INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads Issue

Issue 41 | www.fokus.org

Atiba T. Edwards

Founder & Chief Curator Atiba is an engineer focused on making and connecting creative people, nodes, networks and moments.

Allison Maritza Lasky Curator

Allison believes that children are the best artists—they are individual universes of infinite creativity.

JoLillian ”Jozi"Zwerdling Curator

Jozi finds inspiration in those who understand timelessness and travel in alternate dimensions.

INSIGHT Magazine showcases and archives emerging contemporary artists from all art disciplines. FOKUS produces this magazine to provide insight into people who are creating art, traditional and non-traditional, in their own way.

Contributors to the Crossroads Issue

Makeela B. Amani • Logik Art • Virgin Arte • Henry Burgos • Scotty Cottrelll • Bruce Conforth • EBS • Atiba T. Edwards • Jeff Grippin • Kavan The Kid • Anthony Lee • Lhea J. Love • Rashaun Rucker • Eelco Virus • Lindsey Milazzo • J.A.A. Photos • Ryan Spence • Larry Spencer • Stephanie Winbush

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Questions, comments and contributions can be sent to insightsubmit@gmail.com.

To view older issues of INSIGHT, visit www.fokus.org/insight.

Copyright © 2015. INSIGHT (ISSN 2164-7771) is a publication of FOKUS, Inc. All rights reserved on entire contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

INSIGHT magazine Crossroads: Contents 4 Eelco Virus

Smokey 5 Kavan The Kid Untold Release 6 Kavan The Kid

Just Stay Quiet 8 Kavan The Kid God’s Outcasts 9 Kavan The Kid When Hope Is Gone 12 Lhea J. Love Free The Unspoken Plea 13 Lindsey Milazzo Venn 14 Logik Art Recompense 16 Bruce Conforth The Deal Gone Down 17 Lhea J. Love Suicide 18 Ryan Spence The Magical Negro Is Not For Target

Practice.

19 EBS Turning 33 20 J.A.A. Photos Reflection 22 Scotty Cottrell Mexican Magic 24 Rashaun Rucker Jim Has Taken Everything 25 Atiba T. Edwards Tales of the Black Freighter 26 Rashaun Rucker Dream 27 Atiba T. Edwards The Last Thing I Thought I’d Dot 28 Rashaun Rucker I Still See Them 29 Atiba T. Edwards 100% Cotton 30 Rashaun Rucker Trees Have Secrets 31 Atiba T. Edwards An Unyielding Crop 32 Henry Burgos At War With Peace 33 Virgin Arte Warfare 34 Anthony Lee The BodhiBeast 36 Makeela B. Amani 2014 Souls 38 Makeela B. Amani Uncle Scream 40 Makeela B. Amani Another Scream 41 Jeff Grippin Sweet Sorrow 42 Stephanie Winbush Pick Up The Phone 43 Larry Spencer Dead End

Photography

Visual Art

Creative Writing

Articles

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Smokey

by Eelco Virus

“My work involves a more psychedelic graphic feel of live, exposed by a strong use of colors and patterns influenced by animals.�

Eelco van den Berg (Virus) is an illustrator, painter and graffiti writer. Raised up in Uden and got spelled by hip hop and graffiti during elementary school. His work is mostly hand-drawn and stands out by its strong use of colours and outlines, combined with highly decorative elements. His portfolio shows the variety of work he makes and the variety of clients he works for. Eelco currently lives in Rotterdam - NY. His work can be seen at www.eelcovandenberg.com

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Untold Release

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Kavan the Kid

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Just Stay Quiet

by Kavan the Kid 6 | www.fokus.org

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

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God’s Outcasts

by Kavan the Kid 8 | www.fokus.org

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When Hope Is Gone

by Kavan the Kid 10 | www.fokus.org

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

See more of this work at www.facebook.com/kavanthekid www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Free The Unspoken Plea

by Lhea J. Love

my father warned me, it’s easier to write your poetry than it is to live it easier to speak of love actually, easier to inhibit there is no room for part time activists the passionless we must believe in the change we wish to be before we can be the change we wish to see we must complete the unexpected deed to lead the march our world needs we must heed to the unspoken plea to free the minds our movement needs we must be the dream and then repeat to change the world we must Be poetry

Lhea J. Love is a poet, essayist, novelist and screenwriter from Detroit. She can be found, “friend”-ed and followed on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LibraryThing, Goodreads, Behance, ReverbNation, Scripped and Bandcamp. Everything she does is for her daughter Harper Lee. www.lheajlove.com 12 | www.fokus.org

Venn

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Lindsey Milazzo

Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Staten Island, New York. Lindsey studied at Hunter College and received her BA in Studio art in 2010. wwww.lindseymilazzo.wix.com/lindseymilazzo www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Recompense

by Logik Art

The idea of this painting is that even monsters can change themselves.

