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Meet Randy Soriano, First ED of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation

By in Art World News

Meet Randy Soriano, First ED of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation

 

 

Ohana Pride

Photo: Courtesy of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation. Photo Credit: Mahina Choy Ellis

 

In our vibrant and diverse community, a dynamic leader has emerged to champion the rights and well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community. Randy Soriano, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, is igniting a wave of positive change and bringing forward a fresh perspective to uplift and empower marginalized voices. With his commitment to inclusivity, advocacy and community building, Soriano is poised to leave an indelible mark on the legacy of LGBTQIA+ activism in the Aloha State.

 

The foundation will benefit from his professional skills as a marketing, communications and management professional with more than 15 years of experience at industry-leading companies in Hawai‘i. Before joining the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, Randy spent nearly a decade leading the marketing department at Title Guaranty Hawai‘i, the state’s largest and oldest kama‘āina title and escrow company.

 

Dedicating himself to his values through years of leadership as a nonprofit executive, Soriano specializes in program development, project management and fundraising. His passion for connecting people and serving the community has been proven through countless hours devoted to various nonprofit and community organizations. He is a Past President of the Rotary E-Club of Hawai‘i, serving a two-year term that oversaw an aggressive strategic plan to grow the Club’s membership and community partnerships.

 

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Photo: Kelli Bullock

 

He is also a board member at the Hawai‘i Health and Harm Reduction Center, serving on the marketing and fundraising committee. In 2022, Randy served as the Chairperson of Honolulu Pride, leading the organization to its largest parade and festival to date. He has also previously served as Board Secretary of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation and is a recent graduate of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i’s Fellows Program.

 

He was an honoree at the 2019 Business of Pride Awards presented by Pacific Business News, which recognizes individuals who excel professionally and are leaders in advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2022, Randy was the recipient of Pacific Edge Magazine’s Young Professional of the Year award.

 

“I’m grateful to be able to combine my passions for connecting and empowering people with my marketing and management experience in a position that will effect positive change for the LGBTQIA+ and MVPFAFF communities. Our rights to exist and thrive are under attack, and it’s so important to create a space for people to be heard and feel safe,” says Soriano.

 

 

Q&A With Randy Soriano

 

For those who may be unfamiliar with your programs, can you share the current initiatives of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation?

 

RS: The Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation produces Honolulu Pride, hosts the LGBTQ+ Center and creates programs that inform, unify and empower Hawai‘i’s LGBTQIA+ community. We’ve expanded on educational and cultural programming through our Māhūi committee that leads our Rainbow Town Halls and our annual Pride Pāʻina Lā ʻOhana event.

 

The Foundation also provides in-kind and financial support to organizations addressing social, cultural and economic inequalities. Our mission is to help LGBTQIA+ people live happy, healthy and productive lives as integral members of Hawai‘i’s larger, diverse communities.

 

 

What are your plans as the first Executive Director of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation?

 

RS: The Executive Director position is an exciting step for the Foundation because it’s an investment in the growth and sustainability of the organization. Our plans are focused on increasing representation and equity for the LGBTQIA+ and MVPFAFF communities through programming and events. This will include the expansion of Honolulu Pride to a Pride 365 concept, which will offer programs throughout the year for the queer community. We have a lot of large projects in the pipeline, including the return of the Vision Without Limits Gala on July 20th at Hyatt Regency and a stacked lineup for Honolulu Pride in October featuring parade grand marshal and festival headliner Sasha Colby, winner of season 15 of Rupaul’s Drag Race.

 

 

What unique challenges is the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation facing in 2023?

 

RS: We represent a community whose rights are being targeted by anti-trans policies and rhetoric throughout the nation. In a recent press release by Human Rights Campaign, a record of more than 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures, with over 220 targeting transgender and non-binary people. 70 anti-LGBTQ laws have been enacted, 15 of those banning gender-affirming care for trans youth.

 

In a time when we face increased opposition, the Foundation is committed to improving representation and support through educational programs and community engagement campaigns.

 

 

What can the LGBTQIA+ community expect in terms of expanded programs and services?

