Women In Transit: Amber Knowles

                            words by Patrice Udeh                                                                       Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

Amber Knowles, is a Los Angeles native who spent ten years in New York before moving to Dallas five years ago to embark on a creative change. She works as a Producer for an advertising agency by day but in her free time she captures stunning wedding pictures for glowing couples. She discovered her passion for shooting weddings shortly after finishing photography school while working as a Photographer's Assistant. It was not long after she discovered her love for Wedding Photography before she branched out on her own.

Although, Amber is a Wedding Photographer by trade, she doesn’t consider herself an Artist or Creative but a creative business owner. Taking photographs accounts for the small amount of what she does for her creative business.  Knowles, does her own marketing, accounting, social media management, and bookkeeping to maintain her business.  

IT: What would you consider to be your early influences?

AK: I liked working with couples and weddings. I also do portraits. What attracted me and what I liked most, is when I am taking their photos I feel like I am their family’s Historian. In our [black] community, our older generations don't have the photographic documentation like other communities have of their past relatives. Photos are important at least for the sake of telling our stories. It can tell a story of who someone was and what someone did during that time in their lives. When I'm capturing people, I want to capture them as they are naturally instead of them posed. I capture them with natural laughs and smiles. Candid moments.

So you say you consider yourself to be a historian?

Yes, so if say someone's grandkids looked at their grandparents wedding pictures 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years later, they’ll look at the photos I took of the grandparents and remember, “that’s exactly how my grandmother looked when she laughed” or “this is how grandma’s eyes looked when she smiled.” As opposed to a posed, still photo.

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What's been your experience being a woman in the industry?

As a woman, I have to prove myself and work a little bit harder to show I am skilled and trustworthy. For instance, if I have a male assistant with me, I have to assert that I'm the lead photographer, not him. I have to show I'm capable of doing something like corralling a rowdy group of drunk groomsmen to get a great photo of them. Sometimes people doubt that women are capable of doing things. I've grown in my photography and experience over the last five years that I'm able to have clients trust me early on.

What inspires you?

What inspires me? Money. *laughs* For me, a lot of it is the challenge. Can I do this or can I figure this out.  Once I do it’s the accomplishment of I did it and it turned out okay. Other than being there to capture pictures, I do enjoy the wedding experience maybe because I'm a girl and kind of a romantic but they never get old to me. At weddings everyone dresses up and gets excited. Everyone is happy, for the most part. They’re ecstatic to have their photos taken. It's great to be in that type of environment. Overall, what inspires me is being able to document their stories and tell it through photographs.

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What gives you the most joy in photography?

The final outcome. I feel joy when I see the final results of my hard work and stress from the wedding day pay off and come together. I enjoy having happy, satisfied clients. It makes me happy to know that I was able to make them happy.

What’s next for you?

I like to think of myself as more of an entrepreneur than a photographer so I do want to start another business but I am not sure what is it specifically yet. I also have my own wedding coming up in a week. 

Check out Amber’s work right here

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

Photo Cred: Tyson Pough

Women In Transit: Tiffani Robinson

                            words by Marco Smith                                                                       Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

It had been about a year since the last time I saw Tiffani.  I remember it distinctly because we went to a Texas Ranger game with a couple of other friends.  She was just as she always was, vibrant, cool, with a fresh pair of Jordan’s on all the while cracking jokes.  We related because we both have a particular taste in music and much of our conversations revolved around that.  It’s because of her that I started listening to “Urban Flora” by Alina Baraz which is one of my favorite albums from last year.  We connected through a mutual friend because ironically at the time I was relaunching  In Transit and I needed someone to help me write for the relaunch so that I sounded  at least like my public school education wasn't wasted. When she writes she goes by “Janz Lionne”  and she managed to do that successfully for me.  Fast forward to this lovely day as I’m waiting for her at The Wild Detectives.  I’m really looking forward to seeing her but admittedly I’m a bit anxious as well.  A lot can happen in a year.  I see her approaching as her sister guides her with one arm and in her other hand is a white cane.  She moves a little slower and she has lost weight but her demeanor is the same as it ever was, “What’s up man!” she says.  We hug and my anxiousness dissipates.  Stylish as always in a grey beanie and Tom Ford shades, we begin to talk like we’re back at that Rangers game and we laugh.  Then she shares her story, “I’m 28 and I’m finding out the older I get the more introverted I might be. I love God, I love my family and I’m not one who’s meant to have a mediocre life” she says.  She’s spirited when she speaks.  You would have never known that she’s been battling juvenile diabetes since she was 4 and that she was just recently told that she will never regain her vision.  A lot can happen in a year but not enough to slow her down.  She’s still living her life and working full time providing digital content for TD Jakes ministries. So its from here we begin to catch up...

