it was all a dream…

it was all a dream…

I started taking shots with my first gen iPhone immediately. I spent damn near a million dollars on that joint, and I still have it today…cracked screen and all.

I begin editing my photographs I shot with my 35mm “Jada”…that’s what I named my digital camera first. I loved how some of my favorite apps turned my photographs into…ART… I had no idea I was becoming an iPhonephotographer. I was barely getting my feet wet shooting as a novice photographer. The more photos I took with Jada, the more I begin to edit. I have thousands of photos that I’ve shot in the last five years, and I may have taken half with them with either the the original iPhone, iPhone3GS, or the iPhone4.

iArt was created in March of this year. I took this beautiful photo of a sunflower, edited it, and had it online within 10 minutes… Incredible. And because of my marketing background and eye for great products, I knew I could easily sell this photo.

I begin to research the genre immediately and intensely. I then begin posting my photos on photo-sharing social network sites such as Instagram. The more comments and love I received the more anxious I became to share my work with the public.

With the encouraging words and never-ending support from my family, lady, besties, and art family, I finally found the courage to take the steps in making a dream…I never knew existed, come true.

Over the summer I spent most of my time sorting photos on three external hard drives. I searched high and low for affordable frames for my fine art photography, but with a non-existent budget, I had to seek other options. My dear friend, and amazing artist suggested I make my own frames. She insisted that I could do it, with her help of course. Seriously??? I have never done anything “handy” except nail a nail in a wall to hang a photo. How was I gonna make a frame, let alone more than one? Well…it was easier than I thought! And with her help, I was able to crank out thirty frames!!!

One of the other besties, Trinity had submit a proposal to Project Row Houses to curate an exhibit for a class she is taking at the University of Houston.

mythos.by.bards was [is] a multi-media exhibit which consists of poetry, monologues, photography, and sign language to share and convey their “mythos” Each “Bard” and listener brought their own experiences.

The days leading up to the exhibit were short. It seemed like the time was flying by, and I was full of doubt. Would anyone show up? Is my work good? Will the prints get here in time for the installation? I was a basket case. All of that seemed to fade however, the moment I saw my baby.

She had done so much already by funding my endeavor. She and kid sister were truly there for me during the process…I hope to repay them soon for contributing to my “starving artist account”…

In the end…

The show was a complete success! So many people came out to support me and Trinity’s debut into the art world.
I didn’t actually take as many photos as I would have liked to. *note to self to hire / barter with someone for photography services for my future exhibits. But I did capture a few:

MYTHOS.BY.BARDS

The participants were awesome. Everyone in attendance were overwhelmed with the captivating stories by David Williams. Teardrops rolled down cheeks as Trinity recited a poem while demonstrating her sign-language skills. An impromptu acapella performance by a neighbor, poetry by friend, and a fable written by teenager Ray Gamble received great applause and praise. And last but not least… My work. People walked through the room smiling, pointing, and sharing their thoughts. It was an amazing feeling to see the reactions and receive the many adulations from some of my favorite local artists. [smile]

I’d like to thank:
Lovie Olivia, Trinity Williams, Robert Hodge, Ashley Clemmor, Project Row Houses, David Williams, Rayshaun Gamble, Tasha Robinson, Michael Khalil Taylor, Regina Agu, Lance Flowers, Gregory Michael Carter, Harold Steward, Charles Washington, Aleisha Dumas, Nadia Benitz, P-Funk and everyone else who was able to join us for our special event…

…and last but certainly not least my family…my sister Deonne, my mama, “Oh Sheila”, my cousin Tami LaTrell and her beautiful family, and my love Ms. Alix. Thank you all for your never-ending support, and unconditional love! “You Mean The World To Me” *in my Sam Trump singing voice!

I APPRECIATE YOU…
For all of your love and support during this process, and for coming to the show. I was so moved and overwhelmed by your presence and the success of it all! THANK YOU so very much!  LOVE…

B

Sent from my iPhone

iArt by Billie Simone is available for purchase at: BILLIE SIMONE PHOTOGRAPHY

My 1st Photo Exhibit

It is with pride and pleasure that I announce my first photo exhibit. On Friday, October 28th,2011, I will showcase a small collection of my “iArt®”, photographs exclusively shot on my iPhone(s). Framed pieces will be available for $50; prints $20.

If you are in the Houston,Texas area and free tomorrow night, join me, Griot David Williams, and others for:

MYTHOS.BY.BARDS
curated by Trinity Williams
2313 Elgin – Houston,Tx 77004
FREE – 7pm-9pm
(across from Emancipation Park; below The Eldorado Room)

I WISH I COULD FORGET…

I wish I could forget the time I …first jumped off a diving board. It was the last time I ever saw my father…the last day I ever saw him smile…and laugh. It was a perfect day…by that night a nightmare I never had come true. One of the hardest thing for me to do was to continue…jumping off that diving board…year after year…at the Windsor Village swimming pool… But it always seemed to make me smile, and I could always hear my ol’ man sayin’
“Don’t ever be afraid to do anything…” with every jump…

Yesterday was his birthday…I celebrated quietly…I probably should have reached out to family, but it would have really made me more emotional than I can afford during my creative process. And today is Babygirl’s birthday and I’m not with her…so yeah.
It’s one just one of those days…

At any rate…life goes on…I’ve learned that forgetting is virtually impossible.
There are some things our mind may forget…but the heart…NEVER forgets…
I suffered my first heartbreak on one of the most exciting days in my life…but
I wish I could forget the part about jumping off the diving board… I simply wish I could remember my daddy’s smile…and laughter… I can’t remember…what his voice sounded like…I can’t remember how his hands felt…or what his hair felt like. I can’t…remember …

Happy Birthday Daddy…I MISS YOU!

