Troy Wise Art & Photography: Image Amplified

COLOR PHOTO: Urban Light 8

ON DAZED DIGITAL: Fashion's New Optimism

"Smile!"

Dazed Digital is featuring the work of fresh, new designers who are using optimism to keep fashion relevant in a time when big name luxury brands are seeing some major sales slumps.

And why not give new talent a serious look? New names mean new perspectives and lower price points.

Check out dazeddigital.com for profiles on Alice Kirkpatrick, Lars Paschke, Andrea Cammarosano, Yang Du, Hung La, and Jessica Au.

Change is in the air: Yea, Optimism!

(Photos from dazeddigital.com)

MUSIC FOR MONDAY: Beens, Madonna, Simian Mobile Disco, Sébastien Tellier, Hemingway, Yuksek, Mukey

All of the recent event photography has truly been a blast. And today was great for getting back to some of the more artistic photographs, exploring urban scenes and textures. These tracks really helped me get into the right frame of mind:

• "What You Think" - Beens (I found this at TheFamousish.com)

• "Miles Away [Thin White Duck Mix]" - Madonna

• "Upside Down" - Simian Mobile Disco

• "Roche (Breakbot Remix)" - Sébastien Tellier

• "Machine" - Hemingway

• "Everywhere In Town (Cosmo Vitelli Remix)" - Yuksek

• "Dreams" - Mukey

PHOTOS: Supporters Celebrate at the Obama Victory Party Sponsored by State Rep Trey Martinez Fischer

Frank and I knew tonight would be best celebrated in a crowd, and how lucky we were to find ourselves at El Tropicano at the victory party sponsored by State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer.

Actually, it was several of the Obama volunteers we'd met earlier in the day who gave us a head's up on the location, and it was simply magical to be in that room when the news flashed that Obama had been elected president. People shouted, jumped, even danced. Tears flowed. And the hugs started.

Even after staring at polls and statistics for hours, for days, Frank and I had no idea what to expect from the night. Obama had taken most of the NE before we even left for the party. As we walked out the door, it was announced that Obama had claimed Pennsylvania. Florida looked like a strong possibility with the first reported numbers. And once at the party, we all started to cheer as Iowa, Ohio and Virginia followed.

It did start to sink in that the only coming bad news was for the Republican side. The side that had divided the country (and the globe) for the past 8 years, that had campaigned on the promise to continue, was losing big. Relief set in as McCain's hopes were dashed with each electoral vote. And the room started to transform.

People were on the dance floor, carefree even before the final projections of Obama's victory. But the best moment of this long, historical election season came as kind of a shock. And at least for us, it's only now starting to sink in what exactly had been accomplished across America tonight. I know it's just the beginning. But after 8 long years, it's enough for tonight.

For now, here are some shots of how it looked from where we were.

MUSIC FOR MONDAY: Spin Laden Mixtape, Matthew Dear, Mark Knight & Funkagenda

Readers of this blog know that music on Monday is usually what we need to start the week right. A strong shot of audio caffeine to get us going.

Well, truth be told, the buzz from the past 5 days is still strong enough to do the trick. Seeing MSTRKRFT live, hanging out with Automatic Panic and DJ Cat NYC at the Famousish & Undiscovered Austin after-party, then stopping to visit family for a couple of days... Exactly what the doctor ordered. We're inspired and ready to go.

But, here's what we're listening to anyway...

• Spin Laden Mixtape found at thefamousish.com. Tracklist: destroy disco - sex on sax/ armand van helden - shake that ass/ boy 8 bit - things that freaks are made of/ switch - this is sick (herve edit)/ dj rampage - bounce it girl/ green velvet - shake n pop (dj sneak remix)/ natty jack - on hold/ oliver $ - tupac robot club rock/ nadastrom - ritalin/ will bailey & foamo - numb wrist/ tom eq - cactus jack/ dj rob 3 - you bad/ dj rampage - fire/ trap house - want me to stay/ top billin - big dancing (spin laden edit)/ voodoo chilli - street players/ ice cube - you can do it (bass kleph remix)/ claude von stroke - blow the whistler (dj assault remix)
• Matthew Dear – Pom Pom (Juan Maclean backup Vox mix)
• Mark Knight & Funkagenda - Man With the Red Face

"GREEN" JEWELRY: Hafsteinn Juliusson's Growing Jewelry

Today on JoshSpear.com, I came across Hafsteinn Juliusson's Growing Jewelry concept. Unique, the epitome of fresh. Very special.

Read more about Hafsteinn Juliusson here.

ROB BREZSNY'S ASTROLOGY NEWSLETTER: Trusting the "Lucid Intuitions"

Go back to square one? No way!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Talk back to those annoying voices in your head, Virgo -- I mean those nagging little chatterers who are second- guessing you ten times a day, who are trying to undermine your faith in what you started in recent weeks. And as you respond to their agitation, do so with poise and grace -- not with defensiveness, not with bitter complaint, but with a quietly aggressive confidence that the lucid intuitions you relied on to launch your new projects were basically sound. The annoying little voices are trying to convince you that you should go back to square one, when in fact you're on the right track but merely need to do some tinkering.

RENEWED INSPIRATION: Troy Wise Art & Photography Icon

This icon, familiar to my friends and collectors of my work, signifies inspiration and corresponds with an urgent sense of renewal, a reawakening. 

MUSIC FOR MONDAY: Calvin Harris/Editors, Justice, Techjio, BSBTRGDCLUB

Coming out of my birthday weekend, I needed to shift gears and focus on getting actual work done. Luckily I had some good music to help me out:

• "Acceptable In The 80s (Calvin Harris cover)" - Editors
• "Planisphere" - Justice
• "Vertibulate (propro vertibulatti edit)" - Techjio feat. bsbtrgdclub. Thanks to thefamousish.com for this one. (Checked out their site lately? When it comes to music, they let you know how to access the internationally relevant, locally. It's worth checking out regularly.)

  
  

NIGHTWALKING: Photo Series

Nightwalking. Troy Wise.