One Artist Dreams Came True When His Paintings​ Got Into The Hands of Oprah Winfrey & Gayle King

 

 

 

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Artist: Pain Killer Cam Art

 

Pain Killer Cam Art, as the artist is known as, dreams come true when media moguls Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King got their hands on his creations. We spoke with the artist briefly and here’s his response:

 

 

Pain Killer Cam

 

 

There is no doubt that he is talented but what’s more remarkable is his humility and recognition of God our father. It is God who gives us the strength and abilities, that produces joy and wealth. A true leader understands that he is great only because of who is carrying him. We salute Pain Killer Cam Art!

 

Dreams do come true…

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JAZZ IN THE GARDENS BRINGS MORE THAN JUST MUSIC TO SOUTH FLORIDA!

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Beyond the music, Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival (JITG) dubbed “the fastest growing jazz and R&B festival in the U.S.” ushers in the 14th Annual festival along with its ancillary official JITG events. On March 7, the City of Miami Gardens will present the
3rd Annual Film, Music, Art & Culture Conference (FMAC), 3rd Annual Poetry in the Gardens national poetry contest both events on Thursday, March 7, 2019, and the 8th Annual Women’s Impact Luncheon, in honor of women’s history month, on Friday, March 8, 2019.

On Thursday, March 7, 2019, 11AM – 4:30PM the 3 rd Annual Film, Music, Art & Culture Conference (FMAC) will open the JITG festival weekend by hosting an exciting one-day multi-genre experience that will educate and showcase diverse art forms. The panel of experts includes filmmaker Peter Bailey, Legendary R&B diva Betty Wright, muralist Addonis Parker, and Kim Tignor’s Creative Control, who will be discussing the “business of entertainment.” The FMAC will be held at the FIU Kovens Center- 3000 NE 151st St, North Miami, FL 33181.

On the evening of March 7, 8PM, 3rd Annual Poetry in the Gardens will present the national poetry contest featuring the best in spoken word across the nation. Artists are competing for the grand prize of $10,000 for 1st place, $5000 for 2nd place, and $1500 for 3rd place. Poetry finals are held at Lorna’s 19752 N.W. 27th Avenue, Miami Gardens, FL 33056.

On Friday, March 8, 2019, 11AM – 2PM, for the 8th year in a row, the annual favorite Women’s Impact Luncheon will honor Women’s History Month by curating an inspiring and exciting experience that will activate every woman in attendance. Special guests include Jazz in the Gardens performer, the illustrious Stephanie Mills, author and entrepreneur Arian Simone, Rashan Ali, co-host of Sister Circle on TV One, and Kristen Campbell, attorney, and NFL Agent. The Women’s Impact Luncheon will be held at the FIU Kovens Center- 3000 NE 151st St, North Miami, FL, 33181.

For additional information, please visit http://www.jazzinthegardens.com.
Media Contact: Suzan McDowell, 305-490-9145 suzan@circleofonemarketing.com

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14TH ANNUAL JAZZ IN THE GARDENS MUSIC FEST GETS READY FOR THE BIGGEST BREAKOUT YEAR YET WITH SENSATIONAL 2019 LINE-UP!

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It’s “the fastest growing jazz and R&B festival in the U.S.”, the 14th Annual Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival (JITG) is ushering in the 2019 festival season with the announcement of yet another “top notch” lineup. On March 9-10, 2019 the highly anticipated festival event will immerse fans in the best of R&B, soul, jazz, hip-hop, and funk genres. JITG will produce this celebrated event for an anticipated 70,000 attendees at the world-class Hard Rock Stadium located at 347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens, FL 33056.

Headlining the JITG festival stage will be the much-loved voice of R&B royalty Lionel Richie, sassy songstress Brandy, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Teddy Riley & Friends featuring Blackstreet with Teddy Riley and Dave Hollister, Bobby Brown, and Doug E. Fresh with special guests En Vogue and Jagged Edge, the legendary smooth trio The O’Jays, the soul-stirring Stephanie Mills, eclectic violinists Black Violin and gospel sensation Tye Tribbett. Back by popular demand, this year’s Jazz in the Gardens All-Stars will feature Maysa, Chieli Minucci, Gerald Veasley, Lao Tizer, and Nelson Rangell. More artists will be announced soon.

