AVALIIS //The Creative Collective of Leigh Ashlind

//HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Hands down, this time of the year is my absolute favorite.  The fall leaves, the brisk cold air, bonfires, and the constant need for hoodies.  I love it. I am also quite entertained and visually stimulated by all the folklore and stories that come out this time of year - even as a small boy, there has always been a mystery to this time of year… and for a guy who has horrible ADD, add a bit of mystery to anything, and you will have my undivided attention.

Anyways, every year for Halloween I try to take a night and carve a pumpkin - I always love doing it, as it allows me to get creative away from the computer.  This was the pumpkin I did for this year, which was done with an exacto knife and 4.5 hours of listening to Moving Mountains on repeat. 

//MEET KOREY SHRUM.

I have realized lately that I have a number of blog entries that I have been meaning to write about, but just haven’t found the energy to write about them - or I have started them, but just never finished.  If only I could get paid for writing unfinished blog entries…

This is one of those entries in which I have been meaning to write for the past few weeks.  This is the 2nd entry of a series that I started to do that profiles the lives and current investments of my friends.  Over the years I have honestly been amazed and blessed to have crossed paths with such amazing and talented people.  People who are chasing dreams, taking risks, and living life abundantly in their own terms.  This would pretty much sum up my friend Korey.  

Meet Korey Shurm.  I met Korey a few months after I moved to Nashville, as he came here for similar reasons as I did - in pursuit of furthering his music career.  A few months ago, a number of changes came into his life and he made the decision to step down from his band - as a modeling contract was offered and he accepted.  In a matter of months, the guy had come from never modeling for anything in his life, to doing runway shows for huge name companies, doing an insane amount of photoshoots, and has already been flown up to NYC due to receiving interest from the top modeling agencies in the country. It truly is amazing to see this thing unfold.  

The cliché that comes with being a model is something that I imagine every model must take on - some embrace it as their own, as some aren’t even aware of it… as for Korey, he simply defies it.  I think this is what I respect about him the most.  Strong but yet humble.  A combination that is the basis of his integrity and for this, I hold such a value in Korey’s personality and our friendship.  Korey still has this purity to him, as though he is still untainted by shortcomings of the world, which might come from growing up in a small town, but I see it as something so admirable, as though it is something I once had and have lost throughout the years.  I am jealous.

Roughly about a month or 2 ago, Korey was chosen to act in a short film for a film festival here in Nashville.  I remember him telling me about how it all went after it was shot, and how excited he was, as he wouldn’t stop saying how awesome it was going to turn out.  It wasn’t until last week that I finally was able to see it… He wasn’t lying. The short turned out AMAZING. I was blown away - so I had to share it:

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO.

Keep the dream. It might change form, but it is made uniquely for you.

// INSOMNIAC HALLOWEEN TSHIRT DESIGN

The other night I got a call from my good friend Geoff who works over at Insomniac, ( an event company who specializes in putting on dubstep events/concerts all over the world).  For their upcoming Halloween event in Southern California, they asked me to design a shirt that would follow the theme of their promotional video, which is absolutely amazing - the colors/tones, set, and production was orchestrated perfectly.  You can watch the video HERE, if you are interested.

Featured above, is the design I came up with for the event - The direction I was given was: Try to follow suit of the whole Alice in Wonderland concept, with a creepy twist.. however try to not make it look TOO ‘Hot Topic’.  

Hands down, this was a fun project to mess around with.  I simply love this time of year.. the month of October is a month long holiday for me. I love everything that comes with the Halloween season,  so having a chance to be encouraged to get a little creepy with my work was really enjoyable… So thank you Geoff!

(Source: airows)

//Meet Marcus Baney.

I met Marcus about 7 years ago at a random gas station some place deep into the heart of Illinois. The back story of our friendship is quite long and random, however it is irrelevant to the purpose and topic of this post.  

To know Marcus and his heart, you have to meet him and dig deep.  From the outside, he is a intimidating solid mass of muscle with tattoos that cover roughly about 80% of his body.  However, from the inside, he is one of the most genuine guys that I’ve ever known, with a true heart for understanding people and seeing them for who they truly are.  Marcus has a way of telling you how it is. A straight shooter. No filter. Which is something I highly respect about him.  

