INSPIRATION BOARD: 08.21.2011

8.24.2011

Environment

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

~ Oscar Wilde

8.23.2011

Artist Profile: Kirven Boyd, Alvin Ailey

Kirven James Boyd began his formal dance training at the Boston Arts Academy and joined Boston Youth Moves in 1999 under the direction of Jim Viera and Jeannette Neill. He also trained on scholarship at the Boston Conservatory and as a fellowship student at The Ailey School. Mr. Boyd has danced with Battleworks Dance Company, The Parsons Dance Company and Ailey II. He performed at the White House tribute to Judith Jamison in 2010. Mr. Boyd joined the Alvin Ailey Company in 2004.

I attended the Boston Arts Academy as a Dance major. Kirven was a class mate of mine and what an breathtakingly talented classmate he was. Always pushing harder and seemingly a step ahead. I am so amazed at the body of work he has unmasked. He is now a headliner on the company's Bill.

Check out Kirven Boyd and Alvin Ailey here: http://www.alvinailey.org/

Kirven Boyd

Here is one of my favorite Alvin Ailey Pieces.

Revelations from AlvinAileyAmericanDanceTheater on Vimeo.

Artist Profile: Amanda Howe, My October Country

There once was a girl from the theater costume room,
She was up too her ears, she didn't need a broom,
She traveled near and far.
And tinkered up a storm.
Now she has a eerie line call My October Country!

Artist and Jewelry designer Amanda Howe has been working on her jewelery line, My October Country, for a while. She uses vintage Victorian lace and weaves it with body chains, the end result is breathtaking! The line is super ethereal and macabre, dark and at the same time elegant. Its perfection!

Check out her stuff here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/myoctobercountry

Or her blog: www.MyOctoberCountry.Blogspot.com

Artist Profile: Alen MacWeeney, "Irish Travelers, Tinkers No More"

I play an Irish drum, its called a bodhran. Its a sort of old tribal drum made out of a sheep skin pulled tight around a wood frame. I try and go once a week, meet up at a pub and join in on a session. At the session there are fiddles, flutes, tin whistles, guitar, bodhrans and boxes (a type of accordion). Everyone jams out to traditional Irish tunes and some new ones. Its very cathartic and creative. I used to play a the Irish Arts Center in New York. Its one of my favorite things to do, very relaxing.

I went to a photography show up at the IAC about 4 years ago, they were showing this photographer, Alen MacWeeney. I was absolutely speechless. There were these photographs on the wall that reached into my soul. They were from another time. They were in fact of the Irish travelers. I really fell in love with these photographs and luckily enough Alen was there giving a talk about his time with the travellers. I got to know him and soon enough we were doing our own photo test. I feel very lucky and honored to have been able to work with such a talented and moving artist. I want to show you some of my favorite pieces of his work form a Book he called "Irish Travelers, Tinkers no More".