of Interactive). Our thrift boutique is called 'Interim'. Over the course of six months we prepare a collection of second hand clothing and then for one day only we open our doors to customers. The unique part of our experience is that it is never in the same location twice and each shop has a character of its own. Each collection is unique, the branding and promotion we do is unique and of course the collections are unique. All of us are avid thrift shoppers and we wanted to share what great pieces we were finding with the rest of the world. The normal stigma behind thrift stores is that they are dirty, smell bad and the process of digging for pieces can be frustrating if not fruitful. So we took all of that into consideration and created ‘Boutiques’. We wanted to create the same feeling of walking into your favorite high end retailer but with prices that wouldn’t leave a whole in your budget after picking up a few of your favorite garments. We have a 3 item limit per customer so that you have to be selective just as we are when we are putting together the collections and nothing in our stores is priced over $50. All of our roles are quite free flowing because we're all so versatile, my role specifically involves photography, putting together our videos, lookbooks and our magazine- a lot of the back end digital creation for our projects. But a long with this I'll still tastemake, copy edit, assist Sean with brand direction if need be, blog and so on and so forth. We’ve all gotten over the idea of ‘roles’ and really just do what needs to be done no matter what it is. I think that’s the great part of the cohesiveness of our collective. We’ve opened 6 shops thus far- 4 in Toronto, one in Brooklyn, NY and one in San Francisco, Ca. Our next venture is our online store which we will be launching January 2013. For more information and to keep in touch visit www.theartofreuse.ca, blog.theartofreuse.ca, follow us on twitter @theartofreuse and follow us on instagram: theartofreuse.

Where do you go from here?

I continue to create, experience love, loss, endings and beginnings. Pursue the everlasting adventure, seek out the best of myself and bring it forward through whatever outlet feels right. I'm shifting my focus to my musical aspirations. And when that side of me grows I'll give to her as well.

All Images via Penelope Moon