Visionaries Presents | Monique Henry-Hudson!

“I don’t think anything…but imagine everything”

We are in transition. Summer’s over now, and the air’s getting cold and delicate. Well not really, because where I’m from it’s “Summer” 365, so I’m actually referring to where I am now, where I actually started writing this post. All over the world, everything becomes naturally beautiful with the appearance of the autumn season, and although they say “Melancholy is the autumn” because of the falling of the leaves , something beautiful is blooming over here in New York City.

Lots of people are shaking the world in some of the smallest of ways, and I can assure you,without even making mention of her craft, this young lady is one of them. She is beyond the shadow of a doubt, one of most kind and nice persons I know, and because I got to meet her mother as well, I know exactly where she got those qualities. She’s always giving back, volunteering here, lending a hand there, the epitome of a true servant leader. Her positivity is infectious, even in the light of situations that occurred in her past, and I’m incredibly inspired by her creation story.

I know lots of great things are on their way to her, and that’s why I want to present to you Monique Henry-Hudson!

1) Tell us about Monique Henry-Hudson,who is she?

Who am I? Every day I think I get closer to knowing and understanding who I am spiritually and professionally. Right now I can say that I am a storyteller, an Artist, and an Animator. 

2) As a creative, tell us about some of the things that inspire you and why.

I draw inspiration from everything.I believe that my mind is currently over saturated due to the vast amount of resources that are so readily available. Between the blogs, e-books, books and websites, so many images are constantly coming at me, that one way or another , they find their way into my work.

3) How do you translate your inspiration into production?

 In terms of taking that and making it a project, I try to have a rather clear intent on why I want to make something. I always plan before, even if it is a little sketch or a few sentences just to remind myself of  what my original purpose was.

4) Tell us about “SimplyRobotix”, and why it was created.

SimplyRobotix is my brand so to speak. It is the name in which I distribute all of my artistic work. It was originally created because in my sophomore year of college we needed a website and had to update it with our assignments for our professor to grade.

5) What is the purpose of it now?

Right now SimplyRobotix is serving the same purpose. It is still a website showcasing my work. We all just have to wait and see what is in store for SimplyRobotix in the future. You can view SimpleRobotix here

6)  Do you work alone, or do you share your creative space?

I work alone for the most part. I’m venturing into collaborative work but nothing is confirmed yet.

7)Support systems are important, how has support been for you? 

I’m very blessed to have such a strong support system. My parents were my original cheerleaders. They always encouraged me to follow my heart’s desire. In college I had to deal with the passing of my father and I was so fortunate to have my youth group, friends and classmates to lean on during that tough time period. It really does take a village to raise a child and I am definitely grateful for mine.

8) What does it mean to be creative, and what is your creative process like?

To me, being creative means having the courage to accept the challenge to do the things the little voice in your head says is too crazy to do. My creative process varies depending on what I’m working on. Like I said I’m a planner. Maybe it is my paranoia of things going completely wrong but when it comes to paintings, drawings and illustrations I always do a little sketch. When it comes to stories I try and reduce the story to 3 sentences that summarize what it is about. When it comes to animations I create brief storyboards to as a pre-visualization of what I’m aiming to achieve. 

9) Do you think that creativity is something we are born with,or do we develop into a creative person?

 I think we all are creative individuals. Some of us are shown how to tap into our creativity at earlier ages than others, and we all have unique ways in which we are creative. Lawyers for one, I perceive to be creative individuals and they have nothing to do with art in the traditional sense.

10) Lawyers? Let’s talk about them. Why do you perceive them to be creative individuals?

I think they have to be creative when presenting cases to a judge and jury. Especially if your client is guilty, you are still trying to paint them in a light so that they do not get the maximum punishment.

11) If you can have lunch with anyone who would it be?

If I can have lunch with anyone I would have lunch with my future self. Is that too narcissistic? I’m interested in the wisdom my future self would have for me now. Would she tell me that I’m on the right track? That I should’ve made a left where I made a right?

12) That’s very interesting, so how do you handle your fear of the unknown?

I try not to worry about the “unknown” I can admit that I’m always thinking about the future, but I’m not afraid of it.

