Beach

Hot. Humid. August. Brooklyn. Last summer after I decided to not show up to a waitress job, I wandered towards an unfamiliar corner bar instead. It was one of the hottest days and I just wanted a cold drink. The chalkboard read "Sangria". That made me go in. I sat on an old wood stool at the bar and was greeted by a weathered pirate that twisted his Jack Sparrow mustache as he spoke with one eye peeking out from his brim. Instead of getting the sangria, he made me his signature drink… it had jalapenos in it.  My heart grew.  Its the kind of place where you can be left alone if you wanted. Its a place for misfits. I had found my favorite bar in Brooklyn. After a few moments of enjoying my delicious drink,  pride, and silence, a girl walked in and sat next to me. She ordered a Chimay. I looked up at the beer then I took a good look at her. I knew that she would become my first Brooklyn friend. 

Polaroid Entry #2

Today I attended a polaroid workshop hosted by photographer Chloe Aftel @ The Impossible Project store in NYC. (Heaven) 

I love attending workshops because it brings an awareness of my strengths, my weaknesses, and always provokes curiosity in approaching things in a new way. 

I used my beloved Spectra camera and PZ 680 Color Shade for the class.

                                                                    And these here are randoms from the past few weeks...

OverUnder

OverUnder

They're everywhere.  Flying creatures of the air flocked across buildings, mailboxes, doorways, and gates.  They're all over my neighborhood.  I have no idea who the artist is, but he/she visually captures the different states and positions of wings in flight in a myriad of media.  The chalk drawn or spray painted soaring animals send out invitations to fly.  Sometimes lines are replaced by phrases including the words Over/Under.  I don't look for them anymore.  It used to be my Where's Waldo of graffiti, but now they call to me as I pass.

The other day, I walked for 3 hours in a 5 block radius and was able to spot 64 different pieces.  I'm curious, and inspired by the advertisements for simplicity and flow.  There is a message inside the pieces, behind the words he uses, that speaks to me.  An alchemical idea, including all that is above and all that is below, shows itself throughout the work.  

It's quite genius.  

This is to my little friends in flight, I hope to meet your maker someday.

Sincerely,

Mike