Melannie Vásquez Lara — “The Muse” in “Paint Me Blue”
“Ari presented the idea of ‘Paint Me Blue’ to me on a warm September night on a rooftop in Bushwick. He confessed to not wanting to share details yet, but we were two creative and impulsive Sagittariuses halfway through a bottle of red, so artistic secrets had no place there. His concept was vague and dreamy and made of rumblings of hope and desire. They were the looping thoughts of an artist enthralled. I had too many questions he did not yet have the answers to. But I didn’t care. I was in. Whatever it was. Whatever you do. I am in.
We spent the next year creating what would be one of the most personal and vulnerable projects I have worked on in several years. A rarity in film, we were able to luxuriate in time. The following spring and summer began with exploratory rehearsals where Ari, Ryan (Choreographer), Taylor (‘The Painter’) and I discovered the characters and world of this film through themes, sound, movement, and memory. Reflective journaling allowed us to tap into our own experiences of passionate and all-consuming relationships, the emptiness left when we lose ourselves in someone else, and the process of self-rediscovery.
Ari wrote ‘Paint Me Blue’ for Taylor and me. This was a dream come true and an honor we did not take lightly. We approached the script with our whole selves and shaped it to be uniquely us. The three of us put our hearts and energy into this film and we continue to do so.
During Post-Production, it has become clear that collaboration is at the core of this project. Our devising process, experiences on set, and emotional connections to the story directly influence the choices we have been making when piecing this film together. This entire process has become a symbiotic relationship between the work and its creators; our connection as artists has grown out of ‘Paint Me Blue,’ and ‘Paint Me Blue’ is taking form out of this beautiful connection. And I am forever grateful.”
My Turn : 2023 p.1 - Mostly in collages and quotes.
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1. 1 of several from the best photography session I've ever had. Thank you @thomasbrunot & MUA, @addisonthompson.mua
2. Growth & Wins 2023... collage in progress
3. Aug 20, 2023, Ventura CA. Back of a VW bus named Malibu. Sunset after Hurricane Hilary
4. My 1st Vision Board (for 2023)
5. Aug 20, 2023. Costa Mesa, CA. On my way to pick up the camper van. In the rain of H.Hil
6. Dec 30, 2023, Brooklyn, NY. On my way home on the B46. "Live your life before it runs out". Finger on dust.
unused video from mixed media performance piece in the summer
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"untitled" or "meninhos" or "body poems" or "poems written in heartache"
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Song (unintentionally): "End of a Love Affair" by Ian Hendricks Smith
Playing around again with movement videos.
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I've got a little performance coming up tomorrow 7/16/22
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And combining my videos, movement, and poetry into a performance piece.