 

RS: We’re introducing programs and services that will engage more intersections of our community. On June 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hawai‘i State Art Museum, we will be partnering with Spill the Tea Café and Mark Kanemura on a family event called “I Am a Rainbow,” which will be the launch of Mark’s first keiki book of the same name. The event will feature art workshops, keiki art gallery, drag artists, drag story time, food vendors, a dance party and a book reading and signing by Mark.

 

We will be expanding the Rainbow Town Hall offerings throughout the year as well. Topics will include kūpuna care and resources, allyship and inclusivity training, diversity in marketing and more.

 

SEE ALSO: Honolulu Pride: LGBTQIA+ Events in June 2023

 

How can readers best support the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation and its mission in 2023 and beyond?

 

RS: If you’re interested in supporting the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, we encourage you to visit our community calendar and attend any of our events and programs. Also, everything that is done by the Foundation is supported by grants and community giving, so we encourage those who have the resources to consider donating or joining our monthly recurring giving program, Rainbow Giving. Mahalo for continuing to support the LGBTQIA+ and MVPFAFF communities.

 

 

LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu is moving to Waikīkī Business Plaza, 2270 Kalākaua Ave. hawaiilgbtlegacyfoundation.com, @honolulupride

New exhibit uses Boulder County farms to bring agriculture to life

By in Art World News

New exhibit uses Boulder County farms to bring agriculture to life

An experimental new exhibit by the Longmont Museum and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art asks visitors a question: what is their relationship with the farmland that surrounds them?

The multi-venue exhibition, “agriCULTURE: Art Inspired by the Land,” opens next week at both museums as well as at three Boulder County farms. The Agricultural Heritage Center and Ollin Farms in Longmont and Milk and Honey Farm in Boulder will house artwork from the project June 10 through Sept. 4. The exhibit will be at the Longmont Museum through Jan. 7 and through Oct. 1 at BMoCA.

Eighteen artists from within and outside Boulder County were matched with local farms based on their agricultural interests. The artists were commissioned to create works that reflect the practices of Front Range farmers and even pose solutions to farming-related issues. The resulting pieces accomplish this through various forms, including sculptures, paintings and ceramics.

Jared Thompson, curator of the Longmont Museum’s arm of the exhibition, said the goal of “agriCULTURE” is to bring the link between humans and nature to life through art.

“It’s really about connecting to the land, and farmers have such a strong connection to land,” he said. “It’s great to see all of our work finally coming to fruition and actually see artwork in the gallery.”

The exhibition is four years in the making. On top of delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, the long timeframe comes from the curators wanting artists to spend at least a year with their farm partners, which gave them the opportunity to experience all four seasons. The whole thing, Thompson said, has tread new ground, particularly the aspect of pairing artists with community members.

“It definitely is an interesting process,” he said. “There’s a lot of moving parts, so there’s lots to manage, but it’s well worth it.”

At the Longmont Museum, large sculptural pieces dominate the special exhibit gallery, including a carousel inside parts of a grain silo and a massive grid-patterned screen made from corn stalks against one of the walls. Taking up around a third of the gallery is a sprawling inflatable sculpture by Boulder-based artist Nicole Banowetz.

The sculpture’s large nylon tubes depict a futuristic fictional mechanism, Banowetz said, something farmers could use to send oxygen and nutrients into the soil. Banowetz was paired with Esoterra Culinary Garden in east Boulder County, which grows food for restaurants using chemical-free methods.

“I really love collaborating with scientists in general, and at least in the case of Esoterra, it’s very scientific,” Banowetz said, pointing to how the soil is often tested for microbes. “Art really can help speak about … our relationship with nature and where our food comes from.”

Banowetz was inspired by the farm’s use of microbes and pollinators to rejuvenate the land’s unhealthy soil. She hopes her sculpture will make people consider the damage humans have made to soil through pesticides.

“I want people to think about the way they are interacting with soil, specifically,” she said. “We need to promote that ecosystem without damaging it. We are a part of it, but we shouldn’t try to control it by destroying things.”

Across the gallery hangs the corn stalk screen, created by Boulder County artist Patrick Marold. Marold harvested the stalks with local fifth-generation farmer Keith Bateman, who he was paired with for the exhibit. The screen, he said, aims to depict the scale of produce that commercial farmers such as Bateman need to “feed the masses.”

