It was the summer of 1994 when I first travelled to New York City. I was 11 years old and it was a summer road trip with my family where we went from Toronto-Ottawa-Vermont-New York City-Toronto. It was quite a scenic trip and I loved the mountains in Vermont and remember going through a bridge that had a house structure covering it. Then as we got closer to the city you can start to notice the congestion of vehicles and buildings starting to emerge. I have visited New York City before this but I was even younger and didn’t really appreciate or care to notice my surroundings. This time was quite different for I was pre-teens and can comprehend the greatness that was New York City. This is not my first time writing about New York for I did a comparison 5 years ago, New York vs. Toronto, and looking back I shouldn’t of let anyone hold me from my dreams, another story, another day.
I loved the busyness that filled the streets of New York City. You can feel the energy in the air and the bright lights everywhere. I remember hanging out with my cousin and her friend on the front building steps in Astoria, Queens, listening to music-filled cars blaring salsa or hip hop music or passerby’s talking amongst each other. This is when I started people watching for amusement. I watch the way people move, interact, dress, and try to analyze what kind of person they are. I can do this for hours and New York City is an awesome city to do so.
Brooklyn Bridge
New York City isn’t for everyone but I love it. What makes me love it even more is the friends that I have met throughout the years. It is one of the main reasons I keep coming back for I love them and I have a couple of my favorite people here. Every time I visit it seems I gain a new friendship through friends of friends or just randomly. You are guaranteed to see a new face every time you step outside, so the amount of interactions is endless.
For some reason I still remember 2 songs that remind me of my first trip to New York City which I had to check release years to validate that my memory served me correct. It was 1994 when TLC released CrazySexyCool and Aaliyah (RIP) released Aged Ain’t Nothing but a Number. These are the two songs that bring back the memories of New York City at the age of 11.
TLC – Creep
Aaliyah – Back and Forth
My closest friends from Toronto keep telling me that New York City is where my heart belongs. In 2006 I wrote about New York vs. Toronto and I still feel the same way 5 years later minus the ex. I’m not too sure if I am convinced to move but I definitely do not eliminate it from my future. Anything is possible but for now I will continue to love New York City for all that it has to offer and I’ll try to figure out where and what my next steps are going to be.
“CONTACT is an annual festival of photography in Toronto, during the month of May, with over 1000 local, national and international artists exhibiting at more than 200 venues … the festival is devoted to celebrating, and fostering the art and profession of photography. CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, and a premiere cultural event in Canada.” – Visit the festivals website for more information. (www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com)
Contact Festival - A Sign in the Northwest Passage
Exhibit Overviews | A Sign in the Northwest Passage and In Broad Terms
I decided to go to the two exhibits, A Sign in the Northwest Passage and In Broad Terms, for they were in walking distance of each other and seemed like interesting exhibits.
The northwest passage public installation is located on the south wall of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery(231 Queens Quay W) and will be up for display until August 21. As I was searching for it I found out that the art exhibit is free on Wednesday Evenings between 5pm-8pm which I will definitely hit up sometime this summer.
Contact Festival - In Broad Terms
The second exhibit, In Broad Terms, was located at Steam Whistle Brewery and I’ve always wanted to visit but never found the opportunity to do so until now. The exhibit is located past the bar on the exposed brick. There are 10 photographers featured at this event with interesting types of works examining human representation. The concepts were quite interesting like putting two strangers together to portray the uncomfortable body language of the subjects. I loved the location of his exhibit for you can grab a beer and enjoy some fine pieces of art.
Favorite Photographs from the In Broad Terms Exhibit
I’ve been going through quite the emotional roller coaster in the last week that I feel bipolar. I’m happy then sad then everything makes sense then the next moment it doesn’t. My life is complicated for I choose to complicate it and wonder why I have done this to myself, now I just want to start back to the packaged rubix cube of life where all the colours of my life aligned. Why do we complicate things by misaligning the colours of our lives, then we try to put all the colours back together?