Visit www.instagram.com/logik_art to see more of his work.

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

The Deal Gone Down

by Bruce Conforth

Whether Robert Johnson actually sold his soul at the crossroads is immaterial.

What matters is whether he, or anyone else, believed this was possible. After spending many lonely summer nights at Mississippi cross roads, I had this vision of the mystical exchange. I tried to cloak the painting in the ambiguity of the impossibly possible.

Bruce Conforth has been a blues musician and scholar for 50 years and is a member of the Executive Board of the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation. His definitive biography of Johnson should be published later this year. He teaches American Culture at the University of Michigan.

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Suicide

by Lhea J. Love

Bloody tears fall hugging the slits between the wooden floor I can hear the blood fall but he can’t hear himself think... he is lost reaching upwards for salvation looking outwards for love he is confused who will tell him that God dwells in him I would, but I don’t know how to speak to the dead.

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

The Magical Negro Is Not For Target Practice.

by Ryan Spence

The figure seeks to explore the notion of black men as humans who are deeply attached to glimpsing the metaphysical.

Ryan Spence is a visual artist who wields many mediums. His style is best described as a ‘Visual Vocabulary’ of Afrofuturistic Social Commentary. As a visual artist, Ryan’s moniker is ‘Planet Lucid’. www.planetlucid.com 18 | www.fokus.org

Turning 33

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by EBS

Birthdays are a time to reflect on a year that has passed, as well as, a time to think about a new year to come filled with inevitable possibilities yet to be explored. I wanted to record my feelings, anxieties and wishes.

EBS works with high school students that have special needs. Creating, studying, and learning about v​ isual ​art is her true passion. www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Reflection

by J.A.A photos 20 | www.fokus.org

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Perception of beauty is depicted in my piece “Reflection�. Many people are conflicted with the reflection of themselves and how they perceive their own beauty.

Reflection in this case can also be associated with being at a internal crossroads.

Jean Andre is a film photographer from Harlem, NY. He has a passion for capturing the essence of people, landscapes and objects, creating art and beauty in the most unexpected places. www.jeanandreantoine.tumblr.com www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Mexican Magic

by Scotty Cottrell

To me this moment represents a crossroads in life both literally and metaphorically. In the literal sense surfer Edgar Garcia is heading through a cobble stone crossroads in route to a magical sunset session in Baja, California. Metaphorically speaking this photo represents a very transformative and inspirational moment in surf culture. People of all walks of life pursue similar experiences through religion, meditation or even in deciding to give themselves away to love. How ever in surf culture, no matter what my be happening in the surfers life or the world around him Edgar knows that a place of infinite serenity and inspiration is awaiting him. Mother Nature is graciously opening her heart and all Edgar has to do is cross this cobble stone crossroads to get there.

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Scotty is a freelance surf and travel photographer based out of San Diego. He is an adventurer of the world that specializes in fine art photography of beach culture and the natural environment. www.facebook.com/scotty.cottrellphotography www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Jim Has Taken Everything

by Rashaun D. Rucker

Rashaun Rucker is a product of North Carolina Central University. He makes photographs, prints and drawings and has won more than 50 national and state awards for his work. In 2008 Rucker became the first African American to win Michigan Press Photographer of the Year. He also won a national Emmy Award in 2008 for documentary photography on pitbull culture. Rucker was a Maynard Fellow at Harvard in 2009 and visiting professor at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2013. He is represented in numerous public and private collections. www.detroitruck.com/ 24 | www.fokus.org

Tales of the Black Freighter

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Atiba T. Edwards

duped, starved and naked moral bankrupt surroundings beaten yet stronger.

Atiba Edwards is the co-founder of FOKUS and founder of INSIGHT magazine. He enjoys all forms of the arts as he believes they enable people to realize their true potential. www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Dream

by Rashaun D. Rucker 26 | www.fokus.org

The Last Thing I Ever Thought I’d Do

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Atiba T. Edwards

the last time I closed my eyes was to stop the tears from flowing as the crowded room seeminly stood still crushed by the weight of the mourning. to fight the fright of my night dreams, I imagine us in my day dreams, running and smilnig but I no longer can see your face as it is now marred by red and blue flashing.

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

I Still See Them

by Rashaun D. Rucker 28 | www.fokus.org

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

100% Cotton

by Atiba T. Edwards I don’t see why you are still angry and upset.

