It is that time of year when the party’s over, literally and figuratively. It’s always difficult for me to get through the darkest and coldest days of the year in NYC. Like many of us in the Northeast after the holiday season ends I crave newness, warmth, physical exercise and sunshine. But Mother Earth has me held in the natural process of winter. Like nature and the animals in the forest, we are meant to be more internal, calm and meditative as we prepare for our rebirth in the spring.

As a fashion designer, stylist and a certified Feng Shui practitioner I know it is time for me to take a sobering look my closet and my life. In the tiny walk-in closet I share with my husband I stood and stared at my coveted collection of Mui Mui, Prada, Fendi and all the rest of my friends. With not an empty space on the rail or an empty shoe cubby I asked myself what I could possibly part with, and got no answer at all. I loved all of these shoes, bags, dresses, blazers for they ARE me, I thought. And, even though I don’t wear most of them regularly I was hesitant to even touch them.

Wind and Water

I remembered what I learned in my classes that Feng Shui is about so much more than just stuff, even my beautiful stuff that I love so much. The term Feng Shui means wind and water. Feng Shui is about the stagnant and fresh chi or energy that moves in and around our physical spaces, including our closets. When areas are clogged up and cluttered, the chi or energy cannot move and becomes stagnant. It directly affects our health, wealth, relationships, future, and well, pretty much everything.

So to get the chi or energy moving I decided to start cleaning and clearing. If a space is not clean, it is not Feng Shui. I cleaned everything and anything I could get my hands on: laundry, the bathroom, the vanity, the kitchen, the magazine rack, my nightstand, my jewelry drawer and the junk drawer. Suddenly I had filled two bins of recycling and one full of trash.

At that point, I had broken the stagnant chi and was able to create two piles of couture accessories and clothing to consign. And, then the most important pile I created was the give-away pile to be donated. According to Feng Shui, what we give away will return to us multiplied.

When we make space for the fresh chi, we allow the energy of our personal space to move swiftly and make way for new energy, health, wealth, experiences, love, clothes, shoes, jobs and relationships to find their way into our lives. I know this fresh energy moving in my space will blossom into something magical in my life this year.

Five ways to create fresh chi or energy in your space:

1. Start by cleaning one drawer, go through all items contained and decide if you really need all the items. Clear out what you no longer need and put back what is necessary in an organized fashion. Starting small will help you break way for bigger projects like your closet.

2. Clean the kitchen and bathroom until they are spotless. The chi of these two areas is very important as they are vital to our overall health.

3. Clean the entrance of your space: organize shoes, umbrellas, coats in closets and storage bins neatly. Make sure the foyer is not cluttered. The chi of this area of our home is very important as it is connected with our career and wealth.

4. Make sure the air in your space is fresh, like the chi when it is swiftly moving. Open a window, even for a few minutes in the winter and let in the fresh air. Also, burning white sage and diffusing essential oils changes the energetic frequency of your entire space which connects to all aspects of your life.

5. Clean out and organize all books, mail and decorative pieces. Put in an orderly fashion that is aesthetically pleasing. Make sure you feel an open airiness in your space that is calming and nurturing to you, so you can go out in the world and create a life you love.

After all, Feng Shui is “all about the space, about the space….no clutter.”

- by Judith Longo

On Wednesday November 19 the New-York Historical Society presented Pilgrimage by Annie Leibovitz. More than 70 photographs evoke historical figures including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marian Anderson, Robert Smithson and Elvis Presley, through landscapes, interiors and objects. The exhibition supports the release of her new coffee table book, Pilgrimage.

“From the beginning, when I was watching my children stand mesmerized over Niagara Falls, this project was an exercise in renewal,” said Annie Leibovitz. “It taught me to see again.”

The New-York Historical Society’s mission is to “explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.” Annie Leibvitz has captured a succinct, rich tapestry of history stemming from her unique curiosity of the world.

“The photographs in Pilgrimage are haunting, moving and often surprising, and we look forward to sharing their emotional power with audiences in New York,” said Louise Mirrer, President and CEO of the New-York Historical Society.

There’s nothing more eye opening, to kick off the holiday season than seeing this breathtaking collection of images that Annie Leibovitz has captured throughout her travels. Her distinguished photography includes some of the most iconic portraits of our time.

Let this collection of artwork inspire you to reflect on what means the most this holiday season. The exhibition is open until February 22, 2015 at the New-York Historical Society at Central Park West and 77th Street in Manhattan.

