Jorge Lara 12/22/13 Jorge Lara 12/22/13

Heather Hermann: VIM Visionary Of The Year

Interview by Jorge Lara Santiago

VIMMAG: Greetings Heather, how are you? You are a ballet dancer and a professional artist and VIM's first Visionary of the Year. Throughout 2013 you have had some tremendous highs and lows in your creative efforts, but through it all you have wholeheartedly embraced your art work and persevered, and accomplished so much. Congratulations! Tell us about this past year.

HEATHER HERMANN: Greetings Jorge! I’m so humbled to be VIM's first Visionary of the Year! And thank you also for the congratulations on all my recent accomplishments. I've been working day and night and things have been a slow steady process building into big things the entire time. As for reflecting on this past year, the theme has been re-finding myself and reconnecting with the things that bring me joy and inspire me to create. The last couple of years have been filled with a lot of creative road blocks, but I can honestly say it’s exciting to now be over the hump while moving forward with reckless abandon. I've learned a lot on the personal side of things and having a new studio to work in is a major plus. I'm very happy to be doing what I love and growing more as each day passes by.

VIMMAG: Our reason for choosing you was because you have demonstrated such a tremendous diversity in your art and you possess a finesse and dedication to your craft that is very rare. What was your first significant art experience?

HEATHER HERMANN: My first art experience is quite a silly one. Technically I was only 2 years old and picked up a blue magic marker and started drawing some little birds I saw on Sesame Street! I remember it clear as day, along with the terrible paper I drew them on. That pungent smell of those markers will never leave me. However my first enlightenment in wanting to become an artist professionally for life was when I was about five years old. I was always inspired by various forms of animation but I've also been fascinated with technology, video games, cover art, fashion ads, and more since I was very young. I saw a copy of Final Fantasy I that a friend owned on Super Nintendo and nearly lost my mind seeing Yoshitaka Amano's work for the first time. I knew right then that I wanted to embrace my talent and one day be just as good as him. Despite being a professional ballerina for 99% of my life in association with London Royal Academy of Ballet, my art was always a mental escape and a way for me to tell stories. I loved designing costumes especially. I probably have at least five thousand drawings stored away in various trunks at my parent’s old house. If I wasn't in the ballet studio, you could always find me drawing.

VIMMAG: You were part of Pinup Rendezvous at Pinup Pointe for MzMina Kahn fashion event. I have to say I attended the gallery before it closed and never realized that was your artwork on display there. There is so much detail and finesse in what you create. Pinup Pointe was founded by Brent Mizel. What are your memories of it?

HEATHER HERMANN: Pinup Pointe for me was a fresh take on vintage Pinup in our developing arts district. My memories are all very sweet, of amazing pinup art on display from some of my favorite artists, of really awesome events during the summer, of the fun conversations and interesting people that would frequent the gallery, and of the art clubs that would meet for live drawing sessions…at times it seemed so exciting and hopeful, like it was going to be the next big thing and you could feel the enthusiasm and energy when you walked in. I even celebrated one of my birthdays at that gallery, it was great. It however saddens me greatly that it is no longer in business. I was one of the main people who helped Brent try to make his dream come true, and I remember spending so many hours painting those walls! Hah! Pinup Pointe was aimed at high end sales and the forward thinking. Unfortunately, much of the district did not adopt the trend fast enough to create the traffic necessary to remain profitable. Opening an art gallery is a scary and exciting thing. It takes risk and passion. I admire Mr. Mizel. He's been one of my best friends for years and without him I wouldn't be where I am today. He's always been one of my biggest supporters and owns several of my rare artworks. Every time I pass by the old location I miss the little Marilyn Monroe couch in the front window. Brent did a very amazing risky thing and I admire and respect him HIGHLY for doing what he did to try to make that place work. I know one day he's going to own a huge gallery somewhere. He loves art too much!

VIMMAG: This past year you made a promotional appearance for NYC based artist Abby Robinson at the Cosmopolitan. How did that go?

HEATHER HERMANN: The P3 studio gig I did with Ms. Robinson was quite fun. She did a photographic study on parts of the human body at extreme close-up and would pin them all over the windows. She wanted a Vegas showgirl to assist and I was the one that she picked to work with. I had a great time getting to know her and the filmographer Tony Quirk. I danced in the doorways with my giant white ostrich fan and enticed people to enter the gallery to have themselves photographed. It was quite interesting how some seemingly normal person would walk in only then to be asked if they could have their nipple or upper lip photographed! She was extremely nice and it was great to support an NYC based artist. Her mutual appreciation for Las Vegas and demanding a classic Showgirl despite the hotel initially being against the idea. I thought it was admirable that she stayed true to her love of art, not letting herself be discouraged or held back by old outdated ideas and policies. I also respect her for her ability to win people over and make the show possible.

VIMMAG: Let's talk about your artwork. I noticed a lot of research goes into your work and you are very comfortable with analog and digital media, switching seamlessly between the two in your work. You recently previewed your latest painting which is going to be featured at Velveteen Rabbit with a “Livestream” of you painting it online. What can you tell us about your secret series and what was your reason for doing it?

HEATHER HERMANN: Well I wouldn't of called it a secret series if it wasn't a secret now would I? Hee hee. But in all seriousness, it’s going to have some of my signature Deco women, abstract elements, and definitely some Rabbits, and will look great in the moodier light scheme of Velveteen Rabbit. I’m feeling like this is some of my best work and am very excited to unveil the final pieces that I am working on. Follow my Artists Facebook Page and go to the “Livestream” link and you can see it as it takes shape.

VIMMAG: You have a fascination with bunnies, Final Fantasy 14, and deco. Tell us how it all began. Where do I even start with bunnies?

