road maps.

Glam or Sham?

Watch this trailer.

Formal Wear At The Beach

Grand Haven, MI

Walk

Just Kids

Perhaps out of context, the meaning of these words will be muddled. However, they are what I deem the most poignant quotes from Patti Smith's Just Kids.

-I suspected my soul, being mischievous, might slip away while I was dreaming and fail to return. I did my best not to fall asleep, to keep it inside of me where it belonged. 

-Secretly, I knew I had been transformed, moved by the revelation that human beings create art, that to be an artist was to see what others could not.

-Both of them were ahead of their time, but they didn't live long enough to see the time they were ahead of. "Pioneers without a frontier."

-I thought the word meant both beautiful and ugly at the same time. 

-It seemed as if the whole world was slowly being stripped of innocence. Or maybe I was seeing a little too clearly.

-I don't even know what I'm doing, but I can't stop doing it. I'm like a blind sculptor hacking away.

-I believed he would once again embrace the knowledge that there is no pure evil, nor pure good, only purity.

-I chided myself for inactivity and self-indulgence, and resolved to rededicate myself to my work.

Fashionable Friends

Collage #4

Quotation

With every book I read, I find quotes that I like...that I relate to..that really strike a chord. Back in 2007, I began keeping tabs on these quotes I discovered. Then, when I was finished with a book, I would go back, rediscover the passages and copy them down in a journal. I suppose it really began with Life of Pi, the first book I read after I finished college. I've become quite accustomed to my little ritual. As it is, I don't always enjoy the book I read, but at least there's always something to be learned. My latest endeavor, Wonder When You'll Miss Me by Amanda Davis, left me with several noted excerpts. The story follows a broken girl who commits a harrowing crime against an earlier attacker and fleas to find solace in the circus. 

-But, I didn't want to better than anyone. I just wanted to be me. And yes, I wanted to show up, to be noticed. But inside, some of me still wanted desperately to disappear. 

-I was ready to be somewhere already and not just heading somewhere. 

-Everyone would be there and we would feel like part of something larger than us. But, we would each be alone inside our own skin.

-My brother has never known who he is. He's never made sense of all the options there are. I think that's what's going to do him in: all the choices. 

-Live a round life and you have no place to hide from yourself and nothing to run from.

Collage #3

Hitsville, U.S.A.

A couple weeks ago, Matt came to visit and we took a jaunt to Detroit. Fortunately, having an internship downtown has really allowed me to get to know the city better. I work with incredibly nice people and they have introduced me to some of their favorite local haunts. While I don't have any photos of said places, I do have documentation of some of the more touristy things we did that day. 

I had been wanting to go to the Motown Museum for quite some time now and was excited that Matt was interested in going as well. I think it ended up being rather inspirational for him, being surrounded by the vintage sound equipment and seeing just how small and unglamorous the studio is. Further proof that a successful recording business is a feasible aspiration. 

An 800 dollar investment turned into a 60 million dollar franchise. It can be done!

In between meals, we were looking for something else to do and it was suggested to us that we go to Belle Isle and see the conservatory. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was closed. But, it was still nice to explore the island (another Detroit gem I have been wanting to experience). We peaked into the greenhouses, took photos  and left behind our calling card on the greenhouse glass wall. We will definitely be returning in the summer for picnics in the park!

Prime Mates

To be quite honest, the weather was too cold for this outfit the day I wore it. Sometimes, I find that I simply fail to protect myself from mother nature’s harsh mood swings. I don’t believe I packed a single practical article of clothing on a recent visit to my old haunting grounds in Grand Rapids.

Do you find yourself being stubborn and wearing what you like regardless of external elements?

On an entirely different note: they say that couples who have been together for an extended period of time tend to look like each other. I must say, that Matt and I seem to have very similar mannerisms and style of dress. It's uncanny! If you have a significant other, would you consider yourselves to be so alike? 

Sunglasses > Urban Outfitters 
Jacket and Purse > Forever 21
Dress, Skirt and Belt > Salvation Army
Shoes > DSW

On Matt: Sunglasses > ?
Shirt > Gap
Jacket > Street Vendor

Success Story

Photo Courtesy of Ben DeHaan.

A few months ago, I applied for an internship I was interested in at a nearby Museum. When I landed the internship, I immediately thanked the people who were so kind to take time out of their busy schedules to write me letters of recommendation and assist me in achieving my goal. Well, apparently one of those people submitted the story of my success to my undergraduate school's website. I suppose that's what I get for asking an old professor! But seriously, I was very flattered to be a topic of interest.  