IT: What led you to do what it is you do now or how did you get started?

TR:  As a child I really didn’t know how to express myself.  I was diagnosed with diabetes at a really young age which was a drastic lifestyle change for me.  My parents put me in a program that focused on visual and performing arts.  So the things that I gravitated toward were painting and writing.  That carried on throughout school.  I didn’t enjoy school much but anything dealing with writing or literature I excelled at.  My teachers would say I write beyond my years and really I just write because I like words.  I would say I really learned how to write when I was about 12 or 13 because I could stay home by myself.  I would watch and record rap music videos because I loved the lyrics.  I would write the lyrics down and then try to create my own.

What is your opinion of the art scene here in Dallas?

I think it’s really “boutique style”.  There are so many of these small groups of creatives and I just think to myself if they would just merge how impactful that would be.  I love to connect with other creatives but we just don’t do it enough.

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What were your early influences artistically?

Artistically Nikki Giovanni was my first influence and then Napoleon Hill.

What has been your experience being a female artist positive or negative?

I’ve always felt this intrinsic responsibility to younger generations, especially when I went to Africa.  I had the opportunity to sit at the table in Parliament which is historically unheard of for women.  Afterwards many of the women came to me asking me who I was and what I did and so on.  And they told me I have to spread the word and be an example for all women.  So I’ve always felt obligated to represent that positively.

                                      Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What inspires you?

My family.  There are other things too but it’s my family mostly.  Especially with all that’s happened this year.  Having their support at all times and all hours is amazing.  I feel responsible to make their lives comfortable with my gift.

How has all the major changes with you health in the last year effected your writing?

When we look at art there is always the underlying question of what it is.  Losing my vision automatically changed all of that.  Things that are beautiful aren't necessarily beautiful in the traditional sense. Now I feel beauty. Like if someone comes in and I feel their energy and it's beautiful then I feel that. It's a feeling now more so than what I see. Having that feeling and being able to go deeper with people and in my connections. That resonates now more in my writing and people connect with that.

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What gives you the most joy in doing what you do?

Meeting strangers.  Just having someone come up to me and say “man you’re dope!”  Having those random conversations with someone who saw me speak or enjoys my work is a good feeling.  Connecting with random souls who give off good energy based on something I wrote or created is an awesome feeling.

What is it in your opinion that you bring to the table artistically that is unique to you?

My vunerability.  I believe there is beauty in being vunerable and letting people see your scars

Ok, so what’s next?

I’m revamping my site where its more personal.  When I first went blind I still wanted to do everything on my own but I learned that a lot of the technology for the visually impaired is severely antiquated.  So I started my own company called “Visiotech” and we’re developing an app for the visually impaired to help them type on their own and navigate on their own.  Basically to help them use their technology independently.

You can check out some of Tiffani’s writing right here

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

Women In Transit: Morgana Wilborn

                                     words by Marco Smith                                                                      Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

I met Morgana at a school board election event last year.  I knew her the way you first get to know people nowadays which is obviously through social media.  We had a mutual friend so I had the opportunity to introduce myself and let her know I was a fan of her work.  When you first meet her, her appearance is soft.  Her skin is fair, with piercing eyes, a bright smile, and little freckles that were individually placed in their own perfect location on her face.  It’s disarming to say the least.  But it was in our first conversation regarding our perspectives on the Dallas art scene that I really get a glimpse into her personality.  It was this hilarious down to earth, matter of fact, no holds barred dialogue laced in a southern accent that would make all of us born and bred Dallasites proud. You can tell that she has an old soul just in how she interacts with people.  Bottom line is......she is cool as hell.  Needless to say our rapport continued when it came time to sit down and chat for this feature.  The self-professed dreamer-creator is someone who is very proud of where she came from and how she grew up.  “I come from a family of strong women and it’s been an inspiration for me.  I’m very nonconformist and am about action and moves for women of color” she says.  The strength that she derives from is very indicative in her demeanor.  In the daytime she is the Director of Education for the Dallas Theater Center housed at the Wiley Theater. When she’s not doing that you may catch her behind the lens of a camera capturing life.  But that is just the beginning of Ms. Wilborn.

