Magical Blackmagic Design
Conversations With Dan May and Devin Lawrence

By Shirley Craig

Every company should have a spokesperson like Dan May. President of the US division of the Australian video technology company Blackmagic Design, Dan has the knowledge, enthusiasm and personability (seriously it only seems right to call him Dan, not Mr. May) to draw you in and make you want to buy his company’s products. Most importantly, one can’t help but be interested in checking out a company that is determined to bring affordable, cinema-quality video tools to the masses.

At its outset, the founders of Blackmagic Design were interested in leveling the playing field. Coming out of the production side of the film and television industry, they saw first hand that established industry professionals had an advantage.  If you were from this or that studio or production company, you often received a product discount that a lesser or unknown buyer wouldn’t receive.  So, Blackmagic began offering products at an affordable and set price for all.

When Blackmagic decided to develop cameras, they approached the market with the same philosophy. Dan says they saw two major ways in which the everyday user was at a disadvantage with what was currently on the market: ease of use and price point. DSLR cameras were finally offering a quality image at a relatively affordable price but were limited in how much the image could be manipulated in post-production so they weren’t quite on par with what a cinema camera could produce.  On the other end of the spectrum, cinema cameras were super expensive and, as a result, would have to be rented more often than owned.  Additionally, the vast amount of settings on both DSLRs and Cinema cameras required a decent amount of technical know-how from the operator.

Blackmagic offers a line of cameras that utilize a familiar and simple user interface, that require a minimum of technical know-how to capture cinema-quality images and that are available at affordable price-points: the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, the Cinema Camera and the brand new Pocket Cinema Camera which looks just like it sounds.  The first two cameras are two different levels of what could be categorized as production cameras while the third looks like a point and shoot camera: a full-blown, cinema quality video camera that fits in the palm of your hand and can be taken virtually anywhere without looking like you’re there to make a movie.

Dan sees their cameras as having a universal appeal as well. Whereas the Pocket Cinema Camera may be a perfect primary, or A camera, for a film student; the same camera could be “strapped to a crash car” by a larger production. The Pocket Cinema Camera has even enabled up and coming filmmaker director Devin Lawrence to utilize the camera’s small size as POV cameras integral to the story for his new film “Sympathy Said the Shark.”

So how do these cameras, ranging in price from $3,000 down to $1,000, provide that cinema quality?  The cameras shoot in ProRes and Raw and have the ability to capture 13 stops of dynamic range which (in my tech-limited brain) means they capture a lot of information while you’re filming (For more detailed information, PLEASE go to their website).  The more information you have to work with in post-production, the better quality image with which you’ll end up.  Since Blackmagic is a post-production company and offers their post-production software with the purchase of each camera (a lite version of the software for the Pocket Cinema Camera), this approach of leaving the brunt of image manipulation to post-production makes sense.

We live in an age where video reigns supreme and is available on every platform at our disposal: televisions, computers and handheld devices of all sorts, sizes and shapes. Thanks to the universal accessibility of the internet, anyone with a camera can upload content to be shared and enjoyed with the click of a button. Not just a platform for sharing cell phone captured cat videos and home movies, the internet has opened the door for more serious independent filmmakers and content-creators to reach an audience with their work in a way never before available.

“We want to provide tools for people to go and create amazing stories.  When you look at video, it looks like video, a home-movie; and it loses something that cinema gives you.”  Dan went on to liken the difference between that of a record and a CD.  “Is one better?  No.  But there’s an emotional response to cinema-quality productions and that’s where we feel there’s an advantage.  It looks more professional.  It’s why people still go to the movies.  Dollars shouldn’t limit peoples creativity alone.  I’d rather have great tools out there for everybody and not just the ten most powerful icons in the industry.”  If you’re hoping to take your filmmaking to the next level, head over to Blackmagic Design’s website and see what they have to offer.

For more information about these Blackmagic cameras and their new cameras announced at NAB last week visit their website

Writer and Director Devin Lawrence has had enough. After his second script with a budget of about $1M failed in the final stages to raise enough money to enter production, Devin decided it was time to write a fail-proof film. He set off to create something that could be shot on a super-low budget in a short amount of time with minimum locations and crew. Having come so close to production and having to stop once was tough. For it to happen a second time was too much. Devin didn’t want there to be a third time.

