Journals5
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I'm done.
1 min read
Thank you for the friendships and support. DeviantArt is not the place for me.
Take good care.
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Lost Pelicanh? Find him here...
1 min read
Michael's new dA site is here:
Squid326.deviantart.com/
It sounds like he is not going to repost his images. I will post the images he took of me in the next few weeks so that those who missed them will have access. I love them very much and felt like they would get greater exposure (double entendre recognized!) there. I haven't posted very many of them for that reason and because I've always felt like they were precious and should be meted out. LOL
Many of my friends here found me by being a follower of Michael's work. For those folks, I hope you will be patient with the redundancy. For those who are not familiar with his work, sit back and enjoy!
Squid326.deviantart.com/
It sounds like he is not going to repost his images. I will post the images he took of me in the next few weeks so that those who missed them will have access. I love them very much and felt like they would get greater exposure (double entendre recognized!) there. I haven't posted very many of them for that reason and because I've always felt like they were precious and should be meted out. LOL
Many of my friends here found me by being a follower of Michael's work. For those folks, I hope you will be patient with the redundancy. For those who are not familiar with his work, sit back and enjoy!
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A Michael Story
6 min read
As Michael Helms has folded the pelicanh tent and set up shop as a squid, I thought I would take a moment to talk about him. I can go in several directions. I could focus on the bajillions of watchers that he had and the impact that he had on them as an artist and the sheer joy he brought to folks with his elegant, playful and erotic art. I could talk about how his masterful use of color is singular and unparalleled (although I think Perry Gallagher gives him a run for his money). I might even discuss how deeply his playful commentary on his images brought a third (fourth, fifth dimension) to the images as we had a glimpse behind the scenes and got a better feel for him as a person and his loving relationship with his models. Possibly a discussion of his journal entries - thought provoking, inspired and/or enraged.
But, nope, not going to do any of that.
I want to tell you about how it came to pass that I took a trip to LA to play model with him. I got a note not too long after I had started posting my images here from some guy that asked where I was located, thought it might be fun to shoot with me. I had gotten a few of those offers and really was too new to the site to really know how to react other than to say 'thank you, you're very kind.' I did just that. Seriously. I didn't even look at the profile or gallery because I WAS THAT MUCH OF A NOOB! I mentioned it to a friend of mine and he did a classic cartoon double take. Not really. Kinda. But he was clearly impressed. By the time I had shared the news of this note with him, I had also gotten intrigued and went back and looked at the gallery of this pelicanh guy.... and well, let's say it was a game changer. I sent a note back and asked why in the world a guy that lived in the Valley of Dolls would want to shoot with a woman past middle age with no modeling experience and a body covered in tattoos and piercings. His answer is so classic Michael. "You don't seem vacuous and you're clearly not afraid of being nude in front of a camera." How could I resist? Blunt, believable and weirdly flattering. Thus began a flurry of notes and discussion of logistics but also getting to know each other a bit. Not just about what we might or might accomplish by way of a shoot but what we thought about God, porn, sex, friendship, organized religion, body parts, swear words, regional dialects, monogamy. Everything but fashion, I think.
I flew out to LA in June. Big present to myself and a way of marking an important passage in my life and I could think of no better way of doing so. I had never been there and (of course) had a rental car with a faulty GPS so I was lost the second I left the airport. (As a side note, I didn't get lost again, but I didn't do a lot of exploring because..... I had no GPS and also no sense of direction. Not a great combo for LA.) My shoot with Michael was scheduled for early afternoon and I got to his place out in the hills with very little trouble and right on time. I had no idea what to expect as I had never shot with a 'stranger' before and really had no idea how to comport myself. Noob again. I had this moment of feeling like I was walking into the junior high school dance without any of my friends around - a little awkward and shy. I am not really terribly awkward but am actually a bit shy. I know that is a surprise given the nature of my images, but I can be reserved. Quiet even. It's something that disappears completely and so thoroughly that most people forget it or I cover it well enough that some never even notice. True fact.
So back to me, walking into the prom. It turns out it was like I dropped by an old friend's house for a beer. Except that I took off my clothes shortly after I walked into the prom. Er, studio/garage/aerie. Apparently, I deal with stress better when I'm naked. And that was the way the entire afternoon went. Hanging out naked with my friend Michael. He had clothes on. I did not. Or if I did it wasn't for long. I met his lovely girlfriend and chatted a bit. Took some pictures in different rooms of the house, talked, piddled around and took some more pictures. Went over to Perry's. Piddled some more and took some more pictures. I knew that I was 'working' but it was mostly just a lovely summer day in California with one of the most wonderful people in the world. One of us had a camera and one of us had jewelry, ink and a smile. Guess which was which.
What a day. I felt adored, comfortable, silly, interesting and engaged. And I found out why all of those incredibly beautiful women look even more so when seen through Michael's lens. Every single one of us had that same experience. AMAZING. I don't believe Michael has ever told me what he thinks about the way I look. Ever. And I honestly couldn't care less what he thinks because I know Michael sees and adores ME. The real person that is walking around in this coat of many colors. He captures my person in his images, not just what I look like. Does that make sense?