“Agriculture in art has always been important to me,” Marold said. “I work from the landscape and the land, and I’m interested in how we, as humans, relate to it. It’s almost like I was waiting for (this exhibition).”

Apart from the environmental message of his piece, Marold wants the screen to capture the beauty of the material itself. People often take it for granted, he said.

“You see beautiful pastures and fields of corn, and there’s an organization to it that every farmer uses,” he said. “There’s a lot of beauty in the way those plants are planted and organized.”

Like the Longmont Museum, BMoCA’s “agriCULTURE” exhibit is a blend of art from several media; there’s even a piece that incorporates dirt from one of the partner farms. Marketing manager Jennifer Chaparro said the exhibit is a good fit with the museum’s mission of making art accessible.

“We definitely like to bring in different elements of the community, because it reaches more people and affects more people,” she said.

Opening receptions for “agriCULTURE” will be held Thursday at BMoCA, 1750 13th St. and Friday at the Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road from 6 to 8 p.m. More information, including a map of exhibits, can be found at bit.ly/3ITU0VW.

La Jolla mural brings ‘Native perspective’ to new Herschel Avenue site

By in Native

La Jolla mural brings ‘Native perspective’ to new Herschel Avenue site

Inspired by the creation stories of her ancestral tribes and the role of birds therein, the latest installation in the Murals of La Jolla public art program “Mukikmalim, Su’ulim, Chem-tema-ki’ay (Birds, Stars, Our Lands)” is considered an homage to the artist’s ancestral land and indigenous family history.

The piece was placed on a new site for the Murals of La Jolla program — at 7836 Herschel Ave. in The Village — at the end of May and into the first few days of June.

“We are thrilled to have a prominent new site located right in the heart of the village on Herschel Avenue, facing Silverado Street,” said Murals of La Jolla Executive Director Lynda Forsha. “When new murals are installed and new locations are added to the mix, it creates a more dynamic art-viewing experience for those exploring our community.”

And the latest work comes from “a Native perspective,” according to artist Gail Werner, who descends from three tribes located in San Diego County: Cupeño, Luiseño, and Kumeyaay (La Jolla is on Kumeyaay land). The title of the mural is written in the Cupeño language and translated into English. Three unique birds, a black-throated sparrow, a rock wren and a cactus wren, are prominently featured.

“In our creation stories, the animals and plants are the characters and the ‘people,’” Werner explained. “Our bird songs tell a story about the people, but they are birds, so they are one and the same. We are all related and everything is connected, the animate and the inanimate. In my work, I want to evoke a sense of journey and place.”

Werner said she chose birds that are both featured in tribal stories but also ones found in San Diego County.

Beyond the birds, visual references throughout the mural continue to tell the story of local tribes, such as a grinding rock, where women would grind acorns; the patterned symbols dispersed across the sky and around the central bird are inspired by the woven basketry design for which Southern California Indigenous people, including Werner’s great grandmother and basket maker Salvadora Valenzuela, are recognized.

However, the mural also takes a look at the darker side of her ancestral story. As is the part of the story with many Indigenous tribes, Werner’s relatives were forcibly removed from their ancestral village in 1903.

“I wanted [the mural] to be about the land because land is important to us,” she explained. “It is our place of origin, where our ancestors are. This piece, even though I didn’t show a specific mountain range, has a composite of places I have been. The right panel has a ridgeline that has two peaks, and that is specific to … where the Cupeño are. [My] people were evicted from that land and moved by force to Pala. I think about those things and honor that.”

Gail Werner, the artist behind the latest Murals of La Jolla installation, is pictured here in her studio.

Gail Werner, the artist behind the latest Murals of La Jolla installation, is pictured here in her studio.

(Mark Laurila)

Lauren Lockhart, a member of the Murals of La Jolla Art Advisory Committee and executive director of the La Jolla Historical Society, said the mural “brings an important perspective and unique aesthetic that is influenced by her Cupeño, Luiseño and Kumeyaay identity. The imagery she’s incorporated into the piece celebrates the legacy and stories of the indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land since time immemorial.”

Lockhart added that she appreciates the way Werner “approached this long, horizontal space with panels that invite storytelling. It brings vibrancy to the site, and really invites the viewer into the work.”

