Blake VincentMusic and Dreamscapes

1994-

Artist’s Statement• I first got into photography at the age of 13 when my parents got

me a Canon PowerShot S5 digital camera. I just started looking at things at odd angles in the screen, kind of like when I was little and I’d look through a tunnel made out of my fingers and pretend I was making a movie. I guess I’ve had it in me for a while. But I really started to take it seriously and get involved with my photographs starting this year in Mel St. Laurent’s classroom. With her guidance I’ve become a more insightful, practiced photographer.

• I use a Nikon FM2 leant to me by my photography teacher Because of this, I’ve been able to shoot the kinds of things I love: fashion shoot-esque, surrealist, candid, documentary/street photographs. Of the fashion, surrealist, and candid photos, I’ve done most of those with friends and acquaintances. The documentary photos have been taken anywhere from downtown Providence, RI at the Occupy Providence site in Burnside Park to the French Quarter in New Orleans, LA.

Statement• My influences come from many places, which goes along with the

different kinds of photos I take. A lot of my inspiration comes from the music I listen to and the sensations and visuals I feel and make up. Their visual style and influential music help me to mold my vision. (ie The Flaming Lips, Hole, and Marilyn Manson) A lot of the other influences for my creative work (whether it be photography or not) include the late clothing designer Alexander McQueen, the creative powers of director Henry Selick (“James and the Giant Peach”, “Coraline”), the words of Hunter S. Thompson and Tom Wolfe and the times they were inspired by. The people of the world and the things they do inspire me.

• I love photography because you can truly infuse all sorts of things into it. It seems ridiculous that I listed all those influences that seem to have nothing to do with photography, but they do. You can do anything with photography. I let the photos be what they are. If there is a natural shot of a person being themselves, the photos stays the way the photo was taken. If the photo was a fabrication, I manipulate the picture to my liking. I’ll make collages using clear nail polish, cut and scratch negatives, crop the image etc. I don’t believe in fate, but I believe that the images captured in a camera are destined to end up a certain way and that’s what I do for them.

A Drunken Little A Drunken Little GirlGirl

My friend Naomi and I My friend Naomi and I will spend hours fooling will spend hours fooling around with costumes around with costumes and losing ourselves to and losing ourselves to music. If music was a music. If music was a tab of LSD, these tab of LSD, these would be our visions. I would be our visions. I can’t say this is just my can’t say this is just my own work, she is a own work, she is a great force of nature. great force of nature. She is an inspiration to She is an inspiration to a lot of my work.a lot of my work.

Hiding in HeelsHiding in HeelsI like to play around with I like to play around with sexuality.sexuality.I’ve learned to be comfortable I’ve learned to be comfortable with with the way I am, but I realize I am the way I am, but I realize I am still still hiding this from the most hiding this from the most important important people and that is what this people and that is what this photo is photo is about.about.

The Passing ClientThe Passing ClientThis was taken in The This was taken in The French Quarter of New French Quarter of New Orleans. I call it “The Orleans. I call it “The Passing Client” because Passing Client” because there’s something about there’s something about the picture that makes it the picture that makes it seem like I was just seem like I was just passing by while taking passing by while taking the picture. The “next the picture. The “next door” sign kind of adds to door” sign kind of adds to that as well as his posture that as well as his posture and the puzzled look on and the puzzled look on his face.his face.

The Punk and The Punk and The MirrorThe Mirror

My friend Savvë was also doing aMy friend Savvë was also doing aproject for a photography class andproject for a photography class andso I took advantage of this. The so I took advantage of this. The picture has a lot of authenticity and picture has a lot of authenticity and character. Everything from Savvë character. Everything from Savvë herself,herself,the mirror, and the clothes all over the mirror, and the clothes all over the the floor screams it.floor screams it.

LafitteLafitteIn the Lafitte land preserveIn the Lafitte land preserveabout 35 miles outside of New about 35 miles outside of New Orleans. Bayous and swamps.Orleans. Bayous and swamps.

Circles and Triangles Circles and Triangles (2)(2)

Naomi again, continuing to be Naomi again, continuing to be ananamazing model for all the amazing model for all the pictures I take of her. The pictures I take of her. The picture itself came out not so picture itself came out not so good, so I decided to make it good, so I decided to make it look like that was done on look like that was done on purpose and scratched it to purpose and scratched it to death. The oil paint makeup death. The oil paint makeup was sort of an afterthought, was sort of an afterthought, but was totally worth the time.but was totally worth the time.

““Before My Hair Falls Before My Hair Falls Out” SeriesOut” Series

We were sitting in my friend We were sitting in my friend Nick’s front yard talking, Nick’s front yard talking, smoking, and joking around when smoking, and joking around when he asked if I could take out my he asked if I could take out my camera and get the last pictures camera and get the last pictures of him with his hair.of him with his hair.

““Before My Hair Falls Out”Before My Hair Falls Out”SeriesSeries

It’s funny how he kept his hat on for It’s funny how he kept his hat on for most of the pictures.most of the pictures.

The Rotted MirrorThe Rotted MirrorMy friend Hayward lives near Federal HillMy friend Hayward lives near Federal Hillin Providence and this is the apartment above in Providence and this is the apartment above him.him.The doorway that looks like a mirror instantly The doorway that looks like a mirror instantly attractedattractedmy eye. The wall you see in the doorway is my eye. The wall you see in the doorway is curved a littlecurved a littleso it gave the illusion that it was being bent by so it gave the illusion that it was being bent by the mirror’sthe mirror’sreflection. reflection.

SurpriseSurpriseIt’s called “Surprise” for 2 reasons:It’s called “Surprise” for 2 reasons:1. I couldn’t believe the floors of the 1. I couldn’t believe the floors of the abandoned factory could hold its massive abandoned factory could hold its massive weight when I had just almost fallen through weight when I had just almost fallen through the floor.the floor.2. Thought of someone coming back here and 2. Thought of someone coming back here and finding their safe busted open.finding their safe busted open.

InfluencesInfluences

Current Events

The General Public

The Fashion Industry

•There is so much wrong with the fashion industry, but there is also extreme beauty. I have a few friends in the in business and they’re very helpful with incite.

Marilyn Manson

Courtney Love

The Flaming Lips

CocoRosie

The visual aspects of these artist’s careers and their music that summons so many images in

my head contribute greatly to my vision.

...and I plan to continue developing and printing photographs and go more in depth into my

subjects.