IT: What led you to do what it is you do now or how did you get started?

MW:  For me I got into it through my father.  He taught me how to use my first Minolta camera.  He took beautiful pictures and he made me fall in love with it.  I was even his little model from time to time as he would practice his craft.  I studied a bit in high school and took it with me through college.  I love capturing people in their truest, rawest form.  My dad always wanted a studio and when he passed it inspired me to start my own photography business.  I stepped away from it for a bit because I was focused on the education of my students but a friend encouraged me to start focusing on my art for myself.  So I began doing less paid work and more personal projects and PhotoNoire was birthed out of that.

What is your opinion of the art scene here in Dallas?

Ha! We’ve had this conversation before.  For me or at least my experience there are two sides to it.  It’s almost elitest.  There is a group that have their own crew and own following and you may not be part of that team.  Then there is a more organic group of people who just love to create and that’s the scene that I like to be apart of.  I just like a collective of people who are not shy about what they are creating and who are not selfish in sharing knowledge.  I mean we see the same people plastered everywhere and that’s great because a lot of them have been working hard for a very long time.  But they are not the only great people out there.  There are some really talented people out there with great work who get overlooked.  I try not to follow the same stigma of “booty shots” and “hipster headshots”.

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What were your early influences artistically?

My Dad is one definitely in terms of photography.  I love a lot of photography from the 20s like James Vanderzee.  Just how he photographed black people was royalty.  I want anything I do to look half as good as that.  And my number one is Cindy Sherman.  She is my favorite photographer of all time!  She does self-portraits and hers are really theatrical.  I love her…she’s pretty magical.

What has been your experience being a female artist positive or negative?

Well from positive perspective I feel like I can do a lot of work for myself and my friends and other women who maybe battling with their own body and self-image issues.  They’re comfortable with me and my work knowing that I’m going to represent them well. There are those moments when people may not take my work seriously as a woman.  I’m ok with my photography not being perfect.  A lot of people do a lot of extra stuff with their work and I just don’t think that is necessary.  You just have to create what’s yours and I refuse to conform.

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What inspires you?

What inspires me is the fear of being stagnant.  The fear of being complacent. The fear of not growing or not experiencing.  That is what drives me

What gives you the most joy in doing what you do?

Just the magic of it and the beautiful things that I see that are unseen.  When I get to do it and it’s like “man that was a beautiful moment” and all these different photos that I’ve taken in my life have been powerful moments that stay with me. That brings me joy.

                        Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

What is it in your opinion that you bring to the table artistically that is unique to you?

I think for me I’m just bringing my perspective and my story.  Because everybody has a different story when they create.  No artist is the same.  But my stories are my own and I’m blessed that people trust me to capture their stories too.  It may not be perfect but I pride myself on being perfectly imperfect.

Ok, so what’s next?

I have so many ideas. Now that I’m comfortable in my new position at work I can get back to creating.  I want to do a series of various women I want to work on and I have this obsession with I-45 I want to work on.

You can check out more of Morgana and her work here

                            Photo Cred: Emily McCartney

WOMEN IN TRANSIT COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Over the years, It’s been said by many male artists that out of all the creative inspirations to be had, The Woman is by far the ultimate source of their inspiration, whether it be music, photography, fashion or design. Perhaps because The Woman, by nature, has the capacity to create something extraordinary and give it birth. While the concept of men celebrating their female muses is common and flattering, it often overlooks the many contributions of their female counterparts. They represent a diverse collective that occupy this city’s artistic space. Over the next few weeks we will profile some of Dallas' most phenomenal female creatives and discover what inspires them. It will then all culminate in a celebration of them at our meet and greet cocktail reception for these dynamic ladies. These are our "Women In Transit." 