Having done only one other mural before, in Long Beach where she resides, Werner said she considers herself a “studio artist and printmaker” more so than a muralist.

“I had a positive experience when I did the mural in Long Beach and to me, this one is similar, but I welcomed the opportunity to create a piece in my studio and use the process [Murals of La Jolla engages in] to enlarge the work and put it on the wall. Programs like this open so many doors for other artists who aren’t just mural artists.”

She added that public art “allows everyone to see it, people that normally wouldn’t seek it out” and that she was “very excited and honored to be a part of the program. It’s such a wonderful opportunity all the way around.”

There currently are 17 murals in place around town, funded solely by private donations. For more information, visit muralsoflajolla.com. ◆

New rules announced for Summerfest painting and photography contest

By in Photography

New rules announced for Summerfest painting and photography contest

LOGAN – Once again, the Summerfest Arts Faire will host its Plein Air Painting and Photography Contest as part of the annual event on June 15 to 17 in Logan.

But this year all artists and photographers will be required to register in advance to participate in the contest.

Registration will take place at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Friday, June 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 10 from 8 to 11 a.m., according to Shirlene Davis, the executive director of Summerfest.

A late registration opportunity will also be provided at the Summerfest Arts Faire office on Monday, June 12 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Davis explains that the term “plein air” is borrowed from Nineteenth Century artists who preferred to paint in the outdoors. The Summerfest plein art contest invites artists to paint or photograph Cache Valley scenes in four days or less.

To encourage participation by children and young teenagers, she adds, a new Rising Star category has been added to the 2023 contest that will include entries by aspiring artists and photographers up to 16 years of age.

Participants in the plein air contest must turn in their finished and framed painting and photographs on Wednesday, June 14 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Cache Valley Events Center.

All submitted paintings and photographs will be displayed in the plein air gallery throughout Summerfest. Most of them will also be available for sale during the event’s silent auction.

Prizes in the professional painting division are $800 for first place, $350 for second place and $200 for third place. Prizes in the professional photography division are $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place.

Prizes in the amateur divisions are $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. Prizes in the Rising Star division will be $15 for first place, $10 for second place and $5 for third place.

For contest rules and other information, interested parties can call 435-213-3858 or visit www.logansummerfest.org

St. John’s Episcopal Church is located at 85 East, 100 North in Logan.

The Summerfest Arts Faire office is located at 69 East, 100 North in Logan.

The Cache County Event Center is located at 490 South, 500 West in Logan.

How to Become a Commercial Photographer

By in Photography

How to Become a Commercial Photographer

Have you ever walked by a beauty image on the shelf at ULTA or scrolled by a brilliant shot on Instagram and thought: “I want to make images like that”? Or perhaps you are a photographer who saw a picture and thought: “I could have shot that better!” You have the skills, but you don’t know how to break into the commercial market. In this article, I’ll share about how to break into the market and disclose tips and tricks to succeed in the commercial photography space.

What Is Commercial Photography?

In its most simplified definition, commercial photography is imagery used to promote a business. Whether you’re shooting a product or a person, if it’s used to advertise for a business, it falls under the umbrella of commercial photography. 

What Do I Need to Get Started in Commercial Photography?

Because the definition of commercial photography is so broad, it’s hard to make a minimum gear list. When I started, I had a few poster boards from Hobby Lobby, a bounce card, and a big window. I could never produce the images I’m creating now with such a simple kit, but I had to start somewhere, and that was where my journey began. 

Your first purchases will be backdrops, reflectors, and any props specific to your shoot. You can use simple papers from a craft store or backdrops designed for photography. My favorite brand for this is Club Backdrops. They are waterproof, they can take a beating and not show it, they are affordable, and the colors and patterns are fun and modern. Other brands I have used are Savage Universal, Replica Surfaces, Ink and Elm, Kate Backdrops, and more.

Once you’re getting into more advanced work, you’ll want to add strobes, reflectors, translum paper, snoots, and gels to your setup.