 

 

Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert comments “it’s JITG 2019 and we are excited about the talented artists who will be gracing the stage. The diversity in the music and talent offers something for everyone, from the most requested artist for the JITG stage, Lionel Richie, to gospel and of course jazz. The City is extremely pleased with the growth of the festival and the opportunity to showcase our home, Miami Gardens, to the thousands of patrons it attracts.”

Other JITG related events include:

THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019
3rd Annual Film, Music, Art & Culture Conference (FMAC) is an exciting one-day multi-genre experience that will educate and showcase celebrated, diverse art forms and locally and nationally based artists. The FMAC will be held at the FIU Kovens Center- 3000 NE 151st St, North Miami, FL 33181.

3rd Annual Poetry in the Gardens- The national poetry contest is an exciting addition to Jazz in the Gardens that explores the best in spoken word. Poets and spoken word artists age 18 and over are encouraged to enter the competition for a chance to participate in the final rounds of competition during the FMAC. Prize money is $10,000 1st place, $5000 2nd place, $1500 3rd place.

FRIDAY MARCH 8, 2019
8 TH Annual Women’s Impact Luncheon is back by popular demand in honor of Women’s History Month. This exciting event is an action-packed experience curated to inspire women to live centered, active, fulfilled and balanced lives. The WIL will be held at the FIU Kovens Center- 3000 NE 151st St, North Miami, FL 33181.

Official Opening Night Party – All roads lead to the Jazz in the Gardens opening night party with The Sugarhill Gang performing their wildly popular brand of old school hip hop. This party is an opportunity for Jazz in the Gardens attendees to kick off the “fun-filled” weekend of music, dancing, and great weather!

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Valentine’s Day Survival Kit For Singles w/ Trish McDermott (Match.com)

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Valentine’s Day can be an uncomfortable reminder to many singles that they are missing out on an important part of life–romantic love. Online dating services often see the most traffic in the period just after January’s New Year’s Resolutions have kicked in and leading up to Valentine’s Day.

I got the chance to speak with Trish McDermott. Trish was apart of the team that launched Match.com back in 1995-basically she created online dating. Today she’s a dating coach at Meetopolis (www.meetopolis.net). Meetopolis is like the Kayak of online dating, allowing singles to see the dating profiles of potential matches from many different sites, all in one place.

Here Trish shares The Valentine’s Day Survival Kit For Singles…

For singles, staking your own claim to a piece of Valentine’s Day is a great way to move past any sadness or awkwardness you may feel. You do this by making February 14th about giving, rather than receiving, love, affection, and attention. Giving makes you feel good. It’s a reminder that with small, kind gestures you can make a difference in someone’s life.

Look around. It’s likely that there are many ways you can give a little love and attention to others on February 14th.

  • Send your mom flowers.
  • Bake cookies, or buy chocolates, and bring them to a local nursing home.
  • Volunteer to help out at your child’s school Valentine’s Day party.
  • Pass out chocolates at your office.
  • Put Valentine’s Day cards in your friends’ mailboxes.
  • Call your father, just to say hello.
  • Give your bank teller, or bus driver, or someone who provides a service to you a gift card from your local coffee shop.
  • Volunteer at a soup kitchen and help feed people hungry for so much more than romance this Valentine’s Day.
  • Post a fun, appreciative or inspirational message to your friends and family who follow you on Facebook.
  • Call someone you know is struggling and invite them over for a home-cooked meal.

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If you approach Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to give a little love to your community, friends, family, and even total strangers, you won’t need to focus on the fact that you are without a significant other over the holiday.

It’s also good to understand the numbers because when we struggle without dating lives, especially around Valentine’s Day, it sometimes feels like we’re the only person not getting dating and romance right.

It can be almost impossible to avoid the barrage of Valentine’s season media reminders that while you are dateless, so many others have deeply loving romantic relationships. There are 98 million single adults in the US. If you’re dateless on Valentine’s Day, you’re in some very good company. You are not a romantic anomaly.

Much of the coveted romantic moments we are bombarded with in February, like the look of adoration in her eyes as she opens the diamond necklace he so lovingly hands her, are really just media-manufactured images of romantic love.  These might seem unattainable for some, even for those who do have a romantic relationship but never get that adoring look. It’s important to remember that these images exist to sell products.

