July 9th - 14:53

Title: July 9th - 14:53 Medium: Super-8 film Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Resolution: 2880 x 2160 File Type: H.264 Codec / MP4. Comments: Waking up with a cat on my chest. Checking in on Ethan as he was sleeping on a stiff massage table in the other room. There was no air conditioner so it was humid in the house. Just a cool breeze from a small fan. I was feeling a little rough around the edges and thought it was finally time to get a hair and beard cut; I do so every three months. I called up Nyssa to check in on her and told me she was back at The Living Gallery in Bushwick before heading to the Hamptons to see her pops. I asked if she knew any barbers or friends who cut hair. She txted me the number of her friend named, Grace, but they liked to be called by their nickname, Ransom. I called them up and she said to come by around 2 pm. Ransom was the best in town, and I was eager to cut down my beard a few inches since it was so damn hot outside. I suited up the camera case with my Polaroid and Super-8 and headed on over to their house. Ransom welcomed me inside the living room. There was their Salon. A sink by the window and a high chair for cutting hair. in front of a large distressed mirror A beauty studio with peach walls and a rosey fragrance. Ransom sat me down in the chair and I said, I trust you. and Jokingly said, please work on me like Michelangelo treated a marble block. We talked for a while about their life, adventures, and friends in New Orleans. How they became the neighborhood hair stylist. I was looking in the mirror and thought, this would be a great shot for the portrait for today. A diaristic approach through a personal experience, yet captivating the essence of Ransom's passion and focus. It was real; A feeling between a self-portrait and their portrait all at once, together in the frame. My first cameo in the project I have been working on for nearly three months. A nod to the old masters who included themselves in their paintings. The artist makes and breaks the rules; As creativity is boundless. I played around with the camera during the haircut, zooming and focusing. Ransom finished cutting and proceeded to wash my head in the porcelain sink. Massaged my head and dried me off. I looked in the mirror again and said, Wow! This is the best haircut I ever had. Ransom blushed and smiled. I gave them a hundred bucks or so, a hug goodbye with a deep hearted thank you. Ransom said if I ever wanted another cut again feel free to call. So the next time I visit New Orleans. They will be the first to know. A haircut can change a person's life. Make them feel better about themselves and love themselves more. In a way its also a spiritual cleanse. Our hair picks up energies through our life experiences, and sometimes its important to cut off those dead ends. To grow back and feel good again.