Probably because you have the wool over your head but haven’t finished cutting the holes for your eyes.

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Trees Have Secrets

by Rashaun D. Rucker

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An Unyielding Crop

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Atiba T. Edwards

you constantly encourage me to pull myself up by my bootstraps yet you seem to think I have not realized that you crop my bootstraps to fashion my noose still perplexed by your fascination with seeding such strange fruit

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

At War With Peace

by Henry S. Burgos

My mother kept the world at my reach. Its cultures, its sins and blessings, the etiquette and love necessary for a growing young man on a journey to influence the surrounding world.

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Warfare

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Virgin Arte

In association to crossroads this piece “Warfare� means to me the struggle of spirituality and secularism. I believe a lot of people are torn between the two.

Ashleigh Alexandria has always been surrounded by the arts. She fell in love with portraiture at a very young age. Her passion for capturing human features has motivated her to manipulate different mediums to portray messages through the emotions of her subjects. www.la-virginarte.tumblr.com www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

The BodhiBeast

by Anthony Lee (words and illustration)

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

So Connected And Yet So Taxed, This Buddha Beast, Born Between Realms, Bred for purpose was Made to feed.

Fire Child Must Make way Or Find One In The Six or Seven realms.

Meant for meaning the Nature of This Creature drifts between The balance of both worlds.

Son of a Sun Desendant of The Gods With infinite potential for evolution and/ or The Long Way Down.

Angels and Demons may compete to lift the spirit.

This illustration was a reflection on my own potentials.

Realizing that as a Human-being I have the right and potential to become a monster or a Buddha at any given moment, and anything else in between.

Anthonly Lee is a Detroit-based artist. You can view more of his work at www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

2014 Souls

by Makeela B. Amani

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Makeela is a Brooklyn-based, Canadian-born artist working in various mediums. Her paintings, sculpture work and spoken word all convey the experience of people of African descent as they live, survive, and thrive under adversity. www.blakhandarts.com www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Uncle Scream

by Makeela B. Amani www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Another Scream

by Makeela B. Amani

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Sweet Sorrow

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Jeff Grippin

Jeff Grippin is the owner, and sole employee, of a welding business in upstate NY. He has used his craft and his love of metal art to create a combination of both. www.fokus.org |

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INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

Pick Up The Phone

by Stephanie Winbush

Can see so clearly now it is like God speaks to my heart and knows what he wants to tell me, God I hear you loud and clear for the first time in my life, I’m going to listen to you and pay attention to everything that you tell me, Think that you know that I’m making progress with different struggles in my life, Wow something you have been telling me all this time has come true, Crazy because never knew a love like yours, It can be so sweet even though I know I’ve been running from it and going through the motions, You are continuously working it out in my favor and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you’ve done for me, Am finally seeing how I can be a blessing to others but have been afraid at times to talk to people because of everything that I’m going through, Stop being so selfish and do what I gotta do so that I can move on to the next phase of my life, Can’t nobody stop me I’m like hustle and flow with my poetry, My words just flow from my heart, Have been keeping and holding my spiritual gifts within not sure why though scared of doing what I know is right in my heart, Want to do more at church and am gonna do it, I see the need and will answer the call and will serve unselfishly, Stop focusing so much on my problems and help serve others like I do at my job, Feeling different things at work but God is gonna work out that whole situation for myself because he has showed me already a good prospect nearby and I’m like God why you are so amazing and wonderful, You are so good to me in every way there are no words to describe all that you’ve done, It’s like is this thing on I can hear you loud and clear no matter who is talking to me, It is like a cell phone call I’m picking up every time that I hear you call, I’m calling you every second of every day that I’m here on this earth, Feel like the devil is so busy after me thought he had me but you stepped in as always on time, You have surprised me in so many different ways.

Stephanie Winbush is from Havelock, North Carolina. She loves writing poetry and taking pictures.

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At The Dead End

INSIGHT magazine: Crossroads

by Larry D. Spencer

My hope is that the viewer will release their imagination and take a visual flavor to my new concept of digital art I call mousepaintings. Feel free enjoy yourself and let your eyes and mind dance to the different styles of surrealism, abstract and my contemporary art.

Larry Spencer loves to paint the abstract realm of colors and shapes in relations to visual balance. He uses a computer mouse to create works of art like the greats but using today’s technology. www.mousepaintings.8m.com www.fokus.org |

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Thank You for reading INSIGHT: Crossroads.

We hope you enjoyed the work shared with you.

Read more issues @ www.fokus.org/insight