HEATHER HERMANN: I think I pretty much came out of the womb loving bunnies. I've never had any other animals in my life and my rabbits have been a prime source of comfort and inspiration. I find their quiet attitudes wonderful but what people lack to understand is that rabbits are highly intelligent and very sociable creatures. My rabbits are trained and make me laugh constantly with their behavior around the house. I don’t know what I'd do without them! They are like cats, but more destructive, demanding, kissable, and remain constant in their permanent facial expression of "disapproval". As for Final Fantasy, it's my favorite video game series of all time. Period. I've got my favorites of the litter but I would definitely say Final Fantasy VIII was my biggest influence and obsession while VI, VII, IX, XI were my other favorites. I was a veteran FF XI MMORPG player and hosted one of the two thriving role-playing guilds on the Slyph Server called Dyadic Order. I have since then transferred all of that to the new MMO Final Fantasy 14. I think the art direction, music and character design is so incredibly iconic. It's one of those things that brings me such a huge amount of personal joy it's difficult to explain to others who did not experience it in the same time frame as I did. Though it is a video game, it is an absolute work of art and has played a huge part in shaping me as a person. Art Deco has always been in my life. My parents always made me watch old movies with Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Louise Brooks, Greta Garbo and Marilyn Dietrich (who oddly enough I am related to). I've always been fascinated by the Golden Age of Hollywood but it's newer resurgence in the 1980's is really what caught my eye as a child. I used to watch so many sci-fi movies and more mature films for my age that had many Art Deco themes in them. It's always been permanent in my memory. One of my earliest memories was being three years old and brought to an Ice Cream Parlor/Buffet that was up on Rainbow BVLD back in 1990. I remember seeing in the teal vinyl booth and smelling that sweet parlor smell of fresh vanilla ice cream mixed with salad bar. The floors were black and white checkerboard surrounded by chromed out deco tables, various tacky potted plants, and peach colored walls. I sat in that high chair and ate that ice cream for the first time and it was the best thing ever. I have so many memories of the early Meadows Mall and all the Art Deco decor it used to have before they renovated it in 1994. When I was in my teens I wrote a lot of papers on Art Deco master Erte' and became obsessed with his designs; especially those centered around showgirls. It's hard to explain, but Art Deco has been hard wired into me as long as I can physically remember. It's a huge part of me and I am proud to be one of the few artists living today who specialize in it as a genre and lifestyle.

VIMMAG: You are launching a new website soon. What can we expect from it?

HEATHER HERMANN: My new website is going to be interactive and heavily inspired from cinema. I've been working with my creative partner Daniel Hripkov in producing it and it's taken up a lot of our time to complete it. It will be a physical/technological translation of my thoughts, art, and branding image. I’m not at liberty to say much more, but I can say no one else will have one like it. It's completely unique in design that's for sure.

VIMMAG: Your photo shoots for VIM was with Daniel Hripkov and Devon Ford. How was it?

HEATHER HERMANN: I've known Devon since kindergarten and I felt it proper to sign him up for the job. He works primarily in professional filmography but shares my dystopian art vision and has a good understanding of the feeling of my work. As for Daniel Hripkov, he regularly helps with my creative ventures. I find his logical input and the way he handles the editing process invaluable. I applaud both of them on their hard work and I am extremely thankful for having such wonderful people working alongside me to help represent my vision properly.

VIMMAG: During our prior meetings you mentioned that you approach your art with a mindset that is from a different time period. How did this approach influence your life to this point and what new passions will you pursue in the near future?

HEATHER HERMANN: My life is a never-ending story honestly. How can I chronicle such a life without writing a novel? Maybe one day I will! I'm humbled when I reflect on how many places I have traveled to, met so many special and amazing people along the way, and I’ve also had my fair share of hardships only to rise out of the flames to become better with each obstacle. My passions vary and are always changing (though Art and Dance will always be a part of who I am) and I will pursue them as they come to me. I will not know until the road guides me there. But in the meantime...I surely am excited about the adventure. One thing is for certain, my past has molded me into an artist that is not afraid of taking chances and willing to forge new ground in areas of art that others may find risky as well as teaching me that it’s okay to share my strengths, weaknesses, and passions as an artist in my work. It’s this transparency and also this romanticizing of my love of the arts that I think is what draws people to my work.

Photo Credits:

Modeling by Erin Marie Estes and Heather Hermann

Jorge Lara 11/17/13 Jorge Lara 11/17/13

Misty Reign

Our Fall season of VIM interviews continues with the always delightful and talented Misty Reign of Human Experience. A local poet and venerable co-host of the weekly cultural, music, and poetry open mic at The Beat Coffeehouse in Emergency Arts.

VIMMAG: Greetings Misty! You have been the heart and soul of Human Experience for quite awhile now, being a co-host of the popular open mic at The Beat Coffeehouse. The venue has been a central part of bringing culture to downtown Las Vegas, how has the experience been for you?

MISTY REIGN: It's incredible, I love Human Experience! Every Monday is different depending on who comes to share their art, so the energy is always shifting, always growing, always presenting the unexpected. I typically tell people that ask me what Human Experience is, is that it's whatever you make it. Truly. I started going to Human Experience because it was the only Open Mic where I felt motivated to be a better poet, and where I knew that the respect of the audience and the Hosts, Miss Joy and Jeffrey Bennington Grindley, created an environment where I was comfortable sharing my poetry. Poetry exposes the poet, when you step to a microphone to share your experiences, to open the otherwise hidden pages of your life to others and people talk over you, it's insulting. Human Ex isn't like that, the people that are there, are there because they want to be inspired, there's an artistic respect there not found in many open mics. I couldn't be prouder of how much it's grown, I've met so many people from all walks of life, that I would never have met if not for this event, the friendships I've forged, the loves I've lost, the pieces I've been inspired to write, I'm certain my sanity is forever indebted to Human Experience. Who would have thought I would gain so much from a coffee shop on the corner of Fremont & 6th.