In between shooting short films with his production partners and supporting himself on an income from his editing gig on the Travel Channel’s hit show Ghost Adventures, an idea emerged that fit Devin’s restrictions.  In fact, the restrictions seems to spark a new level of creativity for Devin which seemed fitting.  One way or another, this film was going to be made and if it was to be his only feature, he wanted it to have an original voice.

Devin pitched the idea to his producing partners and they set off to raise funds for the modest $65,000 budget.  With production set for late December 2013 and his do or die attitude, Devin was set to pitch in whatever he could of his own money if they came up short.  If they still didn’t have the funds, he was going to make the film on whatever they had.  Luckily, as principal photography grew near, Devin pitched the idea to his Ghost Adventure’s boss Zak Bagans, who signed on as an additional executive producer.  The psychological thriller “Sympathy Said the Shark” was on its way.Devin pitched the idea to his producing partners and they set off to raise funds for the modest $65,000 budget.  With production set for late December 2013 and his do or die attitude, Devin was set to pitch in whatever he could of his own money if they came up short.  If they still didn’t have the funds, he was going to make the film on whatever they had.  Luckily, as principal photography grew near, Devin pitched the idea to his Ghost Adventure’s boss Zak Bagans, who signed on as an additional executive producer.  The psychological thriller “Sympathy Said the Shark” was on its way.

Currently in post-production, IMDB posts the following description: When a young couple opens their door to a soaked, bleeding, and estranged friend they quickly discover that their night is going to get even stranger.  I don’t want to contribute any spoilers to this stark description but it’s useful to know that a good portion of the film is shot and told from the POV of the three main characters.

While researching equipment for production, Devin’s longtime friend and Director of Photography Mark LaFleur stumbled on the yet to be released Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera.  A mere 5” wide and only 12.5 ounces, the Pocket Cinema Camera had the specs to provide a cinema-quality image while being small enough to mount on a helmet device devised by LaFleur.  With a micro 4/3 adapter, LaFleur was able to use all his Nikon lenses on the Pocket, and the actors were able to wear the camera themselves which Devin attests helps bring the audience directly into the subjective experience of the characters in a complete and exciting way.

For any aspiring filmmakers out there, Devin recommends jumping into as many projects as you can to gain as much experience and contacts as possible.  Finding a group of like-minded and equally motivated collaborators with whom you can develop your craft is paramount.  He attributes the efficient ease of production for  “Sympathy Said the Shark” to the fact that his team has been working on projects together for years.

Although I wasn’t able to glimpse any footage of the film, Devin’s enthusiasm for his project is palpable.  A truly original idea mixed with the unique storytelling devices utilized to make his story a reality, I suspect we’ll be hearing a lot more about “Sympathy for the Shark” on the festival circuit and beyond.  To keep track of the films progress, check out @SSTSmovie on Twitter.

Director James Kicklighter's
Film Kicks Cancer's Ass

By Mende Smith

James Kicklighter's 25-minute Doc Film A Few Things About Cancer is a great story in every way. The film had its premiere at L.A.'s recent FirstGlance Film Festival where it picked up the prize for Best Short Documentary. One critic called the film 'a crescendo in positivity' and I could not have put it better. Kicklighter is always looking for a new story to tell, but he did not set out to shoot a documentary film about fighting cancer; his old college pal asked him to record his experience with Stage IV Burkitt's Lymphoma and the footage morphed into the well-liked short film of its own categorical success. I had a chat with James to see what inspires him to get behind the lens and the soak up the story behind the film.

"Caleb and I were fraternity brothers, we pledged together when we were in college and we had lost touch," Kicklighter says, "I hadn't heard from Caleb in five or six years. When it was announced on Facebook that he had cancer, I felt miserable. I saw that it was stage four and stage four is as bad as it gets. I instantly had all of these feelings of guilt and lost time, how the moments that bind our relationships together in life don't always keep us together forever."

Kicklighter reached out to him on Facebook offering his condolences and also asked  if he needed help with anything? His friend messaged him back within five minutes saying yes, he wanted to video record his experience with the disease for friends and family to follow his journey wherever it might take him. Kicklighter accepted--and convinced his friend to let him make a documentary film out of the footage to help people to understand and get beyond cancer with a unique cinematic experience.

A Few Things About Cancer is not like any other short I have seen. Kicklighter avoided the all too common view of "I'm sick" stories and the only heartstrings pulled are truthful, intimate, and fulfilling ones. This film is a true documentary of the biggest challenge chronicling Caleb Mock's personal experience and his battle for survival. What was the biggest challenge for Kicklighter?

