I'm 18

Almost Legal!

The time is drawing nearer.

I will soon be able to buy cigarettes, enter clubs, and purchase porn if I feel it is necessary.
But like many years previous, I don't want my birthday to come. Yes, I am excited about the benefits of turning eighteen, but I would rather not be reminded of school. I guess that is the common flaw with all summer birthdays: it's a excruciating reminder of the new school year. Its almost like a reality check for me to start completing the summer assignments I have so easily overlooked while laying out by the pool. However, this summer, I have at least tried to start some of my assignments. For example: I purchased my AP summer reading entitled "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbra Kingsolver and have already begun to read it; 78 pages to be exact. Yes, only 428 more to go. BORING.

I leave you with a mixed emotions regarding my upcoming birthday.


-An Artful Affiar

Happy Birthday!

Shelby Leigh Armstrong
"My Wife" I will always love you.
July 11, 1990 - January 30, 2007

Happy Birthday Shelbs.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of you. You are an amazing person and I am proud to be able to say that you were my best friend.
I love you BFFwife!

- An Artful Affair

My Brazilian Sister

Camila Beteli Santos is Back in BRAZIL

I miss my dear friend tremendously and its only been ten hours since I said goodbye in the airport. I will have to write more about her later, for now enjoy some photos.














- An Artful Affair

The Good Shepard

Model Hunter Shepard.

Art Attack

Zachary Thornton

Emerging artist, Zachary Thornton, is making an impact great American art. His "work deals with memory and sentimentality, nostalgia and longing, sexuality and the mystery of personality." Thornton truly uses his inspiration from the contradictions of idealized suburban life: the emptiness of its expanses, its facade of cheery perfection, its denuded landscape and looming darkness, and its touching sadness to create wonderful works of art.

This, by far, is my favorite of Thornton's intricate work. He is indeed inspiring for artists like myself. I should be working on some painting right now; however, I find myself posting a new blog.


Enjoy,
An Artful Affair

Holidays

They most definitely prevent everyday posts.

However, it was worth the procrastination.
My extremely large family has been expanded on thanks to my out of town trip for the fourth of July week end.
Meet Lucy:

Adorable.

-An Artful Affair

Grassroots Creativity

N.E.E.T. Magazine

I only recently found this hip, new magazine that focuses on the creative individual five minutes ago through a friend: thanks Kat! Well, I instantly fell in love. It definitely ranks high in the newer fashion magazines because its ability to relate to its readers. It has everything you need to know about how to express one's own individuality. Personally, I enjoy the "Welcome to my Wardrobe" section which interviews the everyday people who express themselves in a unique but stylish manner. The magazine is overflowing with information pertaining to vintage boutiques and stores online that sell interesting clothes for both women and men. I consider this magazine a must have, much like my other favorites: Nylon and Flaunt.

Geep!

Paris Fashion Week

The Best from Fashion Week in Paris
Fashion week in the lovely city of Paris has finally come to an end after previewing a multitude of collections for the 2008 Spring season. Favorites range from Paul Smith to Raf Simons.

Paul Smith

A collection based originally on primary colors and a hockey player's ambition to create style from shopping at the local goodwill, Paul Smith wanted to add a fresh twist of color to his spring design.

Kris Van Assche

Kris Van Assche claimed inspiration from the photographs of August Sander, because he felt Sander was so astute at capturing the essence of both aristocrat and farm laborer in his work of the early 20th century.

Raf Simmons

Raf Simons once again designed one of the best men's collections of the season, with the best (and by far most innovative) selection of anoraks, high-tech jackets, and sandals for spring. [made in brazil]

I really like Raf Simmons work, he is a genius! The sandals and sunglasses that he has deigned for his spring collection really throws the entire outfit together. Heck, I want them now!