13) What does it mean to be a visionary to you?

To be a visionary to me would mean being driven to make your dreams a reality. A visionary person is also of service to their community and is an uplifting, selfless individual. 

14) Do you think you have the ability to be an influencer in your city?

 I do believe I have the ability to be an influencer. I’ve never been the type to withhold information from people who could benefit from it.

15) New York city is very fast paced, how has the culture affected you?

How hasn’t NYC’s culture affected me is the real question! I say that I’m desensitized to a lot of things because there are so many cultures outside of my own from the time I step out my building door. I can eat food from places I’ve never visited. It is the melting pot that it is often referred as. 

16) Tell us about the “Save The Date” project you worked on.

The “Save The Date” flyer on my website was for my friend Jade Seaberry’s fashion Showcase to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, and to help specifically aid current patients and families that are taking care of someone with cancer. It was In memory of Margo Bassett and Joseph Pugh. You can find the fashion showcase here.

17) To persons that want to give back and be of service, where do you recommend they start?

I suggest starting with people who have helped you. Start with your school and your church. Then reach out to centers and nonprofit organizations. They are always looking for volunteers.

18) What would be your dream project?

My dream project would be directing and producing my own short and have it distributed across the world.

19) what’s next for Monique Henry-Hudson

What’s next?! Well I will be a mentor for a high school student this year for the first time. In November I will be attending the CTN Animation Expo in Burbank California. I’m also launching a new website later this year as well as beginning development for a new independent animated short. I know it is a lot, but an artist is always looking for outlets to have their work exposed to an audience.

 20)Lastly, what advice would you give to all women in the world, who are pursuing their dreams?

My advice to women, particularly young women such as myself is to first accept the fact that we do not NEED to have it all right now. We are young and obsessed with trying to accomplish so much by the time we’re 25 or 30 or 35 that we let good times pass us by because we are consumed with the good times we expect later. Pursue your dreams! Live your life! Work hard, and remain dedicated to your craft and your dreams and you will see how things will fall into place

Visionaries Presents! | 30.09.12

“Mo’ Magic!!!!!!!” ahaha. This young lady is the first of my long list of international features, so take note, this is one momentous! She is a legitimate influencer to our Millennial Generation, and what makes me smile about her is that I think she’s completely oblivious to this fact. I met her a while back in Pennsylvania, where I realised there was something extraordinary about her, and although it feels like we’ve known each other for ages, every time we talk I learn something new about her.

As usual, I’m excited about this post. If you’re into Computer Art or 3D animation, you’re going to really enjoy this, and if you’re just like me and your art skills aren’t that good, but you enjoy hearing about all things creative, then you’ll enjoy this one too!  I meet up with her this month to make history in New York City, and then after that, I share her creation story with the entire world! =D

Visionaries Presents! | Monique Henry-Hudson

30.05.12 | Get ready!

Visionaries Presents | Alicia MG!

“To all the ones who think this is still just a dream,
that think things are still going to be the same in five years…
to those who can’t feel the rumblings..
the vibrations..
the energy..”

…cha.”- Alicia MG

One of the best parts of what I do, has to be when I get to be friends with amazingly talented people, who are constantly pushing the direction of what’s cool, what’s right and what feels right to them. I love the feeling of connecting with all these light bulbs, all with different creation stories, experiences and perspectives. Like I said before, this one is extra special. I had so much fun interviewing and getting to know her, and for someone as eclectic and culturally connected as Alicia is, she’s the cool kid that’s furthest from trying to be. Her work ethic and credibility are contagious, and her God given versatility gives her that “touch”, that will anoint her business, and all her projects. She is a true influencer with distinctive creative direction,and that’s why I want to present to you Alicia MG!

1) Tell us about Alicia Griffith,who is she?

Alicia Michelle Griffith. I had to change that. There are many Alicia Griffiths, so I legally made my middle name a part of my first, so now I technically don’t have a middle name. With that being said, I’m 22, born and raised in Barbados and I love to travel. Everything I kind of strive for right now, as much as the experience is taking me in life, the finances are taking me on aeroplanes haha. I love music, I CAN’T live without it, I hate stress, I hate anxiety, and I’m not good with shouting and pressure and noise. I’m in my gap year right now, I finished my undergrad in Communication Studies with a concentration on film production in Montreal. For a part of that I did an exchange in Hong Kong and that was really great for me.