My current setup is the Canon R5, translum paper, Godox strobes, a variety of softboxes and reflectors, a snoot, the Lindsay Adler Optical Spot, the V-Flat World Lighting Cones, extension tubes, a rimless water tank, and probably over 100 backdrops and papers. In 2018, I began renovating my garage into a product studio. Over the span of four years, I redid the walls, installed an AC unit, built custom shelving, and redid the floors with waterproof vinyl “oak.” I even had a colorful custom wallpaper made and added a bold yellow sofa, making it my happy creative space to splash, style, spill, and snap.

My favorite lens to shoot product work with is hands down the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L macro, though I sometimes switch to wider lenses for different shots. 

How Do I Get Clients in Commercial Photography?

The number one rule of acquiring clients in photography is: you attract what you put out. You have to show brands what you can shoot before asking them to hire you.

I had been working in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) space for a few years when I had a yearning to break into the commercial sports space. My schedule was quite busy already, but I decided for one year to do one unpaid sports shoot a month. I would have people vote on my Instagram (@sportsphotographermiami) for what sport I should capture next. I did everything from skateboarding to golf, boxing, swimming, and calisthenics.

I didn’t make it to the 12th month of my project month because by month 10, the work I had put out was already attracting clients. Within a few years, I’ve been contracting work for everything sports-related, including celebrity athletes, sports supplements, and corporate entities. If you create fantastic work and market it well, you’ll be pulling in clients in about a year or two depending on how consistent you are.

With my CPG work, I started with one skincare line (and my minimalist window setup) to work that is seen by brands in ULTA, Target, Whole Foods, Cosmoproof, and more. I followed the same pattern: create the work, market the work, and attract clients. Currently, I work heavily in the clean beauty space and in food.

You have to show people what you can do. I was at an event last week in South Beach, and there was a newly launched modern wine. I loved the branding and everything about the line. I networked my way around the crowd and found the man in charge. I asked if I could have a bottle to take home and show him what I could do with the wine. He handed me a bottle with a smirk, saying: “I already have a photographer, but I like the confidence.” A few weeks later, I got that email I was expecting! Showing brands what you can do, if you do it well, is how you break in.

If you’re not at that point yet in your skill level, try working as a photo assistant to a local commercial photographer. I allow aspiring photographers to assist me on certain shoots, and there is no better way to learn than working with a pro live, where you can see the process and ask questions.

How Much Should I Charge for Commercial Photography?

As in most industries, your prices will depend on a few things: your level of skill and experience, the client’s needs, image usage, and the time it will take to create the images. When I started with nothing but passion and a bounce card, I’m embarrassed to say that I charged $350 for 30 images. I can’t believe I just wrote that publicly. I knew I was not experienced in this space (though I had been shooting weddings for eight years), and I needed a justification to learn. Now my contracts are 4-to-5-digit invoices depending on the work and usage.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips to help you have a smooth shoot.

1. Plan Your Shots in Advance

Make sure you have a brief or mood board from your client. This should include color scheme, style, props, etc. I require clients to give me a brief two weeks before the shoot day. This allows time for me to order any shoot-specific props or backdrops.

2. Have a Contract

I’m going to say that again. Have a contract. Always. Every time. No matter who you are working with. Your contract should outline image usage, payment, and photo delivery at the very least. Mine also anticipates situations: what happens if the client doesn’t get their products to me by shoot day? Can they get the raw images? Am I granted permission to use the images for the promotion of my studio? And more.

3. Work on Your Post-production Skills

There are a few things that separate beginners from pros: the photographer’s lighting and editing skill. I recently had to shoot a line of white products on a white background with foil lettering. Wow. That was challenging. I wasn’t sure if I should celebrate or run when they requested to move to a monthly contract. Lighting and editing skills take years to develop and fine-tune. There are dozens of tricks I’ve learned over the years, which have elevated the look of my work. With product photography, it’s almost imperative to work in Photoshop, as it allows you to make specific edits, fine-tuning fonts, colors, and details of each image.

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If you feel overwhelmed reading about editing in Photoshop, using strobes, and having a studio full of specialized gear, let me bring you back to this image.

I shot this eight years ago with a window, a bounce card, and a white poster board from Hobby Lobby. I would go mad trying to work with such a basic setup now, but you can start creating images now with what you have.

The best part is always in the comments. If you have any questions feel free to drop them there, or if you work in the commercial space, I would love to hear about your journey and any favorite tips you want to add. Leave your social handle; I would love to see your work. 

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