YOUNG & TRENDY SPOTLIGHT tie. I thought I would have to become someone other than who I am. But doing the work that I do, I can dress the way I want.” Stephen emphasizes that his look is not calculated at all. “This is me being myself. My look lines up with my personality - laid back, easy going. If I had to get a traditional job and commute in Atlanta’s traffic every day, then just kill me!” He laughs. Born and raised in Atlanta, 25 year old Stephen Philms was born Stephen Pulliam. However, he says that his last name was difficult for people to pronounce and spell and is more common than you might think. “If you Googled Stephen Pulliam, hundreds and hundreds of names came up – it was hard to find me. People are always saying - Hey,
if there was something else I wanted to do with my life.” He says that his mother is even supportive of his new name. “She loves it and calls me by that name. She puts it on Facebook and even on one of my birthday cakes. Mom is on board!” I wanted to know some of the challenges that this young artist faces in this competitive industry. Stephen says that it’s important to find the right people to work with. “It takes team work, versus ego,” he says. Actresses Maxie McClintock and Leslie Drake of the Cinema Dolls are featured in Love on the Rocks. “They are friends and professionals who are constantly working
have some photography concepts also. I want to work with fashion brands in advertising - I’m about expression and want to be viewed as a complete artist with a
on their crafts. I couldn’t have done this current project without their help and support.” Another obstacle that he’s running into is being taken seriously, especially because of his age. “I’m a young artist - many times people don’t think that I’m a professional - that I’m not really about my business. I have to be about my business even more!” Philms calls himself an Artreprenuer, a combination of his professionalism and artistic creativity. Philms says that Spike Lee, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat are a few of the artists who have inspired him. “It’s not just about films - I write and I
voice, no matter what the medium is. Artists are constantly creating, pushing the envelope. I’ve grown to not really care about other people’s opinions of my work. Not everyone will like my work, but they will respect it.” Love on the Rocks is still in production at press time. To view the prequel, DGAF, and for more information or to contact Stephen, visit:
All Photos by PRO-ART
Stephen’s working on his films again.” With that in mind, Philms says that after playing around with some letters in his name, he came up with his creative moniker. “I decided to purposely misspell my last name and I came up with Philms It’s a conversation starter. Now there’s no confusion when you Google my name.” Long before Stephen met a teacher who encouraged him, he says his mother Regina was there. “She is the best support system I’ve had for my entire life. She has always encouraged me and always tells me how much she believes in me and to keep working – never once asking me
www.creative-lane.com Twitter: @stephenphilms Tumblr and Linkdin Or just Google his name!
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