SPECIAL GUESTS INCLUDED:
Grace Coddington, Jessica Diehl, Anna Wintour, Annie Leibovitz, Louise Mirrer (President & CEO of the New-York Historical Society), Pam B. Schafler, Joseph and Diana DiMenna, Jane Foley Fried and Tom Wirtshafter

by Jonathan Cody
Photo credit: Don Pollard/ New-York Historical Society.

ADDRESS
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street)
New York, NY 10024
Phone (212) 873-3400
TTY (212) 873-7489

HOURS
museum galleries and museum store
Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday – 10am-6pm
Friday – 10am-8pm
Sunday – 11am-5pm
Monday – CLOSED

How is she still at the top of her game after all these years of success? How is she this timeless wonder still producing such modern, fashion-forward designs while maintaining her ageless physicality? I recently attended an evening event lead by the one and only Norma Kamali in her ultra clean, bright, white lacquered boutique on West 56th Street in NYC.

Surrounded by her plethora of passions including her powerful women’s clothing line, gorgeous bottles of olive oil and gourmet raw food, the picture of grace, elegance and modernity appeared. Enter Norma Kamali. She and her ultra-polite team gathered on this night, with an all female audience to discuss and interact on perhaps the most important of her passions, the end of the objectification of women.

She spoke with honesty and strength about redefining the modern woman. Norma Kamali created short film titled “Hey Baby” about the way women are treated by men as we walk down the street. She pointed out that we are so much more than our body image, the clothes we wear, our breast size and yet we are all judged by these physical aspects.

Norma shared her own stories of objectification and explained that, through sharing them with other women, we can empower ourselves. This is so huge for women, we all have these experiences and we usually keep them buried deep down inside.

Wellness and Women

As the night came to a close, I took my selfie with Norma Kamali and I realized she is far beyond a fashion icon. Norma Kamali truly is a superhero, a powerful woman who designs contemporary, gorgeous women’s clothing, who is devoted to eating healthy and most importantly, she is at the forefront leading the way for women in the face of objectification coming from our culture.

Norma Kamali is quietly breaking down this barrier in her graceful, elegant, modern way.

If you live in the New York area, keep an eye out for future events on thewellnesscafe.com so you share your experiences and share in the growing empowerment. You can also get involved at www.stopobjectification.com.

- by Judith Longo

Jonathan Cody had the chance to catch up with dear friend, Design Director Todd Magill to explain this year’s careful application of color that was very refreshing at the Spring/Summer 2015 presentation. Todd Magill explained this season’s line was inspired by the mix of Sport and Classic American sportswear. “I see a lot of guys on the streets mixing their sport gear with their work clothes. Ultimately, the collection is about ‘urban utility’ so you can look good in transitional moments, like when you are in between work and running to or from the gym and then out to meet friends.”

Todd also talked about how he drew inspiration from minimalist painter Josef Albers. Todd said “He really understood that color is relationship: one to another, a pattern to its frame, the eye to the mind. Even simple blocks of it, placed with care, can create a whole greater picture than the sum of its parts.”

The bags are minimal on the exterior, but inside them the user will find function and utility to serve the function and floral camo and Chambray floral prints to pack the right amount of visual punch. Key fabrications include technical packable nylon, as seen in a trench and blazer that are lightweight enough to roll up and throw in your bag.

Artist Ian Hundley designed a special navy grid print for a capsule collection of bags and several apparel pieces inspired by aerial maps of the streets of New York.

Here are some favorite looks:

Notable guests who attended include: Nick Sullivan, Todd Magill, Wendell Brown, Geoff Bartakovics, Conor McGill, Kate Doerge, Paul Wilmot, Kelly Bensimon, Beverly Osemwenkhae, Andrew Freesmeier, Melissa Exides, Craig Leavitt, Deborah Watson

Look for this line to be hitting stores this coming spring.

- by Jonathan Cody

Photo credit for model shots: Patrick Mc Mullan’s J Grassi
Event shots Photo Credit: chervine.com

Having been writing for over ten years, initially Lynnda did not know what shape it would eventually take on, originally thinking it would be a play before it took shape as a fictional novel. She wrote the original draft stream of consciousness as one long manuscript with no chapters, however the inspiration for the writing was truly remarkable.

Feeling the deep nuances of her main character, Lynnda let Addie Mae tell the story in her deep elderly southern African American accent. In a relationship that we will never understand “until we join the Invisibles,” Addie Mae shares an epic tale of how the truth and hardship can show the willing soul just what it needs to see to find life’s purpose.