2) Tell us about Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was amazing! The culture is completely, I mean literally on the other side of the world. As much as it is very cosmopolitan, there’s a big mix of everyone there. It was British up to about 15 years by now, so all my Professors were fully British. We went to China when I was there too! Actually, we left Beijing about 3 days earlier than expected, and  since I’m a vegetarian, the carcases hanging everywhere was an uncommon experience for me. Hong Kong really puts everything into perspective, and you realise how small and just how mobile you are. There’re so many people, and you could just zig zag through the crowd, it kind of just frees you. I think I kind of re-found myself, because you’re with a bunch of strangers and you can’t go on reputation or things that you go for when you’re in Barbados. You can’t ask someone “Hey do you know this person? tell me about them”, you really have to learn to trust your instincts in everything you do. You’re in a different culture, different language and you have to learn to feel things through, and it really tunes you into people. I think that is one thing that travelling does, when you have to communicate with anything  except words, you really get to know people.

3) Give us a list of you’re all time favourite things to do.

My best friend, my dad and I play this game, where if you can choose 5 things in the entire world that you like to do, what would they be. Mine came down to laughing, dancing, eating, I mean I love good food, like the flavour, if I could just put it on my tongue and spit it out, that would be fine too haha, I love to cook and I love getting lost!

4) Getting lost?!?! What’s so fascinating about getting lost?

Because you don’t know!!!! I love the thrill of finding out how to get home, the adventure of it all, the quest! haha

4) I know that you’re a Jet setter, how important is it to you to travel, and why?

My friend Khadija Bullen, tweeted me one time and said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” If you know everything about a place, what’s the fun in that? You’ve conquered it. What now? are you just going to sit there? I love the feeling I get when I’m inspired, it comes from the slightest of things,and travel just opens it up for me and gives me more opportunities .

5) So tell us what inspires you?

 Everything! I’m so darn sensitive!!, I’m a girl!!!! (I’m dying with laughter at this moment) ,you tell me a story and I’m like “omg! I can do a film about that, I’d like story board it”.  To narrow it down though, there’s music, artists and creative people, you catch it, its contagious you know? I love talking to people and watching how people interact. I love to learn about new things, and basically just taking in life.

6) What’s your favourite film and why?

Oh my gosh! It’s so funny, this is the worst thing to ask me. Most people don’t get this, but I studied media, I’ve been studying media exclusively, from the time I was 16. My homework was to sit and watch movies, my essays were about watching movies. I had to watch with the soundtrack off, watch with the video off, watch it again and then write an essay, so it takes a lot for me to sit down and enjoy one. With that being said though, my favourite movie I think would have to be “Catch me if you can”.

7) Why did you study Communication Studies with a concentration on film production?

Originally, I was going to be an Engineer or Architect, so for CXC, Maths, Physics, Art  etc. were my subjects. I then had this brilliant idea to be a club promoter and my mother, being the loving lady that she is said, “Sure! follow your dreams”. That then fell through the window very quickly, so I decided to go into public relations and then I did communication studies, which is theory of media communication, and the program I chose had a practical aspect. In my first year we did film, video sound and graphics and then I went on an exchange. When I returned, I did film, and then by the time I graduated, I realised that I didn’t want to be a media producer, and I didn’t want to be a journalist. Everybody kept asking me when I returned to Barbados for my occupation, and I told them I don’t know…I’m a Rockstar! haha. That’s why I took a year off, because I was actually going to go straight and do my Ph.D in media  communication studies, and I was going to do a complete socio-cultural break down. I wanted my thesis to be on musical genres, and my final paper would have been on music as culture; the culture of Hip Hop, the culture of Reggae and the culture of Punk. Then I realised! I don’t want to be a Doctor at 24! and that if I decided not to stay in Academics, there’s really no getting out of it with a Doctorate. I took my gap year, worked, and I concluded that I didn’t want to have to chose between PR, Branding, Advertising, or Corporate Culture. I just knew that I wanted to be Creative Director of a company, in such a way that I could do photography, video, write, and compile everything into one, doing which ever, when I feel like it. So that lead me to what I’m starting in September, which is an Dual Masters, split campus, it’s an MA. in International Marketing Communication, and Msc. in International Marketing Communications strategy. It’s one semester in London and one in France.

