Monique

Martyr - Outtake

Just after the sun set, hundreds of tiny flies came swarming to the moisture on our bodies. There was a lot of squirming and swatting in between poses. This happened to be a bite related break from the intended pose. The frustration very candidly embodied here plays into the theme of the series perfectly, and by genuine accident. A visual metaphor....

Hour of the Martyr (Work in Progress)

Some more of my work with Cwen during our spontaneous shoot in Nevada.

The last post was a shot Cwen took of me. This is an image I took of her; Just one of a series that will include poetry. I will dribble some of the finished edits here, to keep you in the loop, until it's a complete work.

Cwen is an incredible model. Cwen started m...

Hour of the Martyr

Two evenings ago, Cwen and I took a long drive out into the desert at sunset and made photos of each other for about an hour.

Here is a taste of what's to come...

Model Magic in Vegas

Just in case you are wondering who Cwen is, or what I mean by 'model magic,' here is a shot of us from Lake Powell, Utah, taken by Mickey Schwartz. He shared his book with me during The Desert Adventure, in Moab.

And strangely enough, Cwen serendipitously happened to be in Moab, staying in the hotel right next door to my favorite Mexican restaura...

More from Yosemite

Another exclusive peek into my next upcoming book.

Attached are some behind the scenes, on location images taken with my iPhone. There is even one taken of me, with the worst sunburn I've ever had in my life, sitting beside a snowman. Enjoy!

I'll be showing you more from Moab soon.

In other news, it just so happens that another east c...

Midas Touch

This image is from my Yosemite project with Allyn Saroyan. These images will be accompanied by writing and published in what will be my second book collaboration. I'm very much looking forward to sharing it with you.

We lodged at Mono Lake, and spent four full days hiking and shooting. We hiked 8-15 miles every day to some of the most pristine, a...

Moab to California

The other day, I discovered the Moab library. Scored two CDs and a bumper sticker. The sticker, I have since misplaced. I'll just have to accept that as a sign that I will have to return soon. While there, I did a lot of image uploading and organizing.

While I work on some of the Moab images, I thought I'd share with you something a little differ...

Fire on the Mountain

Awoke to the dream exhumed
Suffused.
Vignetted in smoke and flames
With no sense of urgency
As all the creatures marveled
The electric explosion
Through cellular screens
from their breakfast tables.

No swiftness towards relief.
Those will come from great distances
To drown out the countryside
Once it's been consu...

Scenes from the High Desert

Just a little something for my $1 patrons, to express my gratitude.

Image taken by R.Yokomoto at the MonSekaa Desert Adventure.

With love, from Moab.

Scenes from the High Desert

www.monique-patreon.tumblr.com

Password: p4treon

Thoughts? How are you enjoying the presentation on the Tumblr blog? I have noticed that communication has fallen off a bit since I took this direction. Or maybe everyone is just busy? Please let me know. All of this work is for you, so please let me know how I can maximize the expe...

Mobile. Some #bts tidbits.

This is what I look like some mornings. 

Just finished up with The MonSekaa Desert Adventure, checked out of our beautiful condo and checked back into mobile life.

I got way ahead of myself, thinking I'd be able to post 'live' from Moab.

Well, in Moab, the only 'live' that can be experienced is off grid in the desert. Instead of ...

Embracing the Wind

The air is hot and still.
It hangs its weight on me,
And berths me to rocky desolation.
There is no sea, but still, there is current.
Its stirring softens me with nausea.
I brace myself to be kited by the icy gusts of indifference.
I spread my wings, like sails, against my anticipation,
And fall flat;
Left hanging in the in-...

Moab Intersession

This afternoon, we bid adieu to our photographers for the first session of The MonSekaa Desert Adventure. Tomorrow begins session two. So far, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience, collaborating with some of the most wonderful artists I know. 

I have been desperately making [failed] attempts at posting images as well as behind the ...

Technical Difficulties

Both Patreon & Tumblr have let me down this week.

I have been making mobile posts from my phone over this three day period on my drive from Minnesota to Moab. I realize this morning, that NONE of them actually posted! 

The Desert Adventure begins this afternoon.

I have been trying for three hours this morning to make posts on...

www.monique-patreon.tumblr.com

www.monique-patreon.tumblr.com 

Password: patr30n

Thanks again for bearing with all of the technical obstacles. I heard from two patrons that the Tumblr smart-phone app does not recognize my secret blog URL. I assume it's because the app is not confi...

All Backed Up & On the Move

All Backed Up & On the Move

For the last two weeks, I’ve been working towards a general sense of consistency among my Patreon blogs. 