Read the story here.

Through the Lens

Everything looks so much more magical through a lens; especially ones that have been viewed countless times by numerous people!

Bleu

You will have to excuse the nature of these photos. My camera was set up in a tree! My boyfriend bought me a tripod for Christmas. However, my camera was too heavy for the contraption and it just kept tipping forward. Alas, three months later and I still haven't gotten around to purchasing one of the most essential pieces of photography equipment! Necessary for long exposures, and self-portraits apparently. Actually, there are quite a few photo-related purchases on my list; one of these days I will get around to completing those...

Sunglasses  > thrifted

Earrings > thrifted

Dress > thrifted Charlotte Russe

Biker Shorts > American Apparel

Tights > Hue

Shoes > Kimchi Blue via Urban Outfitters

The (Butterfly) Collector

1965

I don't normally watch television. However, I care for my grandmother twice a week and we spend the day watching the boob tube together. Normally, we have a strict regiment of daily programming to attend to but the other day as I noticed my grandma dozing beside me, I wondered what I would watch if I were to choose the program. It didn't take long to discover this inspirational gem of a movie. Filled with innovative cinematography, beautiful tones and a kidnapping, this dark tale was right up my alley.

I was immediately drawn to the setting and the characters. The primary actors in this film are so stunningly attractive; I was compelled to watch their portrayal of this story unfold. You secretly want the girl to give in to her kidnappers desires and fall in love with him. Which of course, based on ethics, is completely twisted! As the film progresses, however, it becomes much easier to disdain all sympathy for the predator. I really ought to see this in it's entirety, as I happened upon it in the middle of it's television airing. But based on what I did see, I wholeheartedly intend to. I also highly recommend it to others. 

Collage #2

Iron & Wine- Resurrection Fern


Here is the second installment from my "Inspiration Book." This, of course, was before I had the internet and a convenient folder on my desktop in which to store photos. I had accumulated so many magazines, it was getting a little out of hand. So, I decided to go through them, tear out the images I was most attracted to and toss the remaining pages in the recycle bin. {As much as I love flipping through magazines, I must admit, they are quite wasteful.} Many of the magazines were photo mags, so there were many images to be delighted by. I knew my intention was to save them and incorporate them into collages but I had no idea how they would fit together. In this case, a similarity in tones brought these images together. Yet, it's rather interesting how the meaning of each photo is altered by it's juxtaposition to the other photographs within the collage...

Saturday; What a Day.

Sunglasses > Urban Outfitters

Earrings > Thrifted

Scarf > ?

Jacket > Forever 21

Dress > Forever 21

Purse > Forever 21

Boots > Calvin Klein via Nordstrom

Jeangenie

(That rootin tootin hifalutin cowboy is my dad.)

Lately, I've been especially interested in my family's genealogy; I'd like to know more about my family history and where I come from. 

Most of my life, I was under the impression that I was a quarter Mexican, only to find out several years ago that I was merely an eighth. I felt somewhat stripped of a heritage that I had become so attached. I believed something false, and yet it became a part of me. It still is, though, a much smaller part than I previously thought. As time progresses, we become less and less affiliated with our European ancestry, or pre-American history. That is to say, how long will it be before we simply say that we are American? Will there be a time when we are unable to recall our previous cultural connections because we possess so many? If I have children, they will undoubtedly be made up of 5 or more ethnicities. Will they rattle them off as I do? 

My father was born in Montreal and my mother in Detroit. Would that not make me Canadian and American? Not quite, for I admit to being Mexican, French-Canadian, German and English. However, I can only trace my family history back as far as my parents know; I have a much deeper lineage that I am currently unaware of. Would my perceptions alter if I knew that my great-grandmother was Native American? How important is it for us to know where we originate?

ispirazione

Direct from the  "INSPIRATION" folder on my desktop.


I came across this website the other day called ffffound.
It's basically an image sharing site, but they have a feature that is similar to Amazon in which one image will promote several others you "may be interested in" based on characteristics of that first image. Well, of course one things leads to the next and before I know it, I've dragged a few dozen photos onto my desktop! For your viewing pleasure, I've posted a handful of the images I took a particular fancy to. If you're looking for inspiration, or have some time to kill, I definitely recommend this site; you'll find great photos and illustrations!