You are sometimes the subject in your photography, is that easier or harder than working with a subject?
If I’m doing self portraits, which I rarely do, it’s harder. Harder because I’m not behind the camera checking the angles. I have to set up a tripod, have a remote on me, and constantly check if I’m getting the shot. Working with subjects can be easy and/or hard. It depends on the subject’s experience in front of the camera.
Is Goblin your birth name, if not what made you choose that name ?
Goblin is not the name my parents gave me but it’s definitely a name I birthed. I’ve had it for 8 years now. Honestly I feel like the universe somehow planted it in my head I was inspired by bloggers at the time to create a shorter @ name. I noticed how most of them had really short names, it made it easier to search and remember them. I wanted the same
Your appreciation for the color orange is evident through your instagram feed, do you see this shifting at any moment moving forward ?
I feel like it’s continuously shifting even after I changed my hair color. Right after I went blonde I created Something Orange LLC, and it reminded me that Something Orange was never about my hair but about the energy I exude. It was/is the journey of me tapping into my emotional body, sensuality, passion, and creativity. This is what has shifted me above anything else; it’s what has allowed me to open up space for others to feel comfortable with shining a light and giving thanks.
Why the color orange ?
This is going to sound silly. When I was really young, I remember picking up a magazine, i’m pretty sure it was my sister’s, I read my horoscope and my lucky color for that day was orange. Ever since I was convinced that was my favorite color. Which now it is.
How has being from the Bronx influenced you creatively ?
Oh of course. I’ve lived in the same apartment my whole life and that’s something I love telling people. My room, my neighborhood, the people in it have inspired me in so many ways. It’s pushed me to redefine the definition of beauty and community. Everyday I am given the opportunity to metaphorically see the block through a different lens.
What is one thing you want to consistently portray in both your photography and Mixed media work?
I do my best to display beauty and vulnerability into my work – my photography shows beauty and my mixed media shows the vulnerable sides of my being. I come from a past where I was constantly bullied at school for not looking a certain way; being skinny, having crooked teeth, not dressing like everyone else. As I’ve grown mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, it’s one of my purposes to make sure I can make people feel beautiful inside and outside. I want people to know it’s ok to be open about feelings and emotions. In addition, we need to understand that simply BEING is beautiful enough.