8) If you can have lunch with anyone who would it be?

That’s a very interesting question, but I’d have to say my Mom and my Dad. My mother has this way of being annoyingly right all the time, and they have always given me sooo much space. Every decision I made in life was completely mine and I love them a lot.

9) What does it mean to be creative and what is your creative process like?

Creativity is probably on of the the most important things. It ties into everything, all the basic things in life, creativity makes it better. To be creative to me is to portray an idea regardless of the medium. Everything that I write or take a picture of, anything I create period, I’m trying to say something. Everything is very organic in how I work, nothing is forced, and I don’t stress myself out, I just breathe . The most beautiful things come when I’m not thinking about it, and when I’m in a separate space, and with that being said,I think the hardest part of being a professional creative is balancing work and your own expression. That’s been a battle I’ve had for a while, which is why I don’t see my self as a professional photographer or writer, so I refuse to put my name across my pictures.

10)Do you think that creativity is something we are born with,or do we develop into a creative person?

Every one has the power to be creative, but every one isn’t. If you want to be creative, you will be. There’s nothing else to be said.

11) Do you think you are an influencer?

I don’t think about those things. Honestly, if I influence people it’s not on purpose, I just love to be happy and be a good example. If my joy influences you, then I’m glad, because I love to be around happy people too!

12)How do you translate your inspiration into production?

Well, my photography works in two ways. One is when I just have a picture day, I literally just take up my cam and drive. I set different challenges that inspire me, like only taking right turns, or staying on the coast, and the photography comes as a result of those challenges. The other way is completely flipped, where I have an idea, I set the shots up, and I make the idea come to life.

13) How important are associations to you?

Very important! Having the right people around you, with positive influence is crucial. If you have a vision of where you want to go, you have to be able to see the type of people that will help you get there as well. I’m against negative people, whether verbal or non verbal. I also make it a point to have people in my life who are also doing something with theirs. It’s very unlikely that you will be wishing well for someone in their life, if you aren’t doing anything with yours, that’s fake! It just isn’t human nature.

14) What does it mean to be a visionary to you?

When you told me that you wanted to interview  me for the Visionaries series, I was like “Woa!, when did this happen?” I read your message about five times, and I was forever asking myself why. In my opinion, it basically means someone who has a vision, but as simple as it seems, it’s not. They set their goals, see their journey, and once they see it, they can achieve it. They’re cautious because they know dead weight is bad, but I think a very important part is going easy on themselves, and being patient, because the road may not always take the route that they feel is best. I also think a visionary knows when it’s a good diversion or bad diversion, and they’re having fun in their journey, regardless. Life really is as simple as Yes or no, and I think visionaries have that understanding, which enables them to see infinite possibility and opportunity.

15) How long have you been into photography? and what makes a good photo to you?

I first started photography about 5 years ago when I was at Barbados Community College. For the first time, outside of my parents I saw someone who was completely head over heels about their job. I mean my photography teacher really loved photography! and I’m like “Oh my God! I want to be this happy!” I was incredibly inspired!  I’m all about composition man, it doesn’t matter what camera you have!  How I take pictures, mega pixels doesn’t matter that much to me.  I love depth to field, it’s about focus for me.

16) What kind of camera do you use?

 I have like an amateur camera, its the Nikon D5000. It’s at the top of the amateur range.

17) In your life, do you think there is anything you could have done differently?

Yes, I think about this all the time. Dropping technical drawing. Like this isn’t going to sound very humble, but it’s really hard being very good at alot of things. People don’t realise, but being a straight “A” student can make life a little difficult at times, especially when it’s time to choose. A part of me will always regret not doing Technical drawing, Physics and Art, to do Interior Architecture, becasue I’m a very huge fan of design and very much into architecture. Sometimes I think I cut myself short, but then it’s hard to say, because then I may not have done Communications at University, and then I may not have been where I am now. Other than that, I really have no regrets.