As Lynnda shares in the Prologue,

…I awoke into the fleeting voice of an elderly, Southern, African American woman. For a moment, she helped me understand everything…and then it was gone. As sleep escaped and the dream and its memories evaporated, she showed me a mountain I would climb. I never saw her face but her presence felt familiar. My heart pounded, only the fragrance of her words remained.”

Throughout our journey, Addie Mae was my guide, assurance that someone had gone before me. Whether it was by chance or fate, or lives touched. Addie Mae generously decided to share what she knew. She gently guided me into experiences that brought me closer to her understanding, closer to her wisdom, to the wisdom of the Invisibles. Close enough so on that one magical day, I could hear her whispers.. and was finally ready to listen.

No matter how lonely and scary the path seemed at times, she let me know I was not the first traveler. I was never alone.

Neither are you.”

Lynnda’s grand tale through Addie Mae’s journey entices the reader through their own journey of transformation and acceptance of divine timing. Through the many layers of the story, the lessons of Trusting the Currents come subtly through in this mystical search for truth.

- by Jon Heinrich

But wait, what band are we talking about? I said Phi*h…?! What I meant by that was the free New York Philharmonic show in Central Park. And yes, that other Ph band was in the city as well, out on Randall’s Island playing a three-night run. And yes, if you would have asked me five years ago, there is no way I would miss a Phish concert in my home town. But times have changed for me and my musical perspective has changed with it.

Gone Phishing

What I realize now when I listen to Phish is that before when I was totally into it, I was trying to push the limits. I spent a good portion of my 20’s touring all over the country, even all the way to Japan to see them. I was at a point in my life where I wanted to expand my mind and their music facilitated that for me. They are able to ride out-of-control like no other. Their hyper jams drive in fast forward with all sorts of unpredictable craziness. For the first ten years it blew my mind every time.

From 1994 to 2001, after every show I would say “that is the best show I’ve ever seen.” And I was not joking, I really believed it as they continued to push musical limits and in the process expanded my own consciousness along the way.

Ideas that would take me all around the world

That whole era culminated when I went on tour to see them play seven small club shows all over Japan, which was one of the most pivotal trips of my young life. I met people who’d become some of my best friends in the world, I saw the amazing cities and landscape of Japan, I climbed Mt. Fuji, sipped saki, sang karaoke, bought beer from a vending machine and saw my favorite band in the most intimate settings I could imagine.

From our epic ascent of Mt. Fuji

That was a peak moment for me, and for that reason, I am very protective about those memories. Long story short, the band has had some ups and downs, some rehab, some sobriety, some new albums and a rebirth.

Since 2001 I have experienced some awkward moments where the band finished what should have been a killer set only to have the crowd standing there unresponsive, not clapping, not yelling and generally underwhelmed.

It was at that moment that I decided I wanted to put that box of memories in my time capsule and, as the Beatles said, Let it Be. Which is where I stand now.

New York Calling

Now I live and work in Manhattan. I have dedicated this phase of my life to immersing myself deep into the media industry with the goal of spreading consciousness expanding media to as many people as possible through Meniscus Magazine, so I have chosen the world media hub of New York City. What comes with living in Manhattan is intense energy every day. So when I come home or listen to music or go on vacation, pretty much what I’m trying to do is relax.

When I listen to Phish now it just gets me all wound up and tense. It used to be a lot of fun to get phucked up and go see Phish. Right now at this point in my life, I am trying to get un-phucked up.

I know in my heart I saw the sickest era of Phish, from 1994 to 2004 and that was amazing for me. I’m sure they have great moments now. But I find myself impatient to see a real impressive jam, critical of everything in between, waiting out the embarrassment for them when they do the silly songs like Sparkle and that surgical section of Reba “Bag it, tag it, sellemtothe butcher in the store oh…” It is silliness and my dissatisfaction now threatens the great memories I have of them before. All I want to hear is their dark jams.

I’ll never forget that David Bowie at Great Woods in 1999 when they took time and space inside out. I was traveling by myself on a backpacking trip on the east coast, deciding what to do with my life. I was sober, the band was not, and it was mind blowing. I was flying around upside down in a time/space tunnel and could not tell which direction was up—just from the music.