Kicklighter says, "First of all, I thought there really needed to be a singular voice telling the story--without doctors, or nurses weighing in on the process of cancer treatment like you would normally see in this type of films. I've had seen that documentary before. To my mind, I felt as though the experience of treatment, whether it is cancer or any other disease, is a singular experience. Yes, you go through it with other people, your family, your partner, your children, but ultimately you are going through it alone with the aid of others. I wanted [the film] to take the audience through that experience too." 

I asked how the film was shot in such an intimate way and was surprised by Kicklighter's answer. He chose an uncharted channel to keep the intimacy of the interpersonal relationships of his characters intact--his absence. It was clearly tricky to pull off the single camera, single perspective and Kicklighter knew it would be--so he made the family the inside film crew.

"I gave Caleb his own camera and taught him and his family how to shoot footage. And we used Dropbox every week to review what they shot because there were moments that I did not want to go into the hospital and be invasive to his treatment process.  I'd give him notes as to what we needed to see more of as we reviewed what they shot, then every other week, I came in with a limited crew and would film him ourselves.  That's how we merged the two shooting styles, creating something intimate, but also non invasive." Kicklighter says. Were it not for new media transfer and hours by hours of footage traveling through an email box over the internet, Caleb's tale would not have been the same.

"There are two things that I wanted to accomplish here as a director: the first being, I didn't want to inject commentary into the film, I wanted to shoot it as the events unfolded and discover the message as I went. Secondly, I wanted to be non-invasive to his treatment process while retaining the authenticity. I feel like we did that."

The camera transfixes a single shot held by one of the family members or even his crew from tons of collected footage, sewn together into a seamless blanket covering the illness and recovery of one patient during seven rounds of chemotherapy spanning two-week intervals.  Whether a scene is shot by Kicklighter's crew, Caleb's mom, his wife Jada, or even Caleb himself, we see the highs and lows of the treatment, medication, surgery, and all of the solipsistic hours in between. Mock's role as husband, son, and patient, and friend are shored up into a short documentary package intended to humanize the reality of facing mortality at such a young age.

"I had enough footage to make a very long movie,"Kicklighter adds, "I chose not to because I thought it was better to focus it and keep it contained. As a film maker, I like to tell a variety of different stories. I try to waffle between narrative films and documentary projects, mostly. In all of my films, the themes tend to deal with loss and identity--I think this documentary fits right into that canon. This film is about loss of the person that Caleb was, and discovering who he is as he goes through this strange quarter-life crisis that most twenty-five year-old's don't have to tackle."

Kicklighter talks freely about his love for the business of film and offers advice to those looking to make movies and the role of technology today. "I think there is now more access for people that make an attempt at making a film, now you've got smartphones that shoot such high quality and you've got editing software that comes free on all these computers. When I got started you had to invest in cameras or rent them and buy expensive software, it wasn't as cheap as it is now. So really at the end of the day, it comes down to how you perfect and hone your storytelling skills in a low-budget way. Don't run off and get the most expensive camera you can if you're starting out because you don't need it--you need to know how to tell a story effectively and how to edit properly and stay focused."

Kicklighter adds that he actually got his degree in Public Relations from Georgia Southern, he did not study film but has been doing films since he was sixteen years old. He credits his PR training as having prepared him to market his own productions and his volley between writing and directing. 

The best part of this project is that it pays off in a happy ending.  For our readers, it also reveals the ties of friendship once-forgotten, and a favor tethered through the diligence and perseverance of film making. Even better, we are reminded that we all remain connected through social media; today's outreach can reconnect the ties that passing time threatens.

For more information about James Kicklighter, check out his website.

The Art of Editing - An Inteview With
Shelly Westerman and Tracey Wadmore Smith

By Shirley Criag

Good editing is at the heart of filmmaking. Editors can turn a mediocre film into a good film, or a good film into a great film. It's takes great patience and collaboration and a wonderful sense of story telling to become an editor. This month I had the privilege of talking to two great editors, Shelley Westernan and Tracey Wadmore Smith who often work together. 

Tell me about your experiences on About Last Night?  Did you work closely with the director, Steve Pink, or did you basically do your own thing until the director is done shooting?

