Artists are always pushing the boundaries. Crossing lines, testing the edge, diving in head first with complete and utter disregard. It takes a bold mind to step out into the unknown. For us at KARJAKA we're always looking into new market places, and our July edition features an art haven that's quintessential New York, The Hamptons.
As you might have noticed, or perhaps not, it's been a minute since our last edition. With the states finally opening up, Summer street and studio session have been in full force. Pepper in a few commercial fashion and food campaigns to boot, prepping KNY's Hamptons edition coming out next month (one you won't want to miss), we thought we'd slow it down just a bit for this edition in the studio with Kat, Russ, Karjaka and choice.
First thing, we start with is an onboarding process, where we’ll take you through a fitness assessment. We go over where your fitness levels are at, what you can and can’t do, and discuss any injuries you may have. We do a video call and I take you through a few exercises, based on where you’re at and what equipment you have available, we’ll write a custom training program just for you. I’ll get you set up in my training app where everything is mapped out for you including videos, sets/reps, etc. where you can input your weekly workouts so we can see how you’re progressing...
“Go to school, graduate, get a job, work your way up, and maybe one day you’ll start your own business”… these seemed like the most logical and viable steps to take through life. Up until 2020, everything was going to plan; I had good job offers lined up for once I graduated from Parsons School of Design. I felt confident I was on the right path, to one day, having gained enough experience and some courage, to potentially start my own brand.
I was a lonely kid. I remember in the early 80s turning the key to my mom's front door and wishing I’d open it to find a house full of people. But it was just me in the afternoons. I had no siblings, my parents were divorced, and my mom worked a corporate job to support us. I spent after school watching cartoons or playing video games alone.
With the amount of Vitamin D I’ve consumed in the past year, I should have gotten stock for it. Prevention, pain relief, these are the basics tenets of any product out on the market. Not getting enough Sun? Go for a walk. Can’t go out due to pandemic? 1000mg of Vitamin D, stat. Art is my vitamin/drug of choice. I’m a pusher of picturesque portrait pleasure.
Arrogance is underrated. Period. It takes something to make your way out to New York, let alone be an artist out here. I'm in love with New York. I've dreamt of New York since I was a teen, even though Chicago will always be home. I've always had confidence border lining arrogance, or so I've been told. This city kind of pushes you over that line, and for good reason. You are a speck in a sea of voices within a small sliver of an island of the world that is called, Manhattan.
I was lucky enough to apprentice with the late great Chuck Bogana. Chuck being the last of a bygone era having done the final printing and retouching of legends Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and other masterful photographic Artists, was a master printer who taught me not only the finer points and the artistry that is fine art printing, but in his quiet zen like way, opened me up to what a photograph is and can truly be.
Do you get it now? Are we all on the same page? The last few months have made it abundantly clear, you're in the Marketing run of your life. And I mean Run. I hate to say it, but this 24/7 frenzy of online media and social medication is going to slow down soon. Once cities are fully open, Summer rampages on and human contact is deemed OK, we're going to bask in life post digital detention.
I caught up with an old friend this week. It's been a year but it feels like yesterday since we last spoke. Midway through the conversation she says... did you know so and so is now a photographer? I chucked but she wasn't laughing. Ah yes, another five minute photographer. Not an uncommon statement in any craft which got me thinking of the millions of people, during this strange days that have now learned a new skill and confused it for knowing the craft...
