Collaboration with Artist Caitlin McCourt for the Albany Barn

Albany-based artist Caitlin McCourt asked me to collaborate with her on a new piece, specifically created for the Albany Barn's annual Fusion event. Caitlin wanted to focus on celebrating the career accomplishments of journalist Nellie Bly, for she is considered one of the first pioneers to step out of the shadow of men in the workforce. Nellie Bly is revolutionary, legendary and simply bad ass. It was fun researching and reading about her career, especially considering her work has helped pave the way for women like myself to be taken seriously in the industry, in field reporting and journalism specifically. Caitlin captured Nellie's spirit wonderfully, and I loved helping out with the concept.

Instagram photos courtesy of Caitlin McCourt and Tony Iadiccio. 

personal anecdote, re: guns are terrifying.

last summer was my first time shooting the type of gun that can kill a person, a weapon i am terribly afraid of. i remember standing in between an army dude casually firing off the biggest guns i've ever seen in person and a transgendered woman shooting a pistol while wearing heels higher than i could dream of ever walking in. as i stood between these two badasses, all i could think about was how much like life itself, the mere act of shooting a gun is so complex and simple at the same millisecond.

i also couldn't help but have a racing mind thinking that even though i was in a controlled environment, one of these strangers feet away from me could have a mental break and it could turn into the wild west. i was in colorado. the staff barely glanced at our IDs before handing over the ammo. it was silly to feel so freaked out given that we were at a place where people specifically go to shoot guns but we were shaky and nonetheless tripped out.

i remember leaving the shooting range thinking i had to have been there for an hour but in reality, we were there for barely 10 minutes. i can't even fathom how slow and how fast time must feel during these tragic public shootings.

it's even more absurd to have to think about how lucky i am that i am a human being who paid via groupon for my recent gun experience, and not someone who didn't have a choice in being a victim to a public mass shooting. the mere thought gives me insane chills. my heart hurts for this country, and my head hurts at how complicated all of this is.

regardless of how everyone feels about guns in general, gun regulations, gun media coverage, gun reform, etc. i hope we all can agree this HAS TO STOP. heart emoticon

Behind The Lens: Interview With Digital Media Artist Glassface

For 12ozProphet.com:

Music videos have been capturing our attention for decades and the artistry behind them has evolved in ways that solidifies their importance culturally, their vital role in the entertainment industry and their endless possibilities for visual self-expression. A music video is simply one interpretation of sound captured, picked out of an infinite pool of ideas. In many ways, it is as close as a listener will get to seeing through a musician’s eyes and into their mind, as influenced by their music and preserved in time.

Digital media artist Josh Goldenberg, also known as Glassface, is committed to this art form with such passion, in a way that the music industry needs to be thankful for. The creation and promotion of music is a team effort, and artists are finding themselves lucky to work with someone with Glassface’s vision and more importantly, his ability to execute that vision. Attention to detail, risk-taking, creativity, hard work and multifaceted talent are all features that help make up Glassface’s charm as a director and artist.

Working with a wide range of clients, Glassface has built a CV of work created with like-minded innovators, and this has helped strengthen the product. When an artist is able to collaborate well with another artist of a different medium and get excited about similar ideas, the outcome is truly special.

In his latest work, with Tunji Ige, as premiered via Complex, the audience escapes into a world that is believable and detached from reality at the same time. Through gorgeous country landscapes and urban abandonment, the video presents a variety of curious conflicts between Tunji Ige and another character, Tunji Ige and himself and Tunji Ige and modern circumstance. Toss in text messages and app alerts dismissed by a surreal hand across the screen and there is a lot to take in and digest. Find yourself getting lost in these stunning and intricate images, flawlessly tied together and strengthen by Tunji’s track, “Ball Is Life,” and you’ll realize five minutes goes by quickly.

Check out our Q+A to learn more about Glassface’s world and the dynamism behind his art.