CoCo Jenkins and Misty Reign at The Beat Coffeehouse photographed by Shannon Dorn

VIMMAG: I have to say that I genuinely like the photography you take at Human Experience. I know a lot of times I use photos you take of me at at the Beat as my profile or cover pic on Facebook. What got you started on photography?

MISTY REIGN: Thank you! I'm a complete novice, so it always makes me happy when people like my pictures. I don't claim to be a photographer, I just think it's important to have pictures of yourself doing what you love, breaking out of your comfort zone and commanding the attention of your peers. I think as we grow it's important to have reminders of who we were and what we did that helped us get where we are in the present, and when we get lost, it's important to have a reminder as to a time in your life where you were actively participating in your happiness. Pictures do that. They are powerful. Feel free to print out anything I've taken and frame it like a college degree, or tape it to a Mr. Potato head, either way is glorious.

VIMMAG: Many people know you as a wordsmith and poet, when did you first start to write and how has it effected your life?

MISTY REIGN: I started seriously writing when I was about 9 years old. My Mother was a poet, and although I wasn't allowed to read any of her pieces, I was profoundly proud that somewhere, buried in our bookshelves, was a part of her so beautiful, so private, she wouldn't even show the sun. When I first started writing it was horrible, of course, complete trash, but it was natural, I didn't have to sit and think about what to say, it came pouring out of me onto paper so effortlessly that it was almost like I didn't have a choice, I had to write. Eventually I found my own voice, my own style and now, with the exception of music and good conversations it's the only thing that keeps me sane. Poetry was me in clay form, a tangible pile of words I was able to mold and shape until it was something I was proud of, something unique. It effects every single part of my life, it's who I am, it's what i do, it's how I see the world.

VIMMAG: Tell us a bit about your life in Vegas, are you native to the city and what was your first cultural experience that you can remember?

MISTY REIGN: I moved to Las Vegas from Clear Lake, California when I was 5 years old. Vegas was different back then. I spent a majority of my early years playing in the desert and riding my bike through washes. One of my first memories of it's growing culture was watching a friend's band rehearse in their parents garage. Eventually that band became The Skooners, The Skooners became The Rusty Maples and now they are playing huge festivals. It wasn't a substantial memory simply because they're well on their way to being famous, it sticks out because that's the first time I ever really sat back and watched the noise of ideas contort itself into music. When you are that young the whole world is in front of you, and without even realizing it, you are shaping who you are to become. Music. Music was the key element to discovering who I was and who I was going to be. My first exposure to the actual scene was at The Sanctuary, a tiny little venue attached to the Huntridge. it was there I fell in love with punk rock, where I learned the art of wasted youth, and, embracing my lack of better judgement, I got a fake ID. Not for liquor, liquor is easy to get when you are a teenager, no, I got my ID for shows, specifically Sunday Skoolin hosted at The Cooler Lounge, where I finally found the scene I connected with the most, Vegas's (still largely) unknown underground Hip Hop collective. After that it was over, I've been going to a show a week, every week since. My hearing is now horrible, too many nights next to speakers, I guess, but my heart is happy.

VIMMAG: Pick three of your favorite poems and tell us a bit about each one.

MISTY REIGN: Oh wow that's hard, I don't think I have a favorite poem, let alone three. I guess the pieces I enjoy performing the most are:

1. "Real Men" This one was inspired like most of my pieces, a boy disguised as a man broke my heart. I remember walking past a group of girls and listening to them talk about how horrible men were, how stupid and annoying they were. As I walked past I was instantly met with two conflicting ideas; a. That I agreed with them completely, and b. That I never wanted to think like that ever again. I thought of the amazing men in my life and was appalled for them, so I wrote this poem as a homage to those men and all the other good men out there that these ungrateful women were sure not to attract, let alone keep. It may or may not have started as a list of all the things my ex isn't, but it turned out to be something much more positive. I think I love this piece the most because of the reactions that I get from people after I have read it, from men and women, the appreciation, the "thank you for seeing things our way", to "Wow I've never heard anyone defend men so passionately" ...to a young women who gravely misinterpreted the entire piece and proudly confided in me that she "hates men" too, but that's poetry, no one interprets it the same.

2. "What she taught me" It's a homage to my amazing mother. It's hard to write a piece about the most influential person in your life. When someone has filled your life with all the lessons and guidance and compassion you need to know, how can you possibly thank them adequately? I tried to capture my thankfulness in this poem, I hope I did it justice. When I performed it at Human Experience, the joy in my mom's eyes, how proud she was, she cried, a true rarity, especially in public, and as soon as I was finished she rushed the microphone and hugged me. I have that moment forever buried in my smile, it's one of my favorite memories. And I still don't think the piece even came close to how appreciative I truly am for her.

3. I think third place is a tie between a couple of my shorter pieces, the ones that never see the light of day let alone a microphone. The ones that capture heartache, suicide, strength, and the aimlessness our soul feels when our actions are not aligned with our potential. Some things you simply need to keep to yourself. Notebooks are very good at keeping secrets.

VIMMAG: We have a great music scene here in Vegas, varying from MCs, rappers, to bands and ensembles. What are some of your favorite local musicians?

