Welcome to the Garden...
Join us in this place that a little naughty, artistic, sexy and proud. Hang out where its humorous and intense, provocative and passionate. And make some noise in a haven that, not only celebrates an Afro-sensual aesthetic, but also give voice to the rich, textured and soulful environment that nurtured it. Join us in the Garden. Meet The EarthSistas

The EarthSistas
The EarthSistas are the sensually Afrocentric models in the Garden. Paying homage in the form of images of that girl with naturals and 'locs wearing hoop rings and warm-colored loose fit dresses or jeans. Dozens of bracelets and beautiful African-style necklaces. On the street..in the park. Eyes always piercing and hungry for some truth or justice. Faces that were always filled with attitude or laughter. EarthSistas are ALWAYS the perfect muse. They are the inspirations for the images in the Garden, driving us ALL to the yard!

Pangea's Garden is growing...
This is the sensual Afrocentric Online community that entertains, arouses, provokes and inspires. It is the community that is growing. With the commentary from the likes of Scottie Lowe, Lee Bey and Torrence Stephens, Journals and 20 questions with the EarthSistas along with in depth interviews with the seductively soulful celebs, Pangeas Garden will be the place stimulates your mind, body and spirit. Join us in the forthcoming Forums, comment on the commentary.

Join us in the Garden. Watch its beauty grow.

[link]

I, like a lot of my friends and associates, have been laid off this year. I've tried to look at as a positive opportunity grow myself as an Artist and Photographer, hoping to find a living that way. And times are a bit difficult right now as this job and work drought continues. I'm not down yet though, at least, not by the slow changes for the economy. I am disheartened by some of the issues that I am hearing from some of the black men out there....

You see recently, I was disheartened by some of the commentary launched by a young and beautiful model who decided to get out of the industry because her afrocentric appearance was not a popular look in the marketplace. Now, I live in Atlanta, so its kinda hard for me to see that but I can understand it because I did not always live here. But I knew the market existed because I, personally, knew Creative Directors who had built their careers on that market.

But not now.

That particular market dried up quickly, faster than both the Hispanic and Broadcast markets. And I am watching Creative Directors and agency owners lose their offices, homes and cars as they declare bankruptcy. And these vastly creative, experienced project directors can't even find jobs in their field when they close up shop. And its not because the jobs aren't out there.

When I was 19 in the mid-80s, I pounded the pavement in search of an internship in the Advertising business. And during that search one Ad Agency principal told me that he " honestly, did not think that a black man had the frame of reference to work in a white advertising agency." Now that was about 25 years ago and I've yet to forget it, but that is not what strikes me now. A couple of folks out there searching, who ran those urban agencies that have fallen in this economy, are telling me that they are being told that due to the limitations of their multicultural and urban portfolios, that working in a broadcast agency might not be the proper fit for them.

Is the industry serious? Are we STILL here as a culture? At one point 25 years ago this level of narrow vision was an issue of ignorance. Now, this is just apathy and stupidity, right?

Am I wrong? Is my view too myopic?

And if so, what type of stuff do you buy prints of?

Also, how do you start a poll?

Hysteric Sun mentioned something about folks wanting to touch her locks that reminded of an exchanged between me and an old girlfriend. It one of those conversations that are small but influence my decisions for months and years to come...
-----------------------------------------------------------

"You really think brothas are intimidated by your locs and that's the reason they don't step to you?"

"Yes, Vincent. I am sure of it."

That was the beginning of a polite conversation that, for me, led to an exploration.

I was on this thing called a date; something that I don't see a lot of folks doing anymore and kids don't appear to be doing at all. I was with a beautiful and intelligent dark-skinned sister with dreadlocs. As was typical between us, she was impeccably dressed and perfectly accented while I did my best to not make her look bad. She's a lean sister and she was not very tall but she carried herself with a natural pride and grace that was almost regal. Instinctively, she carried herself like a queen.

We both had a love for art. And on this Saturday evening in downtown Atlanta we had paid a visit to a gallery called Wertz Contemporary down in Castleberry Hill. The works were unique and provocative and, somehow, were the precursor to this conversation that we continued in the urbane bar next door called Noir. Its a really cool place with great drinks and tasty appetizers. So there we were.

"Its not the locs, darling." I told her.

"Everybody's not like you." she started...

"Nobody's like me." I blurted out.

"Not everyone is into locs and naturals." she continued."A lot of men are turned off by it. If you don't have long straight hair down to the exposed crack of your ghetto booty you aren't cute to most men, black men in particular."

"So to most brothas, you are ugly. Is that what you are saying?"

"No. I am not saying that. I am saying they are intimidated. And men do not find intimidating women attractive."

"Well," I responded, " you are intimidating I will say that."

"See, you agree."

"Yes, you are intimidating. You are beautiful and intelligent and that shows. On top of that, I have already told you about how you carry yourself..."

"Oh, here we go again."

"...you have a personality that is charismatic and full of pride. You are gracious. All of that WITH your looks is INTIMIDATING."

"That is what YOU see."

"THAT'S what is." I quickly responded. "That's what the brothas see. That's what men see. You are not the woman a man steps to. He HAS to have his shit together when he sees you. You are the woman that a man steps UP to."

She smiles.

"You are a queen." I say. Its one the lines all of us brothas used everyday back in the early nineties. I mean it when I say it here. "You are a queen. Live with it."

At that moment, Our waitress greets us and asks us for our drink order. She is a beautifully, curvaceous sista with caramel brown skin and thick red & black locs. She's dressed in Noir's uniform black which is form fitting and accents her curves extremely well. As she writes down our drink orders I asked a bold question.

"Excuse me miss, I have a question for you." I asked. "Do you find that men are intimidated by your locs."

"No," she responded, "If anything, they are attracted to me because of them."

"Really," my lady friend responded, "out of curiosity, are you approached by more black men or white men?"

"Well," she responded, "I am not around a lot of white men so its definitely more brothas that hit me up. But a lot of white men step to me too."

"Is there a difference to the way the brothas step to you versus the white men?" I asked.

"Yes." the waitress responded definitively. "White men always want to touch my hair. Brothas know better."

-----------------------------------------------------------
The conversation went somewhere else after that. I started Pangea's Garden.

Is the revolution televised?
Is the evolution marginalized?
Is the trailblazing capitalized?

What's next?

I recently got a notice from a Model telling me she was giving up her modeling to some degree, partially because it was tearing her up inside. She said "The thing about modeling is that you're never someone special. There's always someone that can fill the void."

And she's right in some aspects. But, then again, she's not; because that's not the whole picture.

Sometimes, I guess you have to be on the other side of the camera, the other side of the of the paintbrush or computer screen. You have to be the one creating poetry from the subject, from the moment, from the capture. You have to be able to live in it. To see the special. That makes it harmonious and beautiful.

With the subject, that capture ends without context and the power of that moment is loss until the images are created. And because there are so many moments we tend to forget that each one is a miracle.

There are so many subjects that we forget that each one is special.

In our culture, American culture, we are always in a race. But we are also a culture where individuality is praised and the special can, practically, be worshiped. And that race makes compartmentalize and label and package everything for the sake of expediency. And we sacrifice that opportunity to feel that moment.

That doesn't make the moment any less of a miracle. It doesn't make the individual any less special. It simply makes us pitiful for not appreciating it.

But as creatives, if we can capture a moment to share its beauty, we remind others of what they may have missed with the hopes that they won't sacrifice so much in the future, because its not promised.

You are special. You are inspiration. Don't lose that. And don't let anyone tell you different.