Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Skin Trade (An Awakening)


Rereading Ann DuCille
Originally uploaded by Zanalee

Re-reading Ann DuCille's "Skin Trade" this morning, it is becoming more and more obvious to me that Whites have been profitting off of the sale of Black skin long after the abolition of slavery and in my side hobby customizing Black Blythe Dolls and in many other ways it has become more obvious to me that Black skin has made and is still making countless amounts of money for whites to this day. For me the truly sick thing about that, aside from the ways in which we as Blacks knowingly or unknowingly support that and the fact that we see little to none of that money ourselves, is that WHITE PEOPLE STILL HATE US!!!

Oh I said it.

The majority of white corporations who re-appropriate and re-package ethnic culture to sell back to us, still think of us as inhuman, inferior, lazy, oversexed, unintelligent, angry, hoodlums.

Yeah. In future entries, I will be listing all of my favorite white owned ethnic culture selling, black hating companies and you can judge for yourself. The media's little post racial fantasy is just a dream or nightmare depending on who is sleeping.

My thing is, if anybody is going to sell "Blackness" to me or anybody, let it be me. Let it be someone who is not attempting to interpret what is means, in order to make a buck but someone who is representing what it means so that we can see this representation reflected in our market in the most honest way possible the way that it is represented globally in life, on the corner, in the metropolitan, in the cities, in our communities, in life!

The exploration, marketing, packaging and selling of "Blackness" has been for too long disproportionately in the hands of non-Black people. Slavery has never ended. There's just too much money it.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Sunday in Park with Cece Olisa

I spent a lovely afternoon working with my dear friend and fashion blogger, Cece Olisa on a photoshoot for her The Big Girl Blog right here in our Harlem neighborhood. The morning sky started out really grey but we managed to catch some really good light in the park and I was really happy with the way the pictures turned out. The image to the right was among my very favorite. I really like everything about it, from the color of Cece's elegant wrap dress, her relaxed pose and facial expression to the seasonal Autumn leaves at her feet and the trees and buildings in the background.

I don't consider myself an expert when it comes to directing people in photoshoots but I've been working with Cece for a while now and It also really helps that she has a strong and clear vision of what she wants. This image is part of the Facebook page Zanography which I created to showcase what I feel is some of my best photographic work. Feel free to visit and "like" me!

Monday, November 26, 2012

A nice Monday?


Lavendar bundles
Originally uploaded by Zanalee

Yes, it's possible. You just have to take the day off from work. LOL!!!

I've had just a lovely day in general. It's been the kind of day that just rolls along very pleasantly. Everyone, even strangers in the street have been just nice and helpful and frankly I was a bit thrown off by it but hey! No complaints! I wish it was like this everyday.

I went downtown to get my eyebrows threaded and got there just in time to see Ana, the only person I let near my eyebrows. She's a sweetheart, does great work and always seems happy to see me.

I walked across Chelsea and dipped into Trader Joes along the way for seaweed snacks. I wanted the Wasabi kind but only found the roasted ones. The lady who was holding the "end of the line" sign and told me where they were said that the Wasabi was on the other side. She went and got them and brought a few to me while I was standing in line!

After that I zipped into Sephora for a sample of Lancome perfume I've fallen in love with. After that I walked into Anthropologie just a few doors down because I love their holiday window and store displays. I lingered there for a bit smelling all the amazing candles and fondling the adorable handmade ornaments.

At Barnes & Noble I searched for a sale on wrapping paper and Holiday cards because I like to get that stuff out of the way early. I found what I was looking for and then went for a stroll in the Farmers Market. It was only around 5:00 but the sun was down and the market looked very nice at night.

I smelled some lavender, wandered through the holiday shops and then took the crosstown bus to my uptown train home.
Lovely, pleasant, lovely. I didn't hate anyone.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Crochet Sugar Skulls



Originally uploaded by Zanalee

I'm off today and thought I'd try this pattern online for crochet skull earrings. It's so funny and cute the way they turned out. I started to do some Mexican Sugar Skull variations as well. I may give them away to some friends for the holidays as pins or ornaments or something.