MISTY REIGN: I've been lucky enough to be immersed in the local scene for so long that is nearly impossible for me to pick favorites, but if I had to pick some it would include; Rusty Maples, HOTS, Days After Hail, MacroFi, Campfire, OLI, Awesome Possum, Kevin Alberto, Monica Sterling, RnR, and so many more. It would take forever to list all the artists I respect in this town.

VIMMAG: You were interviewed recently for The Music Scene, a local radio podcast about the local poetry scene, how was that experience for you and what do you think of the local poetry scene. From all the poets you all have featured, who has stood out the most?

MISTY REIGN: Yes, Brian Gibson connected me to Stephanie DeGraw, the host of the show. It's a great opportunity to get your music/poetry/art out there, she uploads all her shows to ITunes as a podcast so they can be accessed at anytime. It's an odd feeling, knowing that everything you're saying is being recorded, it definitely makes you more mindful of your words. Overall I was grateful for the opportunity to reach a different audience and to let them know that there's a refuge for their art, a safe haven, a place where we want to hear your stories, your tragedies, and your triumphs. She's always looking for new artists to interview so if you're reading this feel free to contact her or Brian Gibson.

VIMMAG: You took a trip to San Francisco for your birthday, how was that for you?

MISTY REIGN: Yes, I did, I prefer adventure to gifts, so for my birthday I drove up the California coast. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. I camped in Big Sur and spent time with my amazing nephews, brother and sister-in-law. I think travel is essential for the soul. The more you see, the more you learn about yourself. I can't even put into words how deeply needed it was to camp in a cove in Big Sur, to be surrounded by more stars than people, and let your mind wander into the silence only disrupted by the sound of crashing waves. It was one giant exhale.

VIMMAG: You had a photoshoot for VIM for this interview with local Photographer Shannon Dorn, how did that go?

MISTY REIGN: Shannon is amazing! I have been a fan of her work since her 702Subculture calendar. She has the ability to capture the beauty of the unexpected. That being said, I was extremely uncomfortable in front of the camera, I never know what to do with my hands, or my face, or my body, I just sort of stood there, holding these balloons in a very high wind, laughing at how ridiculous I felt trying to fight the elements to keep my hair out of my face. I'm certain most of the pictures she caught were me giggling.. The entire shoot went something like this: Shannon: "Serious face, Misty" Me: "Ok, right, I got this"..*giggle..*laughter" failure * balloon thrown wildly by the wind into my face Overall it was a great experience, Shannon is very good at what she does, and managed to get some great shots. I'm going to hire her to take some more pictures now that I'm more comfortable with my own awkwardness.

VIMMAG: What's next for you?

MISTY REIGN: Honestly, I just want to grow. I'm in a place in my life where I can't seem to absorb enough knowledge, I feel a deeply rooted, and sometimes nagging motivation to be a better person, to be truly happy, to live my art, to surround myself with those that inspire me, and that ... whatever that means, is exactly what I'm doing.

Jorge Lara 11/10/13 Jorge Lara 11/10/13

CoCo Jenkins

Interview by Jorge Lara

Photography by Shannon Dorn

VIMMAG: People last saw you perform for not one but two bands for Life is Beautiful, how was that experience?

CoCo Jenkins: What a blessing. I am so proud to be part of Rhyme N Rhythm & Sabriel’s project. I believe in the music 100%. It was an honor to be part of Life is Beautiful’s inaugural festival. This business is all about exposure, and between both bands I played 6 times within 48 hours! It was definitely a high point in my career.

VIMMAG: You are originally from the Philippines, how has your family supported you in your musical endeavors?

CoCo Jenkins: My mom is Filipina, and she has definitely expressed discomfort with my career choice, but she also loves to show off any magazine articles or anything featuring me.

VIMMAG: As well as being a musician you are also a teacher. What made you decide to go into that field? Any special stories you can tell us?

CoCo Jenkins: Originally, it was a “safe plan”. I always have and always will want music to be a part of my life, so a degree in teaching music would guarantee that. Fortunately, I have grown to sincerely love teaching music, or anything for that matter. It is an unmatched feeling when a student comprehends something because you laid down the building blocks. It is a hard job and requires a lot of passion for little monetary compensation. Right now, I do not teach full time in the school district. I substitute teach in order to allow me the flexibility to play with both my bands with ease. If I started sharing stories, this interview would turn into a short novel.

VIMMAG: Let's talk more about your musical inclinations, what bands or musicians have inspired you? Any local?

CoCo Jenkins: My list of international bands or musicians that have inspired me might not be so obvious, but I LOVE my local scene.

One of my favorite bands of all time is GDB (Goldfish Don’t Bounce). They were my first introduction into what Vegas has to offer musically, and their ska/reggae/soul sound will always have a special place in my heart. GDB played with a band called Holding On To Sound (HOTS) who I also loved for their amazing live show and raw energy. When we started doing shows with them and some musicians from GDB (Jordan the drummer, especially) it was like playing shows with artists who I consider legends.

There are plenty of individual artists I admire too, for all the same reasons—passion, legit talent, lyrics, music, and stage presence. The stage presence of artists like Reallionaire Jream, Isaac Sawyer, Interstate Fatz, and Samantha Mendoza is so large. They are never boring to watch, but it’s not like it makes up for lack of talent, it just adds to the whole package.

Also, let me not forget the poetry scene. Artists like Misty Reign, James Shahan (who could also be included in that last section), LaToya Thurman, Kismet, Amir Rikkah & so many others bare such vulnerable parts of themselves and in an eloquent way, too!

CoCo Jenkins in downtown Las Vegas. Photographed by Shannon Dorn

VIMMAG: Your band RnR has quite a following here in Vegas, how did it all begin ?