That was incredible when I was trying to explore the world and find myself. Now I’m in the most amazing city on the planet, all I want to do is go to Central Park and lay in the grass and look at the sky—or even better, listen to a world class orchestra play under a full moon rising over the Great Lawn, followed by a finale of fireworks. I can’t handle the craziness now. I get my intensity from the City and my cultural intake from live jazz at the Lincoln Center, the Met or the Moma, or any other top museums we have access to, Broadway shows, eating delicious organic, macrobiotic food while all the time meeting interesting new people every day.

My main goal in life when I am not working, is to relax. In NYC you really have to take care of yourself and learn life balance. I am glad that my friends had a chance to see Phish at Randall’s Island, I’m sure the experience was amazing. I saw the Governor’s Ball there this year and the venue is a great place to see an outdoor show. I still want to hear how the show was and send all my love to phriends and phamily, known and unknown.

Meanwhile, if you need me, I’ll be at the Park, lounging on the Snoopy blanket, drinking homemade kombucha with my bare feet in the grass.

Much love,

Jon

The practice is simple: Believe in a unique concept as whole-heartedly as possible for one week.

As you embrace these concepts you can temporarily re-sculpt your neuro-network, thus opening up to ideas and inventions hidden deep within your mind. Now for this exercise, let’s ask ourselves this:]

Mind Wrap 3: What if Uniqueness Was Universally Acknowledged as The Purpose of Life?

A 17 year old boy wrote a 100-page ebook explaining why uniqueness is love and should be pursued on an individual level as if it was the most important thing one could do with one’s life. He open-sourced it on the web. Within a week he had 100,000 reads on his website. Within a year his book had been translated into 130 languages and had 1.8 billion reads. Within 2 years, societies all over the world began to change. A perspective had been introduced that could not be unlearned and it had resonated so profoundly with all of humanity that a renaissance regarding the theory of “what life is” had emerged. Imagine yourself 5 years beyond the date the book was released. Over 5 billion reads meant that almost everyone on earth was aware of the “new perspective”.

For one week immerse yourself in the temporary belief that the whole of humanity revered uniqueness beyond anything else. A person was encouraged, from birth, to pursue uniqueness as their life-long mission and all efforts from society were to support platforms that reward that mission. How would life be different? What kinds of holidays and events would emerge? What would homes look like? What would clothes look like? How would the family dynamic change? If every form of expression was not only tolerated but intensely desired by the community, how would that change your life? Most important, how would you feel about living in a world like that? How would it change your quality of life?

Author’s Ponderings: Uniqueness is Everything

I stand on a platform awaiting my train. Across town, I am meeting a friend for lunch to revisit a business idea we had dreamed up a decade ago… well before “The Epic”. People watching is interesting these days. Fashion is not dictated by fads anymore. Clothes and accessories are uniquely custom, super-functional, dramatic and totally awesome thanks to 3-d printing, 3-d weaving, 3-d welding and just about 3-d everything else. A boy next to me holds a skateboard with a surface that has two footprints molded into it, exact imprints of the bottom of his own two feet. “It’s for downhill racing”, he tells a curious bystander. “My trick board is like something you’ve never seen”. I smiled. He can’t be but 14. I wonder how old he was when he read, or was read, the ebook, now commonly referred to as “The Epic”.

Not only can I tell you exactly where I was when I finished reading it for the first time, but I can tell you the date, the time, what I was wearing, what was hanging on each wall and how my dim office lamp casted shadows across the desk. As I hung on the final word, life started too ooze with clarity. I clenched the arms of my chair, an instinctive attempt to hold onto my previous sense of reality. I was unsteady. I laid my forehead on my desk and forced myself to breathe deeply. The subtle scent of my wooden desk seeped into my sinuses. That’s when the moment became visceral. I sucked that scent into my soul over and over again in longer deeper breaths. I am uncertain how long I remained there but the epiphany … the paradigm shift … the metamorphoses … the moment … for me, I can tell you exactly what that moment smelled like. That moment smelled like old timber.

My train is a little late … no big deal. I settle down on the broad arm of a nearby bench. Looking back, the thing that amazed me the most was the speed at which “The Epic” became universally read. It had to be shared. The morning after my first read, almost wordlessly, I led my wife by the shoulders to my office desk and sat her down at my computer. As she read for hours, I delighted in cutting fresh lavender from the yard, arranging it in a vase and delivering it to her, without a sound. She was the visceral type. She was going to need it.

I can’t tell you the details of the book. I wouldn’t want to. It unravels your world so succinctly and rebuilds your perception of reality so beautifully that I am still unsure just how the magical weaving of words worked. But it did. What I can tell you, is that it changed my perception of “what life is”.