There are several other knitting projects I need to start working on as well particularly in time for the holidays so I better get on that soon.

Hope everyone of you enjoys a lovely Thanksgiving with friends and loved ones!

Friday, November 9, 2012

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING



I'm inspired by him and I always have been. I'm touched, compelled and moved. He's the man for the job right now, in this time. I couldn't see it going that other way with that other one. I just couldn't. I don't agree with all of Obama's policies. I don't. But between Obama and Mitt, there is only one way to move forward. And I am proud. I am proud again. And I'll be in DC this year to celebrate and show my pride again.

Four more years...

Friday, October 26, 2012

Orange



It was through the lens of my camera
That I suddenly opened my eyes to autumn,
That the secrets in the heart of a dying leaf
Unfolded inside the brief shutter release,
And injected these shades of orange.
Colors that danced in the hearts of bonfires
I had always passed over for Spring
But one day the dying of Summer was for me
Like a fire, which lay everywhere singing.
Like a fire which lay in gutters and parks
On sidewalks and brownstone steps,
Were the voices of colors that burst open and soared
colors that receded and slept.
Autumn leaves a trail of melancholy sunsets
As keep sakes at my feet.
They reach out with bold humility
Inspiring me to behold and retreat.
With undulating complexities beyond my grasp
They usher in a blinding white
Devoid of any complexity at all
And as thick as any night.

-Zenzile Greene
10/25/12

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Pinterest Junkie



I'm just going to jump straight into the fact that Pinterest has become my new favorite distraction. Every time I'm on pinterest, I find something new I want to try in arts and crafts or DIY and even new recipes. Personally I have exactly 44 boards at the moment. Omigod. I have 44 boards? That's ridiculous. That's just stupid. Well anyway I do. They range from the substantial, inspirational and artistic to the odd, superficial and insipid.

My top 5 personal faves are:

Life with Blythe
Obamarama
Locs Locs and Locs
He's Sexy
Crafty

 Big Dris!!! my shrine board to Idris Elba deserves an honorary mention. Obviously all my boards are my favorites but these in particular bring me great joy to curate and maintain and share. I also love to see what the people I follow pin and the pattern of things that get pinned repeatedly in certain categories. It really is one big giant cycle or never ending pinning. I mean it can get a bit overwhelming, but fortunately, I do have some discipline and I usually know what I'm looking for when I get on, even if it is just for a quick escape. Sometimes I'm pinning away on one or two boards and other times I'm looking at what my fave pinners are up to or sharing pins with others. Locs Locs and Locs is so uplifting for me. The amount of styles, colors, textures, lengths and decoration that people have created with Locked hair is endlessly inspiring to me especially since this is my fourth time around  locking my hair and it is such different experience than ever before. It's a very different journey at this stage in my life and it helps me a lot to see the diversity of styles reflected on pinterest. Locs are so much a reflection of the inner spirit and I've never seen any two people with locs that look identical. I just really love them.

 Obamarama is my great joy. I mean for me just seeing the Obama's sharing their lives together and engaging with people all over the world, makes me smile every time. I just look at this board and feel very light and wonderful. I imagine that this must be what it was like for women who were obsessed with the Kennedys at that time.  Well this is my Camelot. And good or bad policies, the Obamas are a beautiful family. Their legacy will be even larger and more far reaching in years to come.

I don't need to explain He's Sexy do I? It's basically shameless ogling of my favorite male celebs past and current. But I also created another subcategory of fine males on a board called Bearded Men Are Sexier
because I really do love a beard or some shadow. Yeah. So there's that.

Life with Blythe is an homage to my deep, vast, photographic otherworld obsession with Kenner's giant headed, big eyed 1970s Blythe Doll who was a failure in the children's toy market but who somehow became a cult sensation among adult women, who dabbled in past times involving, art, sewing, design, photography or just hoarding. LOL! And if they were not dabbling in these areas, somehow Blythe inspires them to do so. It sounds crazy but it's true. She's a creative muse.

So basically Pinterest brings all things visually representative with you in common together in one place and feeds it continuously through a growing network or other pinners. It's kind of sick, kind of genius, kind of like so many things on the internet. I enjoy it thoroughly.