This past year brought to the forefront so many emotions, so why not take it a step further and spend the day diving into romantic comedies? I mean, seriously. 2020 reminded us that we should spend our days doing what we want, because life is so unpredictable. I'm here to provide you with a short roundup of movie suggestions that will bring you joy, and might make you cry a tear or two. 

Omari Collins of O.G. Collins Media exudes pride. Whether it is pride in his craft, himself, or our culture, you will soon notice after having a conversation with him that his aura makes you want to be better. He got it honestly. If his last name sounds familiar to you, that is because his late father, Dwayne Collins, was a prominent activist within the Charlotte community who left behind a legacy of hope. Omari, 27, continues the pride of his last name while beginning his journey of daring towards his destiny of storytelling through media.

New #ArtMoTiFFation has been added to my collection, meet "Kayla" by Manasseh Art. I first saw this drawing when the artist posted it to his Instagram in November 2019. At the time, I had a lot going on in my life and barely had control over my own schedule between life's twists and turns and work projects, and this piece of artwork spoke to my soul. It's like on the one hand, I had things somewhat together but on the other hand I was fighting to regain control of my life in many ways. Just like how I view "Kayla" in this drawing. A mess, yet stunning and confident. 

A blade of grass. That's the shot that led Brandon Todd, 27, of BRANNDANNART to know photography was the field for him. Hype off using his mom's camera at age 16, he went outside to test shoot and boom, his passion was realized. After bringing the camera back up to his face, he was amazed at his work having a depth of field that displayed what seemed to be a single blade of grass in focus. Since that moment, he's never stopped shooting and has put his energy towards manifesting his destiny. Todd is now the youngest black lead photographer in the National Football League, and continues to blaze his own path while breaking barriers.

​Bright and bold colors that evoke emotion and a feeling of empowerment are what you see when a Dooga Art painting graces your home or your screen. His artwork makes you feel. Makes you feel seen. Makes you feel happy. For many, it makes them feel beautiful and visible in a world that doesn't always acknowledge their beauty or presence. Dwayne Royall, 33, known as Dooga, paints with purpose as highlighting and uplifting black people is where his art originated. 

It's quite possible that you clicked on this page not fully knowing what aesthete means. No worries, I didn't know either until recently as originally I was going to title this blog page, Becoming Artsy, but felt that the word aesthete describes me as an appreciator of multiple branches of art. It's essentially a synonym for connoisseur. Growing up my parents made it a point to expose me to art when the opportunity presented itself. Without knowing it at the time, my experience living in the Arts Village at NC State University amplified my appreciation for the arts.