I Wish There Was A Law…

I wish there were a law that said all HUMANS CAN MARRY WHOMEVER THEY CHOOSE…regardless of gender. This would be a good law because so many people in the world are in loving, devoted relationships with someone of the same gender… Today as we celebrate “National Coming Out Day” let us reflect on the many injustices and discrimination that same gender loving individuals like myself encounter on a daily basis. While heterosexuals are able to marry freely with an inexpensive marriage license, GLBT couples are faced with hefty attorney fees when we decide to marry our partners.

I Wish To Be…

I wish to be a “Positive Impact” on the world when I grow up. Then I will have fulfilled my life’s purpose. In everything I do, create, write, and share, I hope to not only bring a smile, but dialogue, inspiration, and motivation.

I Wish I Could Be Like…

I wish I could be like my little sister, “D” and my cousin, Tami. I’ve seen them grow into two beautiful, successful women. Despite all of their trials and tribulations, both have followed their paths and made many of their dreams come true. And they are so incredibly driven, I’m sure ALL of their dreams and aspirations will come to light. Each and every day they inspire me to be a better woman, and have faith in myself! They ROCK!!! [smile]

I Wish I Had One Opportunity…

I wish I had one opportunity to have a conversation with with Nikki Giovanni because I would really love to know if she speaks in “poem” like I do… I honestly catch myself from being too “poetic” when speaking…But truth be told…I speak and think in rhythm…often breaking down my thoughts in haiku, or lyrics…

I wonder if Ms. Giovanni’s mind is similar to mine…like is this a “poet” thing or what? Did Langston think like this too? Do hip-hop artists experience this as well?

Since discovering Nikki Giovanni in elementary school, I have always wondered where in her mind…her soul did she find the words to create her masterpieces. I have studied and researched this phenomenal woman for many years and intend to hear her speak in person before either of us leaves this earth. And everyday I wish I will have one opportunity to have one conversation with her…and perhaps a cup of coffee or tea…whatever she wants… It’s on me… [see...]

I Wish I Had A Million Dollars…

I wish I had a million dollars…after taxes…and after handouts & “can I borrows” & “can you help a sister outs”… If I was blessed with that kind of money, I would finance all my art projects and dreams. I would take care of my mother, sister, and future – wife with ease. We would start our family immediately. I would share my wealth with my art family…investing in their endeavors, and purchase my favorite pieces…

Just know…If I had a million dollars, I would truly spend it wisely. ☺☻

“CHALLENGEEEEE!!!”

“challlllleeeeeeggggeee”

*knock knock… anyone home? (smile)
I know…I know… It’s been a LONG time since I’ve been here. You know how it is…LIFE & living it can be quite demanding. In an effort to get back my “groove” back, I will be taking a blog challenge. Inspired by my future wife, I will be blogging for the next 30 days with the theme…”I WISH…”

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and words with you again. Questions, comments, and criticism is strongly suggested and welcome! *smile

“MY HEART”

They say home is where the heart is…I never thought I’d say this, but my home isn’t in Houston,Texas anymore.
It’s nestled quite nicely in the “A” these days. Truth be told it’s just as country… It’s red dirt outside my door…
The natives’ dialect doesn’t make me flinch. My “brown” brothers and sisters are at my left, right and across from me. I’ve been able to practice my Spanish in fact. The food is pretty good. I haven’t tried any seafood, but I had a burger the other day that made me moan out loud. I won’t go into much detail [in this blog post] about the music, culture, fashion, art(s) that have captivated my entire core… But yeah… I want…MORE…

When I think about her…Ceelo’s “I Want You” is the theme song for the
my thoughts… I just want to keep her happy…

Our life together is simple. Neither of us require a great deal of attention. I love that we can love ourselves and love each other too. And I’m so grateful that we have a true friendship and respect for one another. Together for over a year now, this is really only the second time we’ve spent time together. Baby visited me in May for my birthday and that was the first time we actually saw each other after being in a relationship for over 10 months…

We are quite the pair…two little womyn exploring the “A” together as well as one another. I feel like this is what I’ve longed for… I think about the woman I loved and wanted to spend my life with, and just chuckle at the thought. People truly come into your life for a reason…season…and/or lifetime. And I just realized…there’s nothing we can do about it…but live and learn. All I can say is this…the experiences truly made me a better woman…for HER!

B
Summer 2011 – Atlanta,Georgia