CoCo Jenkins: Long story short, through UNLV and other various ways. Our first show was an event called “I <3 HipHop” at Beauty Bar. They then booked us to play for New Years Eve, and after that we played with all kinds of genres of bands which is why our following is so diverse. I love that.

VIMMAG: You're the bassist for Sabriel's band, how has that experience been?

CoCo Jenkins: I had actually heard of her before we met so I was honored when she asked me to be a part of her band. We are both all about women supporting women, and I think we just have a tremendous level of respect for each other.

VIMMAG: What has been your favorite songs performing with both bands?

CoCo Jenkins: RNR’s “hit song” is a song called “Ridiculous” that we close with frequently. It’s just the cherry on top after a night of our music. I dunno what to tell you if you’re not sweaty and out of breath by the end of that song. I also love playing “Double Clap” and “Jesse Owens”.

Sabriel has a song in 6/8 meter called “To You From Me” that is beautiful and “Garden” which has a quietly eerie energy.

VIMMAG: We have quite a diverse and dynamic art scene that mixes cultures and heritages, are there any local artists, poets, performers that have inspired you?

CoCo Jenkins: Maybe now I can shout out the local dancers I love so much. I am really spoiled by going out with them because if I ever go to the club or something, it can get boring quickly. MP Art, Alex Sky, Cheerio, Raquel, Crykit, Miquel, Dezmin, Joe Styles are just a FEW of the people I love to watch! Sometimes they even let me dance with them and tell me that I’m a decent dancer.

CoCo Jenkins at The Beat Coffeehouse. Photographed by Shannon Dorn.

VIMMAG: What do you think of the music scene in Vegas overall, anything you would like to see come to fruition in the next couple of years? Is there a festival you have wanted to play?

CoCo Jenkins: Can I shout myself out? I loved how COCOchella went—the fusion of genres and art forms was something that I’d love to see of more in general. We have so much talent in different subcultures, and there has to be a way to fuse them together. There are a few of us in the overall scene who promote and show up to not just our own events, but the events of others. Just to show love. That needs to happen more. Also, more support from the strip would be great just on the monetary aspect alone.

Speaking for RNR, we’d love to be a part of the festival circuit and play Life is Beautiful again of course.

VIMMAG: So when can we expect your own album of music?

That does need to happen, doesn't it?

LINKS:

http://www.sabrielmusic.com

http://www.facebook.com/cocojenkinsbass

http://www.facebook.com/RnR702

http://rnr702.com

CoCo Jenkins at The Beat Coffeehouse. Photograph by Shannon Dorn

CoCo Jenkins and Misty Reign photographed for VIM by Shannon Dorn.

Jorge Lara 11/10/13 Jorge Lara 11/10/13

Frankie Darkstar

Interview and Photography by Jorge Lara

VIMMAG: Greetings Frankie! It's almost a year since we were both RAW Vegas artists semi-finalist nominees. Back in 2012 we were both part of the local and national artist award show here in Vegas. How was that experience for you?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: It was great to showcase at RAW with you Jorge, we sure had a blast! It was amazing, as I was semi new to doing art shows. The Blend at the Royal Resort was my 2nd art showing, Art with a Heart at the Mesquite club headed by D'Nese Davis was my first. I was very excited to see the positive reactions to my pieces during the show. It was a great honor to be chosen as a semi-finalist for Photographer of the Year for RAW. Thank you to the fans of my art and to RAW!

VIMMAG: You were a nominee for Photographer of the year for RAW, now one year later you are prepping to open your own art gallery space, tell us about it.

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: Owning my own fine art photography gallery has been a dream of mine for five years now. Ever since I seriously got into photography and started visiting the fine art photography galleries here in Vegas, I've been inspired to keep pushing my limits to get to this level. My gallery is called DarkstAr Subculture LTD and is located inside Veteran's Village at 6029 W. Charleston Blvd.- Upstairs in space #9. I will be having a grand opening soon.

VIMMAG: How would you describe your art to those who have yet to experience it? Where do you get your inspiration from?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: My art is a combination of precision shot landscape style photography mixed with certain filters to enhance the artistic effect. I consider my framing a part of the overall piece, and have developed various methods of framing that give each original piece a unique twist. My art can be described as a combination of fine art photography mixed with painted and textured backgrounds, then uniquely framed using only the finest framing materials.

Frankie Darkstar with one of his art pieces

VIMMAG: This past year you were also VIM's first Art Editor. I want to thank you for all your experience and support. Tell us what has been going on in your life.

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: Thank you for the opportunity to be the first Art Editor for VIMMAG. It was an honor. Aside from VIMMAG I have been a Licensed Optician for many years and have been in the optical field for 10 years. Also recently I am in the process to get re-licensed for massage therapy. I am a big health and wellness advocate and loved working as a massage therapist from 2001-2004. I put massage on hold for Opticianry school, but now am re-licensing and plan on being a massage therapist for a few key clients part time. Along with art, I suppose you can say I do love to keep busy lol. Honestly I do it all to push the creation of my business dream of DarkstAr Subculture LTD- A combination business combining tattoo culture, fine art, photography, health and wellness, and more.

VIMMAG: Along with your art you also do photography. How did you get started?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: Photography has always fascinated me growing up, but I didn't truly get serious about it until I became a Licensed Optician. The schooling to be an Optician involves a lot of lens technology and light theory so to me it was a natural progression to apply that knowledge to photography.

Frankie Darkstar in front of one of his gallery's window

VIMMAG: What are you most looking forward with your gallery? How are you planning on utilizing it?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: The greatest challenge with my art has been how underground it has been. There have been a few reasons for this- I have been constantly developing new types of pieces and experimenting with many different materials in the framing process in order to give people the highest quality that I can deliver. As soon as I have a finished style, I come up with a new idea. I believe I am finally up to a level that I can present solidly. Also- I participated in 5 art shows last year. The art pieces are greatly appreciated during shows, but I have been in great need of a permanent showroom where art collectors and fans can view the pieces on a regular basis.