I think we are slightly crazy beings who live off drama. Ever wonder why reality shows are so popular? We live to love drama. I just want to be no drama Liza Mae. How do I go back to that?
Maybe all this drama is in my head? I just need to resolve the issues at hand for these issues are consuming my every thought, ultimately resulting to stress. I’m just mentally exhausted and the absence of my boyfriend is making me climb walls. It is like I make his absence my excuse for not doing. If he were here I think the weight that I carry would be shared and the burden wouldn’t feel as bad. As my dear friend Duwayne advised me, I should take out my emotion when dealing with difficult situations for I will have a more logical and positive outlook on life causing my stress to subside. Well said sir!!
Like I always exclaim, “God doesn’t throw anything at you that you can not handle”. So when faced with issues at hand, we gotta live and learn from it. Life is a test and I’m being put through one as we speak. WE need to step up instead of step down for life always tries to knock us down and we can not knock ourselves down. We have to stay positive for negativity holds us back from living.
On that note, an inspiring song by Jessie J – Who we Are
“Don’t lose who you are, in the blur of the stars
Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,
It’s okay not to be okay…
Sometimes it’s hard, to follow your heart.
Tears don’t mean you’re losing, everybody’s bruising,
Just be true to who you are”
“CONTACT is an annual festival of photography in Toronto, during the month of May, with over 1000 local, national and international artists exhibiting at more than 200 venues … the festival is devoted to celebrating, and fostering the art and profession of photography. CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, and a premiere cultural event in Canada.” – Visit the festivals website for more information. (www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com)
Exhibit Overview | Primal Encounters featuring Janusz Wrobel
As I was roaming through exhibits the name and sample photos of ‘Primal Encounters’ featuring Janusz Wrobel for Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, the photos online caught my eye. There is something about nature photography with water that always seems to draw me in to the photo. Prior to even reading the description, I failed to recognize that these photos were taken in Canada in the Great Canadian Shield. The exhibit is being held at the Petroff Gallery (1016 Eglinton Ave W.) until June 6, 2011.
Contact Festival - Primal Encounters Installation at Petroff Gallery (photo courtesy of Petroff Gallery)
As I entered the gallery, I was greeted by some ladies who worked there and they gave me the scoop on the photographer and how he creates his photography. He basically camps out at various locations for a couple of weeks at a time and is very selective with his photos, every photograph is composed with thought and precision.
“Landscape photography is not about the art of seeing but more about the art of experiencing. I take the time to study and identify the relationships of all key elements. By the time I arrive at a personal perspective I have become a part of the picture” – Janusz Wrobel
What really amazes me is that some of the images are taken in Ontario. I’ve heard from a couple of friends who have camped around Ontario and mentioned that there are some beautiful places that you would never imagine existed in Ontario, but now that I’ve seen some amazing photos by Janusz Wrobel, I am intrigued to discover what Ontario has to offer. I’ve never camped before but I am always up for the adventure. Road trip and camping anyone?
Favorite Photographs from the Primal Encounters Exhibit
Deep
From Here and Now #1
From Pebble Beach #1
The last photo really brought back memories of the Philippines in 2010 when I went to Guintubdan and climbed the mountain to go to the falls. I couldn’t believe how clean the water was and admired how beautiful the rocks looked in the water.
Guintubdan, Philippines 2010
Exhibit & Photographer Information
WHERE: Petroff Gallery – 1016 Eglinton Ave W, Toronto, M6C 2C5 WHEN: May 1 – June 6 HOURS OF OPERATION:
Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm
Sun 12 – 5pm CONTACT INFO:
(416) 782 1696
PHOTOGRAPHER: Janusz Wrobel (www.jwrobelphoto.com)
“CONTACT is an annual festival of photography in Toronto, during the month of May, with over 1000 local, national and international artists exhibiting at more than 200 venues … the festival is devoted to celebrating, and fostering the art and profession of photography. CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, and a premiere cultural event in Canada.” – Visit the festivals website for more information. (www.scotiabankcontactphoto.com)
Exhibit Overview | Bending Light featuring L. E. Glazer
I have been talking about the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival before it started in May and finally visited my first exhibit called ‘Bending Light’ featuring L. E. Glazer. When I was researching for exhibits in the area from the CONTACT festival map, the name of the exhibit sold me, for as a photographer, we usually try to work with light but the phrase ‘bending light’ seemed a lot more intriguing. The exhibit is located in the showroom of Olympia Tile International, a really odd place to hold an exhibit for the people who go there are looking for wall or floor tiles. Anyways, when you walk in to the showroom, the exhibit is on your left by the sun room.