Imagine this. Imagine living life by just two core truths; to love yourself is to live uniquely, to love life is to create that which enables others to live more uniquely. Creativity is not just a part of life. Creativity is the point of life! The more creatively you act, the more valuable you are to the universe!

Immediately I began analyze my life, my past through this new prism. The truths were qualified again and again. It was exhilarating.

On the grandest level, when a mother holds a newborn to her chest for the first time she is overcome by the feeling that she has just brought into this stage of existence, a being with creative potential, greater than any other entity ever known in the history of her life. The emotion is seeded with the fact that she created something so unique that with her assistance will live and create unencumbered unique thoughts, unique actions and experience unique events that will ultimately help expand the universe. Her position, as a mother, having the utmost, intimate relationship with that amazing being, that spirited life-force, was the most inspiring feeling of all. Before “The Epic”, a birth was amazing. After “The Epic”, births were infinitely precious. I thought of my first born. I thought of my mother.

On the simplest level, I re-acknowledged of my immense value to the universe. If creativity was the purpose of life than just the fact that I was born with a unique perspective, was traveling a unique path, and had unique thoughts was as a rule, of tremendous value. I began to love any thought that popped into my head. I began to love every unique solution I could conceive of to solve a problem. I began to love myself for simply sitting on a bench, observing a boy interact enthusiastically with another, feeling the warm breeze on my skin and silently narrating the scene around me. No one ever had or ever will experience that moment, that scene, from that perspective with the “life-path” of experiences and events with which to observe it. I can’t tell you how amazing this is. I can only tell you that love, true love of myself and everything in the universe was defined. Creativity and uniqueness was love. To love was to create. Just by the act of being alive I was living and resonating with love.

Within weeks of the first reading, simply put, the world was happier, and it began to change.

Expression changed

It felt as if the mystery of why we are here had been resolved and everyone had the instantaneous justification to just open up and release the inner artist. Phrases like “the law of uniqueness” had emerged. A child was taught that creativity was why they were here and from a young age they embraced the philosophy and thrived. New sports were created, new buildings were built, new art was almost worshiped, new clothing styles exploded.

Laws changed

Those laws that attempted to diminish the creative potential were not good laws. Those who attempted to diminish the creative potential of another were not good people. Citizens began to use the litmus test “does this rule allow for more creativity or less creativity”.

Business changed

People didn’t want conformity and they were rewarding those who offered uniqueness. Before “The Epic”, flash mobs were a sporadic and effective method of supporting a local establishment. Today, they are called flash movements and small, creative businesses can launch in a month with the almost instantaneous crowd-funded support. Small businesses can’t open fast enough to satisfy the demand! It is one of the most beautiful things to be a part of, truly.

Compassion changed

A transient women, driven by hunger, lifted a trash can lid so she could get one more meal. She wanted to live one more day, so she could think some more unique thoughts, from her unique perspective, that would be forever imprinted in the energy of the universe, and thus have tremendous value. This is why she wanted to live, because life had become infinitely more precious. Folks would stop and buy her a meal so they could just hear some of her unique tale and make that uniqueness part of it their own perspective. They wanted to help create one more day and enable another to continue to live … uniquely.

Religion changed

New religion’s blossomed with new ceremonies, activities, communities and prayer forms united buy one core fundamental, “be unique”, be your own religion. This was the often unspoken core of the “law of uniqueness”. Historically, many turned to religion to explain the following: where am I from, why am I here and where am I going?

There was an answer. The answer was this:

If you knew where you came from you would not be as creative in this stage of existence. If you knew where you were going you would not be as creative in this stage of existence. Why are you here?… to be unique! That is what the universe wants! Create and you will exist in love. Live uniquely and you will exist in happiness.

After thousands of years of not knowing, love was defined and embraced. Fear, sadness, hate, jealousy receded softly out of existence. I want to tell you more but you have to read it for yourself! “The Epic” will cure your cognitive dissonance. Read it.

I can see my train approaching. I lean over and touched my nose to the arm of the park bench and took a breath of fresh timber. The boy with the board reached the train door first, pressed the open button, and entered the vessel. My thoughts traveled to my friend across town. We were going to develop a device that captured the essence of “The Epic” to a tee. We were creating a new device that allows other people to create devices more easily. True to the law of uniqueness, tackling this project is one of the greatest feeling I have ever felt. But that story is for another time.