Love,
An Artful Affair

A New Day

Hi!
My name is Mark Monroe. I have just recently given up my teenage years to become a young adult. I really wanted to start a blog in order to document my life and how it is impacted via a new relationship or a new set of paint brushes. I guess the first blog should be to let you in on who I am as a person, a concrete being. To begin, this year has been the most dramatic and difficult year in my entire life thus far. On January 1, 2007, I decided to tell my parents about myself, I wanted them to understand who I was and who I was hiding from my everyday life. With that great stress and weight lifted off my shoulders, came happiness. However, that happiness was short lived after I received horrifying news during one of my favorite classes at school, competitive speech. I recieved a text message from one of my best friends, Alex Carpenter, that my other best friend who I considered to be my wife, died. Shelby Armstrong was one of my best friends, a young, beautiful girl of sixteen. She passed out from using air duster in her bath tub and drowned. She has taught me more about life, with her 16 years, than I will ever be able to experience. Her compassionate love for friends and animals will never be forgotten. She made me realize that I am a man with a sensitive heart and a creative mind that is driven by perfection. I am forever thankful that I had the ability to call her my best friend. I guess if you have taken the time to read this, you are genuine and real; therefore, I will further my mini-biography. I love art. I only recently discovered how vast that love holds true. My junior year I decided to take an art class at the high school which made me completely terrified; I was afraid of failure. Its funny how soon I realized that no one can fail art, only just fall miserably short to everyone else's presumption of it. My creative mind, which is driven by the lack of sleep and thoughts of the world, has not be fully unleashed. Be warned.

I assume that my love for art only directly relates to music because of its ability to have no boundaries. My family is musically gifted in every way thanks mainly to my Dad. My father is an amazing guitarist. He has graciously passed down these genes, more so to my brothers than I. Michael, the oldest of my brothers at the age of 24, is brilliantly skilled with the guitar and a wonderful musician. His talent grows each day, much like my knowledge develops through maturity. Matthew, my second oldest brother at the age of 20, is also blessed musically but mainly with his ability to compose words to create beautiful lyrics/poems/stories. My youngest brother, Miles who is 16, also has musical talent, but at times disregards it because of his modesty. All of my siblings have one thing in common: love for music. Each member of the family has their own style, but everyone understands the complexity of each artists' approach towards the creation. I personally love music so much. It is another way of expressing feeling and personality. I usually do not like the mainstream stuff because I like to hear how other musicians create music with different angles and new ways.
One thing that is not easily overlooked about my family is our athleticism and height. All of my brothers play basketball and are tall. (Michael - 6'7'', Matthew - 6'6'', Miles - 6'8') I, on the other hand, play soccer and am only 6'1''. At my high school, every knew the Monroe family because our dominance in sports. I love soccer. For a while, that is all I did. Constantly practicing in my backyard, striving to be perfect. In some ways, soccer is very therapeutic and helps me deal with emotions that otherwise are trapped inside.

Academics play a huge role in my life. I love to learn, especially in the subjects related to math and history. I am currently in Calculus and enjoy it. I guess I have always enjoyed math. My mind thinks mathematically. I also highly enjoy learning about the past, mainly concerning world history or European history because I believe it is extremely important to know other people's cultures and lifestyles in order to ensure equanimity among the human race. My goal is to one day use these skills for the better. I really hope to go to college somewhere out of Arkansas like New York, Chicago, or L.A. I really would also like to travel and live in different places around the world. This desire parallels my ambition to eagerly learn many languages. I can say "I love you" in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, and of course English. After typing that, I noticed that really is of no importance, but only reiterates my love for cultures and people.

The people who I spend the majority of my time with, my best friends, are the greatest and I wouldn't change them for all the money in the world. Ben has been my best friend since I can hardly remember. We have been through so many spin-off groups while continuing to maintain our close friendship. His dry since of humor and at times modest personalty foils my own personality. His family is my family and vise versa. Alex is also one of my closest friends. She has been there since my middle school days, and I love her outgoing, carefree personality. She was the on that introduced me to my wife, and I am so thankful for that. Shelby is also my best friend, despite her early passing. She continues to talk to me in ways that only I and her close friends can understand. She was way beyond cool. I am so lucky to have such great friends, friends that will be there for me in times of hardship in growth. We have shared tears, laughs, and silence. I love them.

Everything in my life flows pretty smooth. Except for the noun that most people dread, love. Love has been a roller coaster for me and my creative, artistic, ever scattering mind. I always end up torturing myself with things that can not be true or have. I feel now, I can understand relationships and what they mean, but I can not understand the pain created from such beauty. Other than that small detail, life is pretty great.
I love my family, friends, and music.

Love,
An Artful Affair