Moving, Modeling, & More

[zerbeTRON]

The time is fast approaching. On August 15th, Steven and I are rolling out to Bawlmer to move into our new home in Charles Village. I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. Everything is happening so quickly that Steven and I just haven't had the time to spend with friends and family like we've wanted to. So, in an effort to say goodbye, and celebrate this new phase in our lives, we are having a knock down, drag out, kick ass, super rad Going Away Extravaganza!

If you're in the virginia beach area next sunday, stop by the casa and have a beer. Family and friends are always welcome! We've got a keg, tons of food, and loads of fun to be had. Come party with us one last time! If you need directions or the party address, just shoot me an email at: zerbetron[at]gmail[dot]com. I'll give ya the skinny so you can come have a blast. ;)

Aside from preparing for next week's festivities, I've been super busy trying to get my thoughts together for grad school. Steve and I took a tour of MICA's facilities last monday, and as it turns out, the graduate studio space is only about 5 blocks from the house! How bad ass is that?? I'm stoked to live in a metro city environment again. I've really missed the hustle and bustle of a city, and most of all...I've missed walking everywhere. So my Baltimore peeps: Holla! I'm new and looking for great places in Charles Village and Mount Vernon for drinks, karaoke, and good times! :)

I've got some amazing ideas to start refining for my thesis. I know I want it to be installation based work focused on social media and SEO as a means for creation. The catalyst is the hard part, but I'm working it out and neck deep in research. Looking forward to getting settled into my studio space and seeing what the other students have going on. Being surrounded by other educated creatives really sparks the idea process for me. Stokes to see what happens in the coming weeks. Mostly I'm looking forward to playing with my new DSLR and getting proficient at it's functions and what it could bring to my thesis ideas. God I love my lens based media!

Speaking of lens based, I've been modeling my ass off!!! I tell ya, it's a LOT more fun then I ever thought it could be. In the past 2 weeks I've had 4 shoots and I've got 3 more lined up before I make the move. I've been talking with some photographers in Baltimore, so I'm hoping to squeeze one in before school starts and my schedule becomes crazy again. Really when Nadia approached me with the idea of alternative and plus modeling I never dreamed it could be so much fun, and so rewarding. As an artist, I think the creative aspect of what you can accomplish with alternative modeling is really what appeals to me. I'm overflowing with ideas, and now that I've got a quality DSLR I'm hoping to do some work BEHIND the camera too.

I'm proud to say I've seen a lot of success with alternative modeling since starting about 4 months ago, and I hope these opportunities continue to present themselves. I was recently awarded the honor of Glamour Girl July and also this week I'm the spoke's model for Plus Size Models & Curvy Girls. I'm now a featured model on a variety of plus size and alternative modeling sites, and I've been approached by many more. If you'd like to see my modeling portfolio and resume please feel free to check out my model mayhem page. :) Unfortunately due to my schedule, I had to turn down an awesome opportunity to do runway modeling for a new plus size line out of Chicago. But, I know more chances will come up, so I'm just honored to have been approached with the opportunity! In an effort to continue working towards the kind of modeling that speaks to me, I've decided to audition for the Torrid Model Search! I'm mailing out my submission tomorrow! I'm not sure how much of a chance I stand, as I'm certain many beautiful girls are applying. But it's worth a shot and something fun that I believe in! Below is the image I'm submitting with my application. Beautiful shot by Chris Conway!

Even in my short time and limited experience in the modeling industry, I've seen a lot of girls sell themselves short by compromising their ideals. It's sad, and it's a shame. I for one, am proud of my work, and have no intention of ever selling out and doing something below my standards. Everyone is different, but for me that means: no nudity, no fetish, and no porn. It's so important to me to present plus size models with class. Too often full figured models are presented in such trashy ways, and I for one, wont promote that. Ultimately, fashion, sequential imaging, creative concepts, and visual story telling are the types of modeling I'm hoping to gain more experience in.

So modeling, photography, and researching for school are keeping me busy until we take the plunge and move to Charm City. I'm so excited about what my future holds. Stay tuned, I promise it'll be a fun ride ;)

Later Darlings!

z