Al Janae Hamilton

It's no secret that, as a blogger, I spend inappropriate amounts of time aimlessly (well, not that aimlessly) searching the web. And of all the beautiful, creative queer folk of color that I've come to discover, this one has to be the only one thus far that I want to touch souls with... that inspires me to get out the damn house and DO SOMETHING... make my passions a reality.

"a native of miami, fl, i came to nyc in '07 to get a change of scenery and to make my mark in the fashion industry.  working for a high-powered fashion house, i was on my way.  or so i thought.  after countless market appointments, showroom stylings and fashion weeks, i realized that it wasn't simply 'fashion' that i loved.  it was style.  expression.  appreciating the way folks adorn their bodies and understanding why they do what they do.  i had always been fascinated by the idea of black resistance, so i went back to school to research revolutionary black style and aesthetics.  after a while of doing that, i discovered that i didn't really fit into the traditional box of being an 'academic' either.  i learned that i needed to set out on a journey to find something that would work for me.  today, i'm having a ball diving head first into my passions.  i'm learning to experience them wholly and full-bodied.  loving the fact that, above all else, i am an ARTIST.  on the day to day level, that means i'm a photographer, filmmaker, painter, costume designer, ph.d. student, writer, sartorialist, stylist, and whatever else life places in my lap." -Al Janae Hamilton

A few weeks ago, I posted about goal setting and my personal goals. Graphic arts, printmaking and style have been on my heart in various manifestations for years... perhaps even a decade. And I know deep down that my passion will be a reality, and I already have a plan to get it off the ground with the little money that I have. But there's one thing about reaching your goals that a lot of those self-help resources tend to neglect: sharing. You can't do it alone. Collaboration and surrounding yourself with people who compliment you, who you can learn from, and who will force you to grow and evolve is integral. Perhaps, that's a no-brainer, but I've written it aloud, regardless. 


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I should have started blogging years ago.

 


al janae hamilton: short portfolio vol. 1-- summer 2010 from al janae hamilton on Vimeo.