Shelley: We were on our own during the shoot. The production schedules now are so fast and utterly demanding.  I believe we shot for just under 30 days.  No time is scheduled for watching dailies together as a team. This movie was shot entirely on location in Los Angeles. There wasn't a central place to meet and watch footage, as the production team was constantly on the go, moving from location to location.  Our cutting rooms were on the Sony lot. We'd watch dailies on our own, in the editing room, Tracey, myself and our assistant Ilana Lewis, taking our own notes and discussing each day's footage. We'd have intermittent phone calls with Steve Pink, and at times we'd send him Quicktime files to review cut scenes, but we never saw Steve until production wrapped.

Once Steve joined us, we were together every day. We'd gather as a group and work together closely, cutting and reviewing as we went along. At times Steve would leave us with notes and Tracey and I would divide them up, then review our own work together before we presented to Steve the next day.

It was a wonderful collaboration. Steve was very open to giving us the freedom to experiment and try things on our own, and he was extremely open to listening to our feedback when we didn't think a scene was going particularly well. Though we worked really hard and struggled with some of the material, as is normal on any film, we also had a lot of laughs.  It was a fun, creative environment.

It must have been great to have so much freedom, but have you worked with directors who like to cut themselves - actually hands-on on the computer? Is that a challenge?

Shelly: I've worked with a director who liked to "play" on the AVID from time to time.  It's definitely challenging, mostly from a managerial standpoint, but in my case, it gave the director a better understanding of what I was trying to do and gave us a short-hand "editing speak".

Tracey: I worked with a director who knew exactly what he wanted editorially but since he didn't know how to use an Avid he really just wanted his editor to be a pair of hands. Creatively it wasn't the most satisfying of jobs for me. Fortunately I've never worked with a director who could physically cut on an Avid but it's only a matter of time!

Do you start cutting after the first day of shooting, so you are assembling the film as it is shot and do you communicate much with the Director as he is shooting?

Shelley: We are hired before shooting commences and we're instrumental in setting up the cutting room, communicating with the production crew to establish the workflow, and yes, we're definitely assembling the film as it's shot. There's great emphasis on staying up to camera, even if it means quickly roughing out a scene just to make sure you've got the coverage you need. It's crucial to the entire process, as often times we're able to talk to the director and pick up additional needed shots, or even reshoot scenes if we feel that we may need stronger performances.

Tracey: It depends really, on a case by case basis but we at least try to talk or email daily with the director, often times we have to communicate through the directors assistant if the director can't pick up the phone.  If the crew is shooting locally or on the studio lot we try to make a point of visiting the set.

Do you cut on Avid, Final Cut Pro.  Any preference?

We cut on AVID systems, which is our preference.

Did you start editing in the digital age or did you cut your teeth on film, and if so, do you miss film?

Shelley: I started as a film conformist. Editors had been working on the AVID for a few years, though we'd conform 35mm work print to match the AVID sequences and then screen on film.  It was a wonderful experience, both tactile and meditative. It was also a valuable lesson in how the digital workflow translated to film, something that is now sadly absent, as film labs and 35mm prints are nearly extinct. Even though I never edited on film, I'm grateful for the experience of cutting and splicing work print, of following the process through negative cutting, color timing and checking prints once sound and picture were married. Can you tell I miss it?

Tracey: I started assisting in a film cutting room. I grew up in the UK and I initially worked on a popular British TV. show called Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. We shot and edited on super 16mm film, it was great... then I moved into features and started working with 35mm, which I loved even more than super 16mm, except however when I had to carry the heavy film cans through Soho, London to have them coded!  As an assistant I truly loved working with film. However, I never actually cut on film and most of the editors that I've talked with say the digital age has certainly made editing a much faster and more efficient process.

How did you get your start in editing?

Shelley: I had another career, working in Data Processing at the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta. (I'm not sure what they call it now, maybe IT, Information Technology?). I knew I wanted to work in the film industry. Halfway through my college education at Georgia State University, I dropped the Finance 101 class and enrolled in Film History and changed my major from Business to Communications, with a minor in Theatre. Knowing I ultimately had to get to New York or Los Angeles, I took a transfer to the NY Federal Reserve to work on a major computer project. I volunteered at film festivals and contributed time to non-profit film organizations, making contacts and establishing ties with the local NYC film community. I found out about post-production internships and took a leave of absence to work at Spin Cycle Post (now defunct).  While I had to answer phones, clean the kitchen and stock the refrigerator, I was also shown some basic film skills (how to pull 35mm work print, how to generate AVID change lists).  I was a bit older than most of the interns and had managerial experience, and I learned quickly. I was offered a job as a film assistant editor on Todd Haynes' VELVET GOLDMINE.  I gave my notice and left the Federal Reserve Bank after eleven years!