Roughly about a year and a half ago Marcus moved to Nashville to further pursue his photography career, and upon moving here he got involved with a homeless outreach called People Loving Nashville.  People Loving Nashville is all about community, building friendships, and investing in people’s lives.  One night, Marcus talked to me about digging a bit deeper, and pursuing a project that he had been thinking about doing for some time.  A project that would tell the stories of some of the guys that he was meeting, through the use of photography.  What started out as an idea blossomed into reality… starting last night, and bringing only a SLR that uses film and the clothes on his back, Marcus is living side by side with 4 different guys who live on the streets, living as they live, to capture their lives and stories through the eye of a camera.  Through this experience his intention is to create a photography book about his time living on the streets - and telling the stories of each of the guys whom he is living among.  (all proceeds of this book will be donated to People Loving Nashville)

I find myself having such a huge respect for Marcus and this project.   Taking the time off work to invest in these people’s lives, to live and sleep on the streets, where most people take vacation time to head to a resort, eat expensive dinners, and let the time pass by while laying on the beach- is truly admirable.   This whole project is such a reflection of Marcus’ heart.  It truly is.  

I sit here thinking about the return of Marcus with the stories and photos he will have after this… the life lessons that he will have learned and perspective he will gain.  I can not help but think that this is a story that needs to be told, not for a ego boost, not for praise, and not for winning over a few hearts… but for the sole fact of one man’s willingness to take on the burden of a complete stranger and be their voice. To legitimately care. To genuinely invest. To be ultimately humbled.

This is my friend Marcus Baney.

For more information on what Marcus is doing: Click here.

//RAINNY AND COLD SATURDAYS : 

The last few weeks have been just about anything but easy sailing, as harsh winds have demanded a number of changes to take place in my day to day life. From this, I have become more and more dependent on my saturday and nightly bike rides to clear my head a bit and try to obtain some sort of clarity through all the distractions and demands.  

As I was about to start my ride today I randomly got a call from a childhood friend who now lives in San Antonio. For the next hour we discussed our lives and our futures, what we wanted out of life, what are desires and passions where - and somehow make those passions and desires breath air by breaking the mold of ‘American success’. After wrapping up our conversation, and expressing our mutual appreciation for the discussion we’d just had, I jumped on my bike and began to ride into the flow of the city.  With a head full of thoughts, I just couldn’t shake our conversation.  What does it really mean to live a life of legacy?  To each person it is a different answer, but if I ask myself the question “If tomorrow I woke up and everything I had ever worked and planned for, was taken away, how differently would I live my life… or more importantly, how would I invest my time?”  It drastically changes things.  

As my ride continued, the temperature began to drop, as a slight rain started to pour down… I was a few blocks away from the Union Station Hotel (pictured above), and figured I would ride over there and watch the trains come in and out of the train yard, as I waited the storm out…  After about 20 mins of looking down over the train yard, a short old man came waddling up behind me, camera in hand, and obviously a tourist- As I turned to greet him, his response gave his identity away as his thick British accent bellowed out from deep within his plump belly.  

Upon this British man’s initial curiosity for American made trains, we stood there for the next hour discussing all things under the sun.  It was a much welcomed new friendship as we talked about how different our countries were, and the beauty of our homelands.  I couldn’t help but be slightly bias.  But coming from a man, who spent the entirety of 65 years of his life living in his motherland of Leeds, England - he was quite fond of the States. I found it quite interesting that the biggest complaint of a man who had never been to US before, was truly disgusted with our culture of having to tip someone for a beer. I couldn’t agree with him more.

As our conversation proceeded on, I couldn’t help but see the contrast but yet similarities in our lives and the roads we are both currently taking.  Here stood a man who after 29 years of working in the Blue Line in England, was for the first time leaving his country and exploring the world - defying the normal. Then there is me, a young man in his twenties, with my whole life still untainted and a body that is still able- trying to figure out what defying the normal is for me.  There we stood glazing upon the train yard, just two guys who’s paths had randomly crossed for 1 hour under a walkway.  Just two guys from different corners of the globe, at different places in our lives, traveling the same road trying to figure it all out.  Its quite poetic when you think about it. 

Our conversation came to an abrupt end when a sudden multitude of lightning attacked the city. As we briskly shook hands and ended our conversation, I jumped back on my bike and tried to race the storm, but was engulfed by the likings of a monsoon, moments later.

“Some people drift through their entire life. They do it one day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time. It happens so gradually they are unaware of how their lives are slipping away until it’s too late.”
- Mary Kay Ash