You are cordially invited to join us in a celebration as we honor these phenomenal women. The evening will consist of drinks, good people and sounds provided by one of our very own honorees Ursa Minor

[DON'T INSERT TITLE HERE] The Guide Toward Creative Freedom & Success

words by Marco Smith

There was a song in the mid 2000's  entitled "Can't Stop Won't Stop" that was pretty popular.  Aside from the obviously infectious beat and the slick bars being delivered by the Young Gunz, the song was largely popular because of what it represented and the message it was delivering.  At its core it represented this mind state and work ethic that quite simply put...won't stop.  You hear people all the time talk about their "hustle" and their "grind" in a failed attempt to emulate Diddy's own legendary work ethic. Because after all he was the first one to tell us all how "he won't stop".  But unfortunately when it comes down to the "day to day" and the work, for many it is just talk.  However that isn't the case when it comes to Justin Adu.  He is the walking embodiment of "Can't Stop Won't Stop".  I have personally had the opportunity to work with him and watch him work for from afar.  He really doesn't stop....ever!  He is literally a walking ball of creative energy that is always a step ahead and constantly thinking of the next thing.  Now that energy has manifested itself in his first literary offering entitled "Don't Insert Title Here" The Guide Toward Creative Freedom & Success which is here to help us all harness our own creative potential.

What led you to write this book?

I finally arrived at a place in my life about 3 years ago that I figured out how to merge all of my creative talents together. I believe that when you have knowledge you should share it with others and I remember graduating from college (both undergrad and grad) and applying for jobs and being told that I had too many things on my resume. Almost as if I was doing too much.  I wanted to create a body of work for people to read and be motivated by. Hell, even after sitting with it for a while it made me jump start my next project already, so I’m pretty excited to hear what other people think. It is a short read that is to the point and filled with visuals.

What are you hoping to accomplish or want the book's impact to be?

I would love to hear stories from other creatives on how they get over those creative roadblocks. I'm really looking forward to hearing the feedback from others. I want to start a silent movement which I think has already begun of more people being about it rather then talking about it. My goal in life is to do anything and everything creatively that I aspire to do regardless of where I live, no matter how limited my resources are or what anyone is telling me.

Who is this book for?  What audience are you speaking to or trying to reach?

 I’m speaking to that kid in high school who doesn’t know what they want to do. The college student that doesn’t know what they want to major in. The graduate student that finally figured it out but is too burnt out to get out there and do it and the young professional that doesn’t know where to start. Hopefully through reading this book all of those individuals will have more concrete guidance on how to begin their journey.

Where does the title derive from?

So maybe about 10 years ago I was redoing my CV (curriculum vitae) which I do often and for the life of me I didn’t know how the hell to present myself. So I put everything that I did on it, which was a lot.  But all in all what’s interesting is that I live a life of identifying people before I identify their title. Titles are overrated and some people don’t even live up to what is expected of that title. So for me a "title-less" society of individuals doing cool things makes more sense to me.  I always recognize the body of work and what they have done before I look at their title.

What's next for you?

I’m really excited about the release and everything that is going to roll out with it. I'm also looking forward to going on my book tour and I am in the process of releasing a product. So all in all 2017 will be exciting!

You can pre-order the book here

KAWS: Where The End Starts

                            words by Marco Smith

Admitingly I don't venture out to Ft. Worth,  The last time I went out there it was for a similar reason and that was to catch the Kehinde Wiley exhibit last year.  So instead of going trick or treating a friend suggested we go to the "Modern Til Midnight" at the Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth.  It turned out to be a good idea.  It was a good crowd, plenty of food, drinks, live music and DJ Sober the 1's and 2's to set the night right. It also afforded me the opportunity to check out the latest and much publicized exhibit KAWS: Where The End Starts.

There are over 100 works that are showcased that span his entire career.  Everything from his pop art visuals with his take on some of your favorite cartoons to his mammoth sized companion sculptures.  Do yourself a favor and  go check it out.  The exhibit will be on display until January 22, 2017.