Tracey: I completed Art school and then went on to study graphic design, the film and photography element of my degree was by far my favorite so I thought I might try and pursue a career in cinematography.  I wrote to one hundred production companies in central London looking for a runner/p.a. position, I received two replies.  The first reply said thanks for your enquiry but we aren't currently hiring and the second asked me to come in and interview. I got the job, I was very excited. Carnival Films, the production company had film cutting rooms in the basement and I would spend as much time in the cutting rooms as possible. The assistants taught me how to sync rushes (dailies) at night.  I loved being in the cutting room and before that experience I was never sure what filming editing was. After that, I never gave a second thought to my cinemaphotgraphy dreams. After a few months I asked the head of the company, Brian Eastman if I could leave my full time runner position and become a freelance editing p.a. when they began shooting a new series. The production company is still successful and I'm forever grateful to Brian for giving me my first job and the assistant editors that taught me how to sync rushes.

How do the two of you work together? Do you cut different sequences, or when of you takes one half of the film..how does it work?

Shelley: We don't really have a method, but adapt how we work depending on the project. With ABOUT LAST NIGHT, Tracey was pregnant when production began, so I assembled most of the movie. When she returned, we would bounce sequences back and forth, look at things together, then discuss the best way to approach each scene.  Sometimes we'd pick scenes we were in the mood for!  I'm hesitant to use the word "organic", but it was very easy and collaborative, without ego.  When we had a lot of director or studio notes, we'd simply split them up. We both worked on each other's scenes, everything was passed back and forth.

How did you meet and how long have you been working together?

Shelley: I was the First Assistant on James L. Brooks' HOW DO YOU KNOW. I'd started the film on location in Philadelphia, then moved to Los Angeles for post production. Several months into post, Tracey, as Editor, joined the team. That was in the spring of 2010.  I joined her as co-Editor on her next project, an independent film AS COOL AS I AM, and we recently finished our third collaboration, ABOUT LAST NIGHT, in December, 2013.

Who have been your greatest influences? And did you have a mentor?

Shelley: I feel like we learn so much from EVERYONE we work with. I'm grateful to have worked with such esteemed directors as Nora Ephron and James L. Brooks.  Spending any time with Todd Haynes is a treasure.  I'm as equally in awe with all of our other team members, our composers, our visual effects artists, our sound departments.

I've been lucky enough to have a few incredible mentoring experiences.  Richard Marks has been one of my greatest influences.  I first worked with him on YOU'VE GOT MAIL and stayed in touch through the years. Though he's Los Angeles based, when he worked in NYC, I assisted him. He was the one that brought me to Los Angeles on HOW DO YOU KNOW. I was also very close to Geraldine Peroni. We worked together on JESUS' SON and THE WIRE. She tragically passed away almost 10 years ago.  Meeting Tracey Wadmore-Smith has been life-changing.  She was the one that really opened the door to transitioning from assistant to editor. She not only provided the job opportunities, but she made sure I was comfortable "in the chair", she'd show me how to improve scenes, how to think about story structure, and most importantly, how to have the confidence and strength to manage the always complicated personalities and politics that are inherent with every show.

Tracey: My greatest influences are Sam Mendes, Jim Brooks, Richie Marks and Frank Darabont.  With that said I'm learning all the time, every film I cut is a new and exciting experience.

Tariq Anwar was a big influence in pushing me towards becoming a first assistant editor but then I moved to the states and didn't get to see much of Tariq for about ten years.  During that time I had been an assistant editor for the director Andy Tennant.  Andy was really the person that believed in me and he gave me my first editing break on a pilot and then my first studio feature SWEET HOME ALABAMA.

Do you have any advice to young editors on how to get into feature film editing or their foot in the editing door?