VIMMAG: Tell us a bit about your young life, are you a native Las Vegas resident? What was your first experience with art?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: I was born in Las Vegas. This is quite a wild town to grow up in, let me tell you! My family moved around quite often, so I ended up getting to know the various parts of Vegas very well. Casinos and lights were very normal to me as a child, it was only after I moved with my family out of state that I realized the uniqueness of Las Vegas. At the age of 12 I moved with family to an area between Carson City, NV and Reno, NV called Washoe County. My uncle had 300 acres of forest land purchased, so this is where I gained my love for the open woods and nature. Those woods gave me my artistic inspiration. At the age of 17 I returned to Las Vegas and have been here ever since. Gotta say- I do love Vegas!

VIMMAG: Any local art, music, or artist that has influenced you?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: There have been many artists, musicians, and poets that I have met along the way that have influenced myself and my art in various ways. On the photography end fine art photographers such as Cameron Grant were a great inspiration, on the painting end I loved the creativity of some of my favorite painters around town such as James Henninger, Teresa Maharaj, and Scott See. On the music front I gotta give a big shout out to Lucky Cuss for being so supportive of my art. Their constant unique creativity keeps me thinkin fresh. Love the performance of their shows. Poetry wise I look up to you Jorge, your poetry is top notch and your dedication to the poetry shows in your character.

Frankie Darkstar with one of his most demanded art pieces.

VIMMAG: Besides your art and photography, what other passions fill your life?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: I truly enjoy hiking and traveling, which goes hand in hand with photography and art. I also love to play video games, and go to concerts and shows around town when I am free to do so.

VIMMAG: What's next for you?

FRANKIE DARKSTAR: I am making my dreams happen on day at a time. Every day I work towards my goals in some way, and believe in myself and in my abilities to accomplish great things in life. Nothing excites me more than to be a positive part of the artistic community, and to work alongside my peers and friends in the arts scene. Thank you to everyone that has supported me along the way!

Jorge Lara 10/1/13 Jorge Lara 10/1/13

Torrey Cole

Interview by Jorge Lara

Photography by Shannon Dorn (official website)

VIM's Fall 2013 Interview Series continues with Torrey Cole, professional dancer. Torrey Cole is Co-Founder and Program Director of Project Praludium. Torrey Cole was the 2012 RAW Las Vegas Performance Artist of The Year winner. In November 2013 Torrey Cole will be featuring at the Vegas Valley Book Festival performing an interpretative dance to a spoken word poem at The Las Vegas Poets Organization's Poetry Courtyard Stage.

VIMMAG: Greetings Torrey, how have you been? I last saw you at Kravenko studios for Project Praludium, watching your artistic direction along with the art direction of your fellow directors. It was quite a marvelous performance and it was enriching to see the time and effort the young dancers put into learning their routine. How was the experience for you?

TORREY: Hi Jorge, its been a thriving year. Thank you, Jorge for supporting local dance artists and attending, Project Praludium's, second Annual "Collaboration Series" Contemporary Dance Workshop Performance this past summer. The experience was a unique collaboration with our guest artists from New York. The guest artists and teacherscreated a fun and exciting environment for the dancers. I have the team to thank for the high level of dance education and performance that was brought to our Two-Week Summer Dance Workshop. The faculty included, Co-Founder , Alison-Kravenko Johnson, Artistic Director of Kravenko Youth Ballet, Gregory Dolbashian, Artistic Director of Dash Ensemble, Loni Landon, Princess Grace Award Recipient, Jonathan Windham, Allison Jones, and Stuart Loungway, Artistic Director of Terra Firma Dance Theater.

VIMMAG: You were the performance artist of the year for RAW, how was that for you?

TORREY: I love the underground.When I won the award I had just moved back to Vegas a few months before living in New York. RAW Awards was my opportunity to let my weirdness shine. It paid off! Las Vegas is my hometown, and I couldn't be happier representing performing artist of the year in Las Vegas.

VIMMAG: As co-founder and program director for Project Praludium you've had the opportunity to teach dance to a lot of young people. How did it all get started?

TORREY: I began teaching in Las Vegas at an after school program throughout my senior year of high school. When I went to college I began teaching jazz, hip-hop and ballet at various dance studios in Westchester County and Queens, NY. When I would return from college, I would guest teach at Kravenko Dance Academy, which was where I was student and now a teacher. I enjoy teaching all ages. It just something I've always had fun doing.

VIMMAG: You've danced for famous Turkish popstar Tarkan, been a ring girl for a boxing event, have had a dress named after you for the Jeffrey Monteiro Fall 2011 fashion collection, how were those experiences?

TORREY: Living a fast pace life in New York, you just put a go button on, and somehow, I accumulated a creative array of jobs and people, that rock. SOTU Production's brought me Baku to perform on stage in front of thousands of people, that experience was amazing. The boxing event as a ring girl, I can check off my bucket list, I always wanted to do it. I never thought in a million years I would get a job in fashion production. I was a geeky girl that needed a job. I went to the studios and they hired me on the spot. I loved working as a presentation and production model for Fashion designer, Jeffery Monterio. It was one my favorite places I've worked.

VIMMAG: Do you remember your first artistic experience?

TORREY: I was four and my dance teacher handed me a scarf at the end of class and put on classical music. She said, Go ahead and dance. It was called free movement and I danced around the studio like the wind and twirled my scarf to the stars and the moon.

I felt like a bird , and I can still remember it.

