the artist model series - sonia: curves & locs part 1

As I've mentioned before... the vision for the images in Pangea's Garden all started with my captures at the Apache Cafe & Lounge. This pictorial is part of a short series of retrospectives of how what I've seen has influenced and inspired me.

The model goes by the stage name DarknCurvy and you can find her on MySpace.

Vanisha in Lollipop...

a tongue-in-cheek pictorial from my favorite "professional dancer/performer/model" and real-world-star-in-waiting.

Check out her blog at Dailey on the Daily

Danielle at Mas Camp...

So I am at this urban upscale pizza joint called Slice. I am there with a couple of my favorite models after a later afternoon photoshoot. We'd stopped by for a beer and a slice to unwind. One of the models, a brother named Lewis, couldn't help to notice that I noticed a beautiful sista with gorgeous locs sitting at the table next to us.

"You want to shoot that don't you?" Lewis asked.

"Huh?" I said.

"You've been talking about this most of the day." he returned. "Women with locs and naturals and curves...how you want to shoot'em and create hot images of them...all day."

"Yeah, I know but I can't just go up there and ask her for a shoot. It'll sound like I'm coming on to her." I told him.

"Not if I do it for you"

And he did. The rest is history.




Danielle's driving passion is helping people. Along with being a professional social worker she is also writer who is putting the finishing touches on her first novel and is well into 4 others. You can check them out on her website.


I took to a joint that, at the time I had only recently discovered called Mas Camp. Its a Caribbean hangout that I really liked because of the colors. I host a regular meetup there now called the Shooters Lounge for my fellow Photogs and Models. I like the images but I wasn't sure she enjoyed it. She later told me she did, she was just a little shy because she'd never done anything quite like that before. Soon after I found out she LOVES being in front of the camera. Now that we've done our first shoot, l look forward to shooting her again soon.

A Darker Side of the Garden...

It was an exploration for me.

A curiosity if you will.

I wanted to do a set of captures from a darker perspective. Something bleak and struggling. Not necessarily beautiful but still emotional and passionate. Captures that were intense and, hopefully, told a story.

What struck me more was that Sista Khadeshia was down for this, somewhat radical, idea on my part. She pulls out the make-up and the wardrobe and we did the damn thing.

A damsel in distress.

Check it out. Do you follow it? Is it too harsh or unflattering? Or do you really get the point? Let me know what you think.

Headshots...locs & ideas...

As I've worked on my images, I have been tossing around the idea of building a portal for the images and the influences...something that reflects the beauty and sensuality of the aesthetic and the cultural influences that it affects and that, in turn, affect it.


It would be a place for forums, maybe some interviews, beautiful photos and art. It could feature gear and products that are important to the look. I've talked to a few friends who are excited about what we could do with it. Some want to really push the envelope a bit more on the images and I have to admit I am interested in that myself. Others are really full of ideas on who we could interview for the site and some of the models, here, really want their products included in the gear talked about. I am interested creating forums for discussion too.


But what about you? Do you have any ideas on what you might want to see? Any ideas on what you might want to see in the blog, here?


I am also looking for more models. For the portal and the blog; Earth Sistas who are natural and sensual. Are you interested? Or do you know a woman who might be?

Natural Curves...

I can't empower anyone, but myself.


As a traditional artist, I did a show at the Apache Cafe & Lounge with another photographer a couple of years ago. I titled my series of pastel works "Real Beauty Has Curves" and it was a companion set with the photographers images. On the night of the opening show, curvaceous models, representing the aesthetic of the show posed for the artists and photographers that attended and during the course of the evening we hosted an Artist's Talk about the works and it was quite provocative.


During the course of the discussion, the photographer made the statement that one of the reasons he produced his work was to empower the women whom he had focused his work on. And the question I had was 'who are we to empower anyone BUT ourselves?'


I didn't confront him on this. He did the work he did with the motivations that moved him and a confrontation doesn't change that. My motivations for my works were, in part, an act of homage; paying respect for alternative images of beauty. I wanted to create images that were based on what had inspired me, seduced me, taught me, shared with me and lived with me. And I continue to create works as an homage to this aesthetic, today.


But I believe empowerment comes from within. You can't give it to me and vice versa. Here in the Garden, I think we should know that. But I can...we can... pay homage; cultivate a space where the innate beauty of the Earth Sista, empowered, can be artfully, sensuously, romantically displayed and this alternative choice of beauty can be appreciated.

Are you empowered? Do you empower you?

nobella of new orleans...

I met her on my birthday a few years ago...smiling & sassy.


She's a youngun' who never took me seriously but she could tell me stories, just about her life, that inspired me to create new myths and art of my own. Talented in her own right she's always been great muse.

She creative (always making things) and she loves life. I am always uplifted when I'm around her.

I wanted to capture her surrounded by her creations and I asked her to say something about herself and work. Took her FOREVER. And then she sent me this...

"I am Patricia Nobella of New Orleans. I'm very creative and enjoy dancing ,singing, painting and I LOVE to make jewelry . If you like my work or have any questions about my pieces you can contact me at pnobella504@yahoo.com"

What do y'all think?