Shelley: I've always been very serious about training young talent. The first obvious job to aim for is Editorial Production Assistant (PA). Often times those jobs come through the "network". I frequently ask other editors and assistants for recommendations, and I always keep resumes on file. If you are hired on a show, I always tell people to keep their eyes and ears open at all times. Nothing is insignificant. Watch and learn how a cutting room is run. Pay attention to EVERYTHING, how the craft service area is stocked, how camera reports are filed, how to read production reports.  Just knowing how a room is organized and how a cutting room is run is crucial.  Make sure you have basic office skills, not necessarily the editing software, but know WORD, EXCEL and FILEMAKER PRO.  Keep in touch with your contacts.  Attend film functions and get to know the community.  It's all about the networking.

Tracey:  Being on the Internship Committee with ACE, I think its important to support upcoming assistant editors. Shelly's advice is spot on, I've watched Shelly mentor many assistants, she's quite incredible at it. Neither Shelly or myself went to film school and we don't believe it's an essential qualification to get your foot in the door... at least in one of our cutting rooms. Its more important that you have a true passion for film, a desire to learn and a relentless drive to succeed.

Any other advice you'd like to share?

It's important to know what's going on. Read INDIEWIRE and DEADLINE. I got my second job, YOU'VE GOT MAIL, by reading the NYC Mayor's List.  I saw the job entry, I called the production office and I was able to get through to the editorial staff. I didn't know a single soul, but I went for it and that job opened so many doors for me. It's where I really learned how a movie was made, from start to finish. With BEE SEASON, I was obsessed with the book, I absolutely loved it. I heard it was being made into a movie and I went nuts!  I called everyone I knew, both east and west coast, trying to figure out a way in.  A few weeks passed and I received a phone call from editor Lauren Zuckerman who said "I don't know who you are, but your name keeps coming up, so I thought I should call".  We were on that picture together for 16 months and we're close friends to this day. You must have determination, patience and grace. Know that often times, the person I hire may not have every single skill set that I'm looking for, but if you're someone I can spend long days and nights with, I can teach you anything.

Great advice. It has been a pleasure listening to your experiences and I'm sure our readers will love to read your insights into this business. Thank  you. 

Artist Jocelyn Josef Brings
New Signature Style ‘Squarism’ To The World of Art

By Amber Topping

All the way from the beautiful island of Oahu, artist Jocelyn Josef (who now currently resides in LA) brings a unique, new art genre to the world called “Abstract Pop Squarism.” Jocelyn, a graduate of The Art Institute of Seattle, has been featured in various magazines like Honolulu Weekly and Innov8 Magazine and is now here at REAP to talk about her background and share more about her signature style.

Can you talk a little bit about your background and what inspired you to pursue a career as a painter?

My education background is in Interior Design, however, I have been painting since I was 3. I didn’t realize my passion for painting until I was in my 20’s after backpacking through Europe and visiting the Picasso Museum in Paris.

You created your own style of art called “Squarism.” How did you first come up with the idea? And how would you describe Sqaurisum to people who aren’t familiar with what you do?

The Squarism idea took 15 years to perfect. I explored different texture concepts, I researched the Masters who worked with texture, Van Gogh and Picasso.

Squarism is the combination of Picasso’s Cubism and Modernist period. It is layers of Acrylic squares on canvas – a continuous layer of squares in an emotional sequence pattern that dance off the canvas.

You’ve mentioned that Picasso has been a huge inspiration. In what way has he influenced your work? Are there any other artists that inspire and influence you?

There are many talented Artists out there that inspire me, however, I feel most inspired by Picasso’s work.

His passion screams off the canvas to me. For an Artist to struggle so hard in the beginning of his career and never stop because he was so devoted to his work, is the most inspirational. His work ethics and beliefs to his passion is so amazing that his work still lives on after his death. That’s pretty powerful.

Are there other factors that inspire your work? Personal experiences, beliefs or even people for instance?

I mostly paint self-portraits. My personal experiences I paint are memories good, bad or tragic. Being a strong Christian, I do paint inspiration verses from the Bible. My paintings are large scale pieces.

What projects or paintings are you working on right now?

I just completed a 12 piece Collection entitled “A Journal of a Woman in Love.” In this collection, I have a 4 piece series inspired by biblical references, along with self-portraits based on personal memories and loved ones in my life.

Is there any message or impression you hope to leave with people who see your paintings?

I want the colors of each piece to transcend an emotion to the viewer. The colors and the dance of the squares tell the story. If I captured the emotion well, the viewer will feel exactly what I feel.

What is the best way to follow you and your projects?

My website http://jocelynjosef4.com or my IG: https://instagram.com/artworkbyjj4/. My IG is the best way because I post completed pieces as I finish them.