VIMMAG: We have been looking to collaborate, as you do an interpretative dance to poetry and we are finally going to get to collaborate at the upcoming Vegas Valley Book Festival. I am looking forward to what we can create, what about you?

TORREY: I really enjoyed the Human Experience at the Beat on Monday nights. When someone would recite a poem or short story, I would visualize what I would do if it was a dance. The dance becomes honest movement from the words. There is a beauty in the truth of the words. I am very inspired when it comes to poetry.

VIMMAG: What dancers have inspired you?

Darcy Bussell, Misty Copland, my friends , Tanairi Vazquez, Broadway Dancer, Allison Jones. Malaika Floyd.

Any dancer that speaks from the heart.

VIMMAG: We have talked about how it feels to give back to the community, through collaboration and our art, what is your take on the cultural community as a whole?

TORREY: There is a large number of social media in Las Vegas. The cultural community is growing with more people that have a passion for their craft. I think we need to continue to educate in the arts and come together through collaboration. The cultural community is developing in Las Vegas and we can make difference if we keep supporting each other as local artists.

LINKS:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Project-Praludium/345040552215362

http://www.kravenkodance.com/

Jorge Lara 9/8/13 Jorge Lara 9/8/13

Shannon Dorn

Our FALL 2013 interview series begins with local icon photographer Shannon Dorn, Art Director at Solsis Productions. Ms. Shannon Dorn has been a mainstay in the cultural community, inspiring soul sisters and brothers alike with her creative genuine spirit and bravado. Collaborating with local artists to bring the subculture of Vegas to life, she has left an illustrious mark on the scene.

INTERVIEW BY JORGE LARA

VIMMAG: Greetings Shannon, how have you been? The first art show I attended of yours was Welcome to the Slums, how was that experience for you?

SHANNON DORN: Hi Jorge, I have been doing good! I have a lot of things I am working on right now and loving every minute. Welcome to the Slums was an amazing comic book inspired art series that came to life with a lot of work and determination. It took over two years to complete the series and we showcased it every month from June to December in 2012. We traveled (a group of artists) to San Diego and displayed the series at a party block from Comic Con convention. We traveled to Denver and had a show at the Art Haus Gallery in the Rhino District, and showcased in Vegas at The Arts Factory, The Ogden, and The Box Office. The experience has been out of this world. A simple idea to create a comic book, turned into SolSis Productions, an amazing mix media art series, and now we have a script for a comic book series and are seeking artist to do the illustration for the book. Welcome to the Slums became a movement, a culture, and a way of life for me. So the experience was amazing and is still as amazing as I move forward in life.

VIMMAG: You've collaborated with Dray Wilmore, on 702 Subculture calendar, having art shows at Huntridge Theatre and collaborating on a limited edition calendar. How did that come about and what was the end product?

SHANNON DORN: Yes, back in 2004 I was part of The Five finger miscount art crew, which was Dray and Ice Berg Slicks crew. At that time the art and music scene was very small but great in so many ways. In the underground, as I would call it back then, there were a ton of talent visual artists and some amazing hip hop groups. Throughout high school hip hop culture inspired me to be creative and thorough my photography I wanted to share the culture that inspired me so much. Saying that, I had a brilliant idea, inspired from the movie “Calendar Girls”, to make an art calendar that promoted the art and culture in Las Vegas. My plan was to reach the masses, so that people would begin to see the art scene developing in Vegas. So I teamed up with Dray and photographer Garald Todd to create this black and white, hip hop style art calendar. The calendar had 13 models that so bravely bared their souls to expose the culture in Vegas. These models modeled nude in outdoor location around the Las Vegas valley. Some were photographed at a skate park at 4:00am, a dark alleyway at 4:00am and on mountaintops to get that beautiful sunrise so early in the morning.

It was a lot of work but without the people involved we would of never made that calendar. I did reach the masses; I sold calendars in Europe and Canada via EBay. I sold out of the calendars that year…. In doing so there was a demand to make another art calendar for 2006. And we did! 702 Subculture presents the Painted Desert. This Calendar was another collaboration now having the models bodies turned to canvas. 10 artists Body painted 13 girls. This was the beginning of the body paint craze that is still happening in Vegas. Artists, Vezun, Dray, KD Matheson, Jason Profant, and several graffiti artists worked with me on this creation. I photographed all the photos this year except July which is a photo taken of me by Garald Todd. In the First Calendar, 702 Subculture, Garald shot 6 of the months and I shot the other 6. He taught me a lot in photography and I am very grateful to have worked with him.

As far as art shows at the Huntridge, I was never a part of the art show themselves, that was 5 Finger Miscounts doing, but I did photograph many art and music events there.

VIMMAG: You are the Art Director of Solsis Productions, how did the idea of it originate? What's the main focal point of the endeavor?

SHANNON DORN: Well Solsis Productions came about when Kat and I began our comic book inspired art series Welcome to the Slums. We needed a crew name and Solsis was just who we were. We called ourselves the soul sisters. We did a photo shoot a while back that was a silhouette style photograph inspired from the Charlie’s Angels logo, but instead of holding weapons we 3 (Kat, Breann, and I) held spray cans and records wearing Afros. This soon became our logo as it was fitting with the soul sister vibe.

The main focus was to have a production team that worked together to create artwork. It starts with an idea that Kat and I have and then we aim to inspire others to work with us so we can display their talents and skills through art. With the artwork we then showcase the many talents at the art event. Whether its dance, art, music, styling, etc. We work with talented artists of all kinds

For example, each model we work with has a distinct style and some have great talents. Many of the models we work with are musically talented or dance savvy and some are just beautiful ladies who support art and culture. We hand choose everyone we work with. We like to work with artist who are creative, those who inspire and those who are positive. We aim to keep the true culture alive in Vegas.