If you are new to the conversation, I originally intended to keep my blog exclusively within the Patreon site for $5+ patrons.

However, I have been increasingly disappointed with the...

Evolution of A Portrait Series

There are several new posts up on both of my private Tumblr accounts. There, you will see a little more of my work with Joyce Lawrence and other incredible artists at Pineshores Art Association, on the Jersey Shore.

My hope is to be all caught up with content on both Tumblrs in the next few days, so that I can begin posting from the road in real ...

Getting There.

I have spent the last day working on my website, which is yet to be launched. Getting there!

I am also currently in the process of condensing and compiling all the content from my Patreon and posting it to my Tumblr feed. Once I've got that all put together, I will be taking some time to showcase some of my work with 'The Morning Fix' project.&nb...

Back to the Fix

In between my 'bread and butter' gigs, taking care of my grandfather, and trying to get my taxes filed, I have been putting in work on my personal projects. 

Tonight and tomorrow I am working on launching my website, which will have an online store featuring my prints, polaroids and books! Remember, that if you are a patron, you get a discou...

Evolution of a Portrait Subject

These paintings were both done by Joyce Lawrence, of Pineshores Art Association on the Jersey Shore.

The left-most image was painted when I was 22 years old. The painting to the right was done about a year ago, just shy of 25. Believe it or not, both of these images captured my likeness extremely well, despite their looking like two completely di...

Evolution of a Portrait

At center is the developed grisaille sketch done by Joyce Lawrence, who is an incredible portraitist and a wonderful instructor. She has been painting portraits for the last 4-5 years, and has only begun teaching about a year or so ago.

When it comes to seeing and translating form, Joyce is like an engineer. Even I am learning as I sit for her se...

Working on it...

Even in the discomfort

Of imbalance,

Through my frustration

With oft-repeated relapses

And desperate missteps,

Might I rest in the awkward

Of my smallness

Towards this cavernous swallow;

A frail fortuity in the hollow coarseness

Of possibility versus promised tomorrow?

When my eyes burn with s...

Sacred Bath

I am most excited to announce that the long anticipated book, 'Monique - Poet & Muse,' is just about two weeks from its arrival! I just booked a flight to meet with my collaborators, Photosensualis, and sign a select number of copies. 

In celebration, I thought I would post some outtakes of the bathtub shoot, as well as one of my poems, ...

Sacred Bath - As featured in 'Monique - Poet & Muse'

Wisdom written on my slate,

Once starved with hunger,

Thirst; Parched with wonder.

Now I've too much on my plate.

If I should take another bite,

I would lose my appetite.

But I've sealed my fate

And it's too late.

So release the hate,

Feel about serrated edges,

Of fine baby hairs along her nap...

A Child's Foreboding Dream

New carpeting, yet to be unrolled,

Made a perfect tunnel for matchbox cars

Maneuvered by two pairs of tiny hands

Our microcosm deaf to the goodbyes of our mothers

Telling their anticipatory farewells

Comfortable in the soft buffering of expectation

That we shall play the same game tomorrow.

My mother...

Evolution of a Portrait - Part 2

Featured here is a twenty minute sketch done by Joyce Lawrence, an accomplished painter here on the Jersey Shore. I have been posing for Joyce for several years. This month she is teaching a four session portrait painting class at Pineshores. 

Today would have been our second session in this course. However, due to some severe weather, the s...

More sketches of myself by Tom Rutledge

I think my previous post may be Tom’s most accurate capture of my likeness, although these are all incredibly beautiful. Out of the hundreds of drawings I have had the pleasure of posing for, Tom’s drawings are among those most dear to me.

*PS- Until I'm in the groove with Tumblr, I will also post here.

I did not receive any ...

Evolution of a Portrait

One of my favorite things about returning to the Jersey Shore is posing for the local artists. Art gigs pay a mere $15-$35 per hour wage, and are generally much more physically taxing. However, the experience itself is most rewarding. 

Firstly, what a comfort it is to feel ‘at home’ in one’s work, especially when I am, indeed, ‘at ho...

Tumble on over.

Click the rectangle entitled 'Tumblr' just above ^^

The password is: patr30n

I hope this is easy enough to remember and private enough to remain exclusive.

As usual, thorough and honest feedback is encouraged. 

Thank you!

xo.

Evolution of a Portrait

Here is the beginning of a drawing done by Tom Rutledge of the Jersey Shore. I have attached more about this portraitist, and my experience as his subject, in my just-launched Tumblr blog: www.monique-patreon.tumblr.com

I hope you will join me there. Password coming to my $5+ patrons shortly!

xo.