The photographer, L. E. Glazer, exhibit focuses on reflective and manipulative photography. The exhibit description is a little confusing but from first glance it reminded me of some of my reflection photography. I really liked some of his works for it takes reflective photography in to a whole different realm of reality. It reminded me of some of my reflective photography work.
Favorites from the Bending Light Collection
Soho No. 1
Quilt
Street Dancer
Exhibit Information
WHERE: 1000 Lawrence Ave W. Toronto, M6B 4A8 WHEN: May 1 – 31st HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday – Wednesday 8am – 7pm
Thursday until 9pm
Friday until 4:45pm
Sunday 10:am – 5 pm by Appointment (416) 785 6666
“So here I am sitting in a corner
feeling the world around me, slowly caving in …
watching the walls coming closer
as I shrivel up into a ball
getting smaller and smaller …
Feeling the pressure incase me
trapping my soul …
For after death, my souls all I have,
and as I take my last breaths
I appreciate what life I have left …
just gotta live life with
NO REGRETS”
- Liza Mae (Drunken State in Kentucky – May 20, 2005)
another year of my life has passed and as I trace back my past … I smile with great appreciation. As of late, I started to look at all the people in my life with such love and appreciation that I am starting to feel all this love in my heart that it shows in everything I do. I’m sure the love was always there but I took it for granted and I apologize. Now that I’m starting to pay attention I feel truly loved. Maybe it is due to the fact that I started to look for love within myself and God that it transferred outwardly to people around me.
Press Play.
“My friends wonder what is wrong with me
‘Coz I’m caught up in a hazy love, you see
It’s comeback to let me know
Got a thing called love and it won’t let go
Love is the word, have you heard, it’s superb
It’s got groove, it’s got style, it’s got feeling
Love is the word that I’ve heard
It’s so hard to describe what it is that I’m feeling|
What you know about love?
The truest kinda love I know
Is when I love myself for my soul
What good am I to you if I don’t love myself
Before I love someone else?
The realest kinda love I know
Is when I learn to love and let go,
Sometimes you cannot hold on to
To the river when, when it flows”
- Sweet Back | Love is the Word
I have never felt this way before and I hope the feeling doesn’t fade. I appreciate everyone that has influenced my life in the most positive ways for you light up my life. The least I can do is show my appreciation.
We arrived at the airport and he opened the trunk to grab his luggage. We exchange words and actions of love. As tears fell down my face, I felt my heart shake at its core like an earthquake.
I dreaded this morning for the past month and tried to control my feelings because I’ve been here before … so it should be easy right? WRONG! The feelings I have are still the same and I can never really get used to separating with the one I love. I know that the first few days would be rough and that is something I’ve got to accept. Everything reminds me of him. A web page, a TV show, his writing on random pieces of paper, and the list goes on. I have already written a list of things I miss about him when he went to China last year and I just had to read it again for those things haven’t changed. Maybe I should write a post about what reminds me of him, lol, maybe another day.
Case – Missing You
today’s … long distance outlook
Things are not as bad as when I wrote that in terms of being so reminiscent of everything, as time moves on I’ve become detached to those things for I would go insane. Long distance relationships are challenging for the mere fact that we are living in opposite time zones, living in different continents, and things are just different. My distance is at an extreme but it doesn’t shake the feeling like many couple’s distance can be in different states/provinces, cities, or even just boroughs – long distance is defined as not being able to see each other for the distance separates you from having a ‘normal’ relationship. It is difficult regardless of how far for it is all the same feeling.