You are the creator… keep expanding the universe… love.

- by Action

Kicking off the proceedings, Tony Bechara and Jorge Daniel Veneciano gave some welcome remarks to set the stage for the prestigious awards of the evening. Designer, Alejandro Ingelmo was honored with the Artistic Achievement Award, Presented by Teen Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief, Amy Astley.

Andy Unanue presented Maria Eugenia Maury and Dr. William A. Haseltine with the award, named after his father, Joseph A. Unanue Trustee Leadership Award. The Gala Chair was CuCu Diamantes and the Gala Co-Chairs were Andrés Levin, Anita Durst, Lex Fenwick, and Cathy and Alex López Negrete.

Artist CuCu Diamantes asked friends Ray Smith to do an artist invention and Jessica Sophia Mitrani to do the artistic details, which complimented Jerónimo Gaxiola Balsa’s events décor.

Gala Chair Cucu Diamantes put a spin on the night by bringing original art and sounds to the evening. Ray Smith also auctioned off 50 of his unique sculptures that night.

This year’s Gala featured a memorable performance by Gala Chair CuCu Diamantes. Co-Chair Andrés produced the Gala’s entertainment, which included a special reunion performance by Yerba Buena, the Grammy nominated Latin fusion band which Andrés and CuCu founded. The opening performance was by The Pedrito Martínez Group.

Cucu Diamantes & Andres Levin Performing at El Museo’s Gala

“This was an evening of great pride for Latins and an evening of great interest to non-Latins; we couldn’t possibly imagine a better moment for our band to make a special reunion appearance, the first in five years—it was special. The gala was like no other with dancing till the wee hours,” said the Gala Chair. CuCu Diamantes performed with her band and with Levin’s reuniting their band “Yerba Buena” – and debuted her new song “Pecados de Picasso” (sins of Picasso) in collaboration with artist Ray Smith.

The event’s décor and entertainment were both inspired by Pablo Picasso; the night was led by a group of music and visual artists donating their time to celebrate a museum that supports the El Museo community.

Cucu Diamantes, Ray Smith, Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Bricklin photo credit -Adhat Campos

Notable guests who attended include: Susan Sarandon, PJ Pascual, Gabriela Isler Miss Universe®, Jeisa Chiminazzo, Kiara Kabukurub, Alexandra Lebenthal, Shante Williams, Grace Mahary, Ambassador Sandra Fuentes-Berain, Francois Payard, Jessica Joffe, Amy Astley, Carlos Campos, Tony Bechara, Yaz and Valentin Hernández, Ray Smith, & Mark Seliger.

- by Jonathan Cody
Photography by Adhat Campos

As I followed my thoughts I defined what I felt were Joan’s main qualities. Firstly, she is very “pretty”: doe-eyed with soft features and baby-fine, blonde hair. She is also “angelic” with an aura about her that is like a bubble of light from within. Her personal style is somewhat earthy and “bohemian”. And, she is a without a doubt, a bluesy “rockstar”.

I saw that Joan Osborne was indeed all the aspects I had defined, Pretty, Angel, Boho and Rockstar so I created my style boards with inspiration and looks I love for all four facets. On the day of the shoot she was impressed with the aspects of her style that I had defined. Joan loved the combination of drapey crepe fabrics and leather pieces I had gathered for the shoot.

Both soft and gritty, Joan Osborne’s true magic came through when she stepped in front of the camera. Dressed in the sensual clothing I had chosen with makeup and hair done, she was ready. In an instant she closed her eyes, snapped her fingers and danced to the music of her favorite artist BB King. As photographer Jeff Fasano clicked away and captured her incredible metamorphosis, Joan Osborne was truly in her element.

Story and styling by Judith Longo
Photography by Jeff Fasano

David Datuna’s portraits of iconic individuals will resonate through their cultural significance. From Andy Warhol to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis these pieces are powerful milestones of world culture and would be an enhancement to any art collection. The medium is a very interesting use of prescription eye glasses against the images underneath.

It was a pleasure to see his work since his installation of Viewpoint of Billion: Portrait of America, a Google Glass-enabled, interactive exhibit in Washington DC in February 2014. David’s Smithonian National Gallery drew 23,000 visitor which made it one of the most viewed in three decades and this current exhibit Elements continues to individualize the view of iconic images.

We are certain that this is an exhibit that you don’t want to miss. The show is currently on display until June 7th.

- by Jonathan Cody