VIMMAG: Tell us a bit of your inspirations growing up. What is your earliest art experience? How did that affect you in the long run?

SHANNON DORN: While I was young my friends were my inspiration. Today friends are still my inspiration. I had a best friend Fallene, whose family was very creative and artistic. They had a house of 4 kids and 2 adults that acted like (responsible) kids. There were many late nights of singing, laughing, creating, and expressing at The Bakers house. She had a playroom like no other with costumes and props and games and snacks and trampolines and a pool and a HUGE teeter-totter that her dad made from the poles that go around a large trampoline….. Basically her house was a huge playground. In our teen years we liked to get dressed up and take photos in front of a white sheet. This was the beginning of my photography inspiration.

In high school I took a photography class junior and senior year. Junior year I went to a photo exhibit that the senior photography class had on display. It was a contest that each school in Clark County entered and then was judged. In school we did black and white photography, so the color category stood out to me. I decided at that moment that I was going to enter the contest when I was as senior in the color category and win 1stplace. And I entered it, and I won 1stplace in the color category between all the high schools in Clark County! This was my inspiration to keep it going.

VIMMAG: You are showcasing your new art series at Let Em Have It Salon for their grand opening this September. How did you meet Fallene Wells?

SHANNON DORN: Fallene is a childhood friend. I met her when I was five. She lived across the street and the day she moved in I went over there and introduced myself. We were great friends for a long time. After the Baker family moved away from the neighborhood we didn’t see each other too much. After high school she moved to Denver and it wasn’t until she got married and had her bachelorette party in Vegas that we met up again. Fallene was my best friend and she inspires me in so many ways. She has followed her dreams and is living her dream. I am very honored to be a part of her dream as a salon owner. She will rotate artwork out of her salon monthly with a new mural painted by an artist every 3 months. She is an awesome fashion designer, who was featured on Project Runway a few years ago and has had many Large Fashion Shows in Denver. She is an awesome hairstylist with a dream to open her own salon. She is amazing!

VIMMAG: You are an acclaimed photographer in your own right, this season you are photographing select interviews for Vim, starting with professional dancer, Torrey Cole. What are you most looking forward to?

SHANNON DORN: I am looking forward to meeting all these talented people. I love to photograph females, as you know, and to photograph a dancer means there will be some great creative energy at the shoot. I am excited to meet Torrey and to create some amazing images with her!

VIMMAG: Tell us about your new art series, how did that come about?

SHANNON DORN: The new art series came about because we knew we needed new art for the show in Denver show since we already showcased Welcome to the Slums in Denver last year. We originally were going to work on Welcome to the Slums part 2, but with life and its journeys we took a different route. This series is quite different than my prior work. It was a challenging series but so far it looks amazing! The new series is titled, Eternal Roots. Inspired from the four earth elements, earth, wind, fire and water. There are four Goddess who represent an earth element in the series. There are four models that we worked with and four different artists. We worked with 2 make up artist and 1 hairstylist for the shoots. This is a much smaller series but I think it’s good to make this show more intimate.

VIMMAG: Lets talk local inspirations, what music art, people, events have inspired you?

SHANNON DORN: Local inspirations. I have been inspired from the day I saw the sidewalks filled with art on the corner of Colorado and Casino Center. First Friday has been a big part of my life and my connection with art. The artist that I meet is my inspiration. Hip-hop culture has been a big part of my work. Soul, Funk, Reggae, Hip Hop, influence and inspire me. One of my favorite local events is The Get Back at the Beauty Bar on First Friday. The music of course is great, but the rawness and realness of the event inspires me greatly. All the DJ’s only spin Vinyl records, they are always in the back yard of the space, right in the alleyways, and they make a party go down till early in the morning. I love it because the break-dancers come out that night and do their thing, which makes the night complete.

I recently went to The Beat Coffeehouse on a Monday night for Human Experience this was very inspiring. Spoken word in a coffee house with talented people, you can’t go wrong. I highly recommend people checking it out. The night I was there, the subject that kept coming up was Inspiration! So perfect.

The Arts Factory is a place where I feel at home. A creative and fun place that has been there since the beginning. I love creating and visiting my fiends gallery in the Arts Factory, Alex Huerta, PeaceNart Studio.

And lastly the Slums inspire me. Shopping carts have inspired many photographs and many locations for photo shoots. But graffiti is my all time visual inspiration. It is the beauty for the city. Well most of it is.

VIMMAG: Do you have any future aspirations you are looking to accomplish? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10 years? Or is time irrelevant when it comes to dreams?

SHANNON DORN: In three years I want to have a live workspace in Las Vegas and a house or condo on the beach in California. I have some plans to get me there and am working them out as we speak. I will share those with you later.

VIMMAG: It's been great to have the opportunity to be interviewed you and I'm looking forward to collaborating with you this season on VIM. What's next for you?

SHANNON DORN: Same here. Thank you for letting me be a part of your magazine. I think having a magazine promoting the culture in Vegas is a great idea and I support you in your venture.

Currently right now I am prepping for the Denver show.

I have a photo-shoot of my dog mini and me this weekend. Two talented photographers from Imagine Studios, Shaun Bruscher and Steven Reyes will be doing our photos. These photos will actually be the ones you use for the interview.

I will be traveling to Utah to be with my family at their cabin they like to call the Luv Shack the first week of September.

I have some other things in the works but are keeping them top secret until I have all the logistics panned out. I will say this, that I will always be creating and moving forward to make my visions a reality.

Thank you Jorge for all your support. Let’s keep the culture alive!