18) Lastly, what advice would you give to all women in the world, who are pursuing their dreams?

The most important part of pursuing your dreams, is the verb to pursue. Until you do that, it doesn’t matter the amount of motivational quotes  you read, or as many tips about being productive you take in, if you never get up and actually go, you’re wasting your time. You have to do it every single day. To all you beautiful women out there, be confident in your pursuit, and just look fabulous doing it!

If you made it to the end of this interview, I hope that you can appreciate the wisdom expressed by this extraordinary individual. I really believe that God is going to position her in places where very important people will understand and value her greatness, and will want to align themselves with her. Alicia is one of those people that will leave a mark on this world, and how is she going to do it?

simply by being herself, I guess .. ^_^

“we strive for simple lives, not simple minds.”

We have two options: change the world, or leave the world. ‘Accepting it’ is not an available choice.” – Alicia MG

elevate.

Visionaries Presents | Barrio Dimitri!

I can’t stress the point enough, how amazing it is to see a young person not only go after what they want, but just be so focused and passionate as if there were nothing else for them to be doing. This guy took what he loves and basically headed down a one way road, like there was no other option for him. I’m often inspired by the slightest of things, and every time I hang around him, I get this sense of newness to push harder, and just to create something fresh and something unique. He really has such a huge vision for not only fashion, but just to make it bigger than what everyone would consider the confines of fashion, and because of this, I have tons of respect for his craft. He truly is a legend in the making, and knowing he’s one of my friends makes me proud, and pushes me to be the best that I can be.

You really know the persons who are going to follow through and definitely leave a mark, and that’s why I want to present to you- Barrio Dimitri!

1) Who is Barrio Dimitri?

Barrio Dimitri is a 18 year old, who is inspired by art, style and fashion at large. I’m a French student at the University of the West Indies, and I aspire to become an editor at the climax of my career in fashion.

2) How did you get into fashion?

 I’ve always enjoyed getting dressed and styling myself. I always had an appreciation for designers brands, and anything that screamed a great deal of quality and generally looked good.I currently run an online fashion blog which attracts hundreds of viewers daily, and I work as a stylist and writer for third party companies.

3) What is your creative process like?

I’m usually inspired by many elements around me, and these may range from simply nature or even the people, to a piece I see walk down a runway, or a look I see on a street style blog. After I’m inspired, I put my own twist to things, and work feverishly to accomplish whatever I envisioned. Being a learned graphic designer, it’s very easy for me to implement my ideas graphically and my blog has always been known for a great look.

4) As a Visionary, what were the biggest challenges that you had to overcome, in order to get to your current point? 

In our day and age, technology makes anything possible; however, ideas that are dreamt are not always birthed, simply because of procrastination. I have been on many occasions bored and uninspired, but I always try to push past these stages, because I don’t want anything handed to me, I want to work for whatever I want.

5) I’ve noticed that many of the people in our society sit back and wait for things to happen. How do you feel, when you’ve been working towards something, and it’s finally achieved? 

The average person would assume they’ve reached success, and don’t get me wrong, cause I’m often happy when I overcome or accomplish something, but there’s always something greater, so I just keep looking onward. The universe is infinite, so the sky can never be the limit!

6) That’s interesting, and definitely something to remember. Now, let’s talk about your support. What do your family and friends think about all that you do?

From the get-go, everyone has been supportive of all that do, and being a Christian, my parents especially want me to follow God’s plan for my life. I still get those moments where my friends would ask how they look, or even what they should wear, and then the random outbursts of calling me “La Mode!”

7) Haha! I can definitely testify to that. I noticed you mentioned your Christianity, how has it influenced your perspective on life, or even fashion?

Christianity to me is about relationship and not religion. Having a great relationship with God allows you to firstly overcome many challenges in life and secondly think positively, as it relates to the future, knowing full-well that God is in control. In fashion, I’ve always been warned to be careful of certain things, like the easily blurred line between pornography, as well as it’s association with homosexuality. Nonetheless, I think I’ve got those under control.