Guess what? I am going back out there in March. And I am getting to shoot with Perry too! Perry has the same gift with women and it will be magical. I imagine I'm going to come home feeling like I not only made it to the prom, I got crowned Homecoming Queen!
I've rambled enough. It makes my eyes all squinchy to type this much.
Love you, Michael. Glad you reinvented yourself!
But, nope, not going to do any of that.
I want to tell you about how it came to pass that I took a trip to LA to play model with him. I got a note not too long after I had started posting my images here from some guy that asked where I was located, thought it might be fun to shoot with me. I had gotten a few of those offers and really was too new to the site to really know how to react other than to say 'thank you, you're very kind.' I did just that. Seriously. I didn't even look at the profile or gallery because I WAS THAT MUCH OF A NOOB! I mentioned it to a friend of mine and he did a classic cartoon double take. Not really. Kinda. But he was clearly impressed. By the time I had shared the news of this note with him, I had also gotten intrigued and went back and looked at the gallery of this pelicanh guy.... and well, let's say it was a game changer. I sent a note back and asked why in the world a guy that lived in the Valley of Dolls would want to shoot with a woman past middle age with no modeling experience and a body covered in tattoos and piercings. His answer is so classic Michael. "You don't seem vacuous and you're clearly not afraid of being nude in front of a camera." How could I resist? Blunt, believable and weirdly flattering. Thus began a flurry of notes and discussion of logistics but also getting to know each other a bit. Not just about what we might or might accomplish by way of a shoot but what we thought about God, porn, sex, friendship, organized religion, body parts, swear words, regional dialects, monogamy. Everything but fashion, I think.
I flew out to LA in June. Big present to myself and a way of marking an important passage in my life and I could think of no better way of doing so. I had never been there and (of course) had a rental car with a faulty GPS so I was lost the second I left the airport. (As a side note, I didn't get lost again, but I didn't do a lot of exploring because..... I had no GPS and also no sense of direction. Not a great combo for LA.) My shoot with Michael was scheduled for early afternoon and I got to his place out in the hills with very little trouble and right on time. I had no idea what to expect as I had never shot with a 'stranger' before and really had no idea how to comport myself. Noob again. I had this moment of feeling like I was walking into the junior high school dance without any of my friends around - a little awkward and shy. I am not really terribly awkward but am actually a bit shy. I know that is a surprise given the nature of my images, but I can be reserved. Quiet even. It's something that disappears completely and so thoroughly that most people forget it or I cover it well enough that some never even notice. True fact.
So back to me, walking into the prom. It turns out it was like I dropped by an old friend's house for a beer. Except that I took off my clothes shortly after I walked into the prom. Er, studio/garage/aerie. Apparently, I deal with stress better when I'm naked. And that was the way the entire afternoon went. Hanging out naked with my friend Michael. He had clothes on. I did not. Or if I did it wasn't for long. I met his lovely girlfriend and chatted a bit. Took some pictures in different rooms of the house, talked, piddled around and took some more pictures. Went over to Perry's. Piddled some more and took some more pictures. I knew that I was 'working' but it was mostly just a lovely summer day in California with one of the most wonderful people in the world. One of us had a camera and one of us had jewelry, ink and a smile. Guess which was which.
What a day. I felt adored, comfortable, silly, interesting and engaged. And I found out why all of those incredibly beautiful women look even more so when seen through Michael's lens. Every single one of us had that same experience. AMAZING. I don't believe Michael has ever told me what he thinks about the way I look. Ever. And I honestly couldn't care less what he thinks because I know Michael sees and adores ME. The real person that is walking around in this coat of many colors. He captures my person in his images, not just what I look like. Does that make sense?
Guess what? I am going back out there in March. And I am getting to shoot with Perry too! Perry has the same gift with women and it will be magical. I imagine I'm going to come home feeling like I not only made it to the prom, I got crowned Homecoming Queen!
I've rambled enough. It makes my eyes all squinchy to type this much.
Love you, Michael. Glad you reinvented yourself!
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I wanted to say a quick blanket 'thank you' to all who voted for the image of me taken by Michael Helms. The contest is over on 12/29 and it looks like it will be First Runner Up, but I am very pleased and flattered at the support.
I am, however, going to throw the link in here.... Just in case you were overwhelmed with Christmas shopping and meant to vote. LOL
pixasso79.deviantart.com/
Thank you all so much!
Big kisses!
JC
I am, however, going to throw the link in here.... Just in case you were overwhelmed with Christmas shopping and meant to vote. LOL
pixasso79.deviantart.com/
Thank you all so much!
Big kisses!
JC
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I just heard from the sweet folks over at Tattooed Nudes about a contest for "Cover of the Year". I had submitted an image that Michael Helms (aka pelicanh) had taken of me some time back and it was a monthly winner. I was very flattered and, I admit, excited.
If you are interested and so inclined, feel free to vote here:
pixasso79.deviantart.com/
I honestly feel like the image that Michael took deserves some love and I would appreciate you helping me to show him how much I adore that image!
Thanks so much for being there. Love you all....
Happy Holidays!
JC
If you are interested and so inclined, feel free to vote here:
pixasso79.deviantart.com/
I honestly feel like the image that Michael took deserves some love and I would appreciate you helping me to show him how much I adore that image!
Thanks so much for being there. Love you all....
Happy Holidays!
JC
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