Peaches 'N Dreams

Arts Event: Paint By Numb3rs (Volunteers & Vendors Needed)

toni urbanluxe — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:54:57 +0000

Paint By Numb3rs is a social event where the patrons CREATE the art. On a 100 sq ft canvas, attendees paint on a pre-drawn template with their corresponding number color–just like when we were kids. These events are held every other Saturday at the Art on 5 Gallery and are a great way to get out of the house, meet new folks, and do something different!

Got the word that they are looking for vendors and volunteers–I think this would be great for someone who sells books, jewelry or body products! If you’re interested, contact Vonetta Flowers at info@arton5.com or 404-564-4799.

Arts Event: Gather Atlanta June 6

toni urbanluxe — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:42:03 +0000

My friends at Wonderroot are sponsoring and taking part in Gather Atlanta next Saturday, June 6 at Eyedrum. Gather Atlanta is an annual networking event design to draw together Atlanta’s community of galleries, creative collectives and artists for mutual growth.

Sounds right up my alley, and I plan to be front & center at this free event that gets started at 6pm for a public panel discussion on the state of the arts here in the A, informational displays from local galleries and food & drink. See you there and thanks to Marcus Williams of Ectonymand Wonderroot who gave me the heads up and will be speaking on the panel!

Creative Entrepreneur: Samara Michelle

toni urbanluxe — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:35:50 +0000

When your nonprofit’s tagline is “It Begins with a Single Step,” you might have a thing or two to share about attaining your goals.

Samara Michelle, founder and Artistic Director of Journey Performing Arts Center, is my close friend and inaugural artist for Peaches ’N Dreams. Hailing from Detroit, she brought her love of dance to her adopted home when she came here to attend Clark Atlanta University. A true teacher at heart, she taught following graduation and found success there and in the banking and real estate sectors, but never let go of her dream of giving inner city kids exposure to the arts like she experienced in her youth. She taught private dance lessons until she built a client base large enough to necessitate space rental at the Y. When she outgrew that, she found and rented a studio near Grant Park.

“I did something each day towards my dream, no matter how small,” Samara said of her success.

Five years after founding Journey, the studio recently moved to spacious new digs in Edgewood, on a busy strip of Moreland Ave. From there, she and her staff reach out to hundreds of kids and families with their dance, drama, and martial arts classes; after school program at Imagine Wesley International Academy; outreach classes in multiple Atlanta schools; performances by the acclaimed Journey Dance Company and huge annual concerts.

As the inaugural interview for Peaches ‘N Dreams, I was so excited to talk to my good friend about her involvement in the arts.

1. Why Atlanta? I think Atlanta is extremely diverse culturally & economically. Because of its rapid growth, it has outstripped the pace of culture. I think there’s so much opportunity in the area of expanding the arts.

2. How do you stay motivated & focused to work on your craft & produce? I don’t see myself doing anything else. I love it so much. I love the affect that the arts has on people–educating children watching them learn and the way they feel about is my motivation. It’s this or homelessness!

3. Who do you admire & how do they inspire you? My artistic inspiration is Debbie Allen. I always loved her–she’s just fierce! She wasn’t the typical dancer but ended up being successful at it. She’s short, didn’t have the classic dancer’s body. She demonstrated that anyone can do it–dancing, directing, producing. My business inspiration is Diddy. He came from being an intern and is self-made. He put himself in the right place. I like how passionate he is–he doesn’t have to do what he does anymore but is living his dream.

4. Describe what a perfect world looks like & what that means for your art? I’d be able to walk around barefoot and spontaneously dance! A place where people were free to express themselves how they wanted to. If we didn’t have such a rigid educational system, kids would be more successful. So many kids’ intelligence is creative. I don’t think the world recognizes creativity as a driving force.

5. What’s next for you? Take over the world! I’m still growing Journey where it is. In the next 5 years, I want us to be the go-to place for arts in Atlanta. When people think of arts, they’ll think of Journey!

I Dream A World

toni urbanluxe — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:09:25 +0000

This blog originally chronicled my transition from Detroit to Atlanta a year ago.

Now that I call Atlanta home, I’m exploring how I want life to look here.

I dream of a world where my consumption is directly affected by my personal relationships. The clothes I wear are from my cousin Jasmine’s clothing line, accessorized by belts designed by Emiene. The books, articles and websites I read and visit were written by folks like Kevin, Paige, Ivo and Amy. The art on my walls is from photographers like Rameek and Hannibal, and visual artists like Suvon, Sydney and Hodari. I envision eating recipes custom-created for me by Be Organic. The music on my iPod? $ir Ace, of course. My entertainment comes from performances of the Journey Dance Company, or classes I take at Journey Performing Arts Center.

I believe that entrepreneurism and creativity are the lifeblood of the nation, of the world. I want to be a true patron of the arts, where I personally know the people who fill my life with beauty, delight and information. I came to Atlanta to find where I fit into my vision. I believe it’s my gift to encourage, to coach and to promote. So this blog is where you can find me doing just that.