8) What would your response be, to persons who often associate guys with an acute sense of style, as being gay?

In all honesty, clothes have no gender and all guys who are stylish are certainly not gay. Society has continually put stereotypes in place, that associate style with a person’s sexual orientation and I just think these mindsets need to be broken. People should start seeing style as simply what it is: A way to express oneself.

9) Do you work alone, or do you share your creative space?

Working with people has always been a huge issue for me, since I like things to be done to perfection. Thankfully, all the members of my  Team and I, see eye-to-eye.

10) How do you stay connected to the wider creative community in Barbados and overseas?

Networking is actually an integral part of being a blogger .  All I can say is, thank God for Facebook. Haha

11) What would be your dream project?

I don’t necessarily have a “dream project”, but collaborating with some of my favourite designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs or even Andrea Pompilio would be major.

12) Those are some big names! What factors do you look at when deciding your list of favourite designers?

Well one thing I really love about fashion, is it’s constant change; in fact that’s one thing that gets me excited to see the collections every season.  I look for a sense of innovation, true style and edginess when selecting a favourite designer. One key thing, is always to remain a step a head of the rest and to become The Definer, and not the one to follow what’s being defined.

13) So what’s next for Barrio Dimitri?

Well this semester I really plan to focus on getting through with school, since having a degree always helps in the long run. My blog is still in it’s “baby stages,” so I’m definitely going to be working on it’s growth, as well as the evolution of my personal style. As it relates to big goals, I really want to move to New York or Paris for the coming year, so I’ll see how that pans out.

14) I know you’ve worked with names like Hypebeast.com and even Freedom 5 Clothing, how has it been working with them?

All the jobs where I’ve took on the position of being a style writer have all been challenging, only because after all the collections, shows, campaigns and lookbooks are out, I have to get my words together and plan reviews. Last year I had to review shows at New York Fashion Week for 2 publications, and it has always given me a little challenge trying to write two completely different reviews for the same shows. 

Working as the Style Director for Freedom 5 is an incredible experience. Not to be biased, but as a young label, I think the brand has a great head start in the industry, especially because the ideas brought forward are unique and allow for consistency in their designs. I am only one part of the  strong creative team at Freedom 5, who all seem to understand the fundamentals of style and of course brand marketing. Just makes my job a tad bit easier… haha!

15) As a person who has accomplished a number of your dreams, what advice would you give to someone who aspires to accomplish big things?

Hard work and dedication are really the only things that allow people to accomplish their goals. I think that it’s important to stay focused, and understand that no matter where you are from, how little you may have, or who you may be, once you persevere and as people say “keep your eyes on the prize” nothing will stop you from reaching success.

16) What does being a Visionary mean to you?

In my opinion, a Visionary is someone who has the ability to see their target with superb accuracy, and at all costs bring it to fruition.

17) Okay, I’m sure we all know that La Mode Dimitri has become a household name for many. Would you say that your visionary thinking has given you an advantage amongst your peers?

Being able to see clearly what you want to achieve in life definitely helps in giving you a head start, but I don’t necessarily think that it gives me an “advantage” among my peers. Everyone has to know their state of mind, but only those that work feverishly with their goal in mind, will succeed.

Okay, Barrio, it was nice chatting with you. It’s clear to see that you’re definitely a great inspiration for many, giving food for thought.

Same here Akeem! I was beginning to run out of answers. Haha!

Visionaries | The introduction!

Now this one’s for you. The ones who’ve been reading my posts, giving me feedback, and have been inspired by the people and things that have inspired me. I’m completely humbled by all your comments, and I want to present to you “Visionaries”, a look inside the creative mind.

Being a visionary is a very special task, I feel like it is not something you choose to be, but something you’re chosen for, and that’s why I want you to take this journey with me. This series will cover some of the most influential and momentous visionaries among us, offering an inside look into their creative process, and never before heard views of true masterminds at work!

This is about turning the mystery of creativity into inspiration, for there’s nothing like seeing how creative people make things happen, teaching us how to truly,innovate to fly!

GET READY…