Black Eyed Peas – Missing You
So how am I coping?
It feels like I am on an emotional roller coaster where I have days of pure greatness, then I have a great deal of sadness, and there are points in between. I look on the times of greatness and I realized I couldn’t have done it with my friends and family. I appreciate each and everyone who has had to hear my rants whether it was in person or via text. I wouldn’t of made it without you. I thank you and I love you!!!
on a happier track … Calvin Harris – Bounce feat. Kelis
I designed May 2011 desktop calendar wallpaper on LuxaVision and it is getting quite the traffic and it really excites me to see such progress in such a short time frame. I created this on PhotoShop CS4 – I know I should upgrade to CS5 but haven’t gotten around to it. It is one of those things on my to-do list but isn’t on high priority, so it happens on a random day like today. I was just gonna go to Timothy’s to relax and have a coffee with my MacBook Pro after a property showing and I walked by the Riverdale Mac store (which had such friendly and helpful staff – much better than the Apple store where it smells like foot funk) and it triggered a thought that I should get quote on how much it would be to get my DVD reader/burner replaced, which was a little bit more than I wanted to spend and made me inquire about upgrading my RAM. This was something on my to-do list as well and thought the best time is now! So I upgraded from 2GB to 8GB RAM awesomeness which will be 4x as fast! I thought it was more important than a burner for I am on my MacBook Pro majority of my day and I burn a CD/DVD a few times a year. So back to my point, I will eventually get to upgrading to PhotoShop CS5 but probably wait until CS6, knowing me, I mean I read that there aren’t significant changes between CS4 and CS5, so I’m not in rush, unless someone tells me something really cool about CS5 compared to CS4.
Three years have passed us by and I remember the first days our eyes crossed – it was just like yesterday. Something about those big brown eyes that had me mesmerized. I truly miss you and it sucks that we are at a distance but you are always close to my heart – near or far. I love you and I am blessed to have you in my life. Happy Anniversary Mi Amore.
Montreal in 2008
Montreal in 2008
This is a song that reminds me of 2008, the year we met | Estelle – You Are (Feat. John Legend).
Every Little
Every Little
The first time I met you
You were so quiet and cool you
Never thought that you would catch my heart the way you did
All of the sadness in passing
Making me feel like I’m past it
But you really end in the sweetest way
Oh I’m so commended by you
All in my music all you
Do you keeps me surfing on the hook that we can be together are you
I hope you listen to this
I hope you get to feel this
Because everything is you
Come on
Come close to me
Only your love can do me
Every little thing I do you are
Baby you know your special
I don’t care what the rest do
Every lttle thing I do you are
If love had a face then its you
Made for me how did you know
The best type of love who must have led you to hurt me
If there’s anything I can do
Let me know I’ll be a fool
But don’t take advantage coz I will hate to have to leave you
Your touch makes me feel like a woman
Takes me beyond feeling human
When you touch me oh the smell of you drives me drazy
When we’re alone its beautiful
makes me not want to leave you no
Everything is you
Come close to me
Only your love can do me
Every little thing I do you are
Baby you know your special
I don’t care what the rest do
Every lttle thing I do you are
Come close to me
Only your love can do me
Every little thing I do you are
Baby you know your special
I don’t care what the rest do
Every lttle thing I do you are
Ooh when your lying next to me
I can’t believe your next to me
It’s only us in this moment
No interuptions we’re focus
Tell you I’m glad I risked it
God knows that I would have missed it
You’re so amazing baby everything you do
come close to me
Only your love
Everything little thing I do you are
Baby you know your special
I don’t care about the rest
Everything little thing I do you are
Baby
Baby you are
Baby you are
Baby you are
Baby
I am a twenty-somethings female photographer in search of love, the meaning of life, and adventure. I am passionate about anything photography from the snap to the click.
Montreal in 2008
Montreal in 2008