Real love happens in life’s trenches, the day-to-day moments in the lives of ordinary people, and single people experience it too.  Kids don’t see Valentine’s Day as a holiday that excludes them because they don’t have romantic love in their lives. For them Valentine’s Day is about acknowledging friendships by exchanging cards or candy. They’re thrilled and excited and don’t use the holiday to beat up on themselves for lack of true love.  We should follow their lead.

I’ve watched millions and millions of singles search for love. This search can often be a long, tough, discouraging experience. Finding romantic love is often a process of failing one’s way to success. The trick is to stay in the game, even after an awkward, discouraging or disappointing experience. When it comes to finding love, you have to be in it win it. A good way to be in it on February 14th is to stop looking for love and to start giving some love away.

Have fun on Valentine’s Day. Play. Laugh. Feel good. Spend the evening with dear friends, Play with babies. Help out some elderly people in your town. Have dinner with your family.  Then, on February 15, ask someone out, put your profile on a dating site, take a risk and swipe right on someone.

And buy your chocolates on the 15th too – they’re half price!

Elle Clarke1 Comment

THE FLORIDA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL RETURNS WITH​ ITS 27TH ANNUAL INSTALLMENT OF FOOD, FUN & ENTERTAINMENT

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Photo Credit: Q Imagery

Come one, come all and travel back to the magical time of days past! Whether ye be Kings or Queens, Vikings or Knights, Wizards or even Muggles,  your attendance is requested at the 27th annual Florida Renaissance Festival.  From February 9th through March 24th, in the two-thousandth and nineteenth year A.D you can join the merrymaking in the vast open land of Deerfield Beach’s Quiet Waters Park.

 

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Photo Credit: Q Imagery

 

For the fourth year in a row, the timeless Florida Renaissance Festival will offer SEVEN jam-packed themed weekends to ring in its 27th season. This fantastical journey will allow attendees to be transported back into 16th-century Europe. Greeted by jesters, jugglers and jousting knights upon entering the gates, sweet melodies can be heard from every corner of the kingdom. It’s a full day of entertainment where the entire family can marvel at fan favorite acts and performances that include immersive and interactive, real audience-participation scenarios. Join in on the fun with human-powered games, artisan craft shops and enough food & drink for a royal family feast!

One of the nation’s most beloved events, with nearly 100,000 annual attendees and over two million people have participated over the festivals tenure, the Florida Renaissance Festival has devoted 27 years to capture the essence of the Renaissance through entertainment.

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Photo Credit: Q Imagery

“We at the Florida Renaissance Fair owe our success to our loyal patrons, who have eagerly supported our mission to spread knowledge and joy using the enriched history and culture of the Renaissance.” said Bobby Rodriguez, Founder, and Producer of the Florida Renaissance Festival.“Our festival provides people of all ages the chance to escape into an alternate universe not only with invigorating activities throughout the week but also through our growing assortment of themed weekends.”

Rodriguez has helped the Florida Renaissance Fair set the standard for all festivals of this nature by going “beyond Renaissance”. Booking acts ranging from the Orient to Africa, Rodriguez has brought the Festival to new heights, continuously incorporating new experiences into the Festival. Lead by his forward-thinking, we have expanded our arsenal of avant-garde performances and diversified themed weekends. In fact, this year’s Festival will introduce a new themed weekend dedicated to the world of Game of Thrones!

 

The Florida Renaissance Festival 2019 themed weekends include:

Game of Thrones Adventure – February 9th – 11th

The night is dark and full of terrors. Dress in your favorite Westeros and Essos gear and lead your armies into victory for the greatest weekend in all the 7 Kingdoms! Winter is coming.

Time Travelers Weekend – February 16th – 18th

Kick this weekend into high “gear” as you travel back to the early nineteenth century, a time of British Victorian fashion, the American Wild West, and steam-powered machinery. Dedicated to adventurers across the centuries, board your favorite form of fantastical transportation, be it a submarine or steam-powered hot air balloon. Break out those top hats, goggles, corsets, petticoats, compass bracers, and monocles and join in on a “Steampunkin’” good time. Open on President’s Day, Monday, February 18th!

Viking Invasion– February 23rd and 24th

 Coming from the harsh wastelands of the North, only the strongest and most courageous warriors will survive through this weekend. Fellow Scandinavian brothers and sisters will show little to no fear and enter into any skirmishes with their battleaxes in hand, all while geared in full leather and fur during this epic weekend. Onward to Valhalla!

Bodacious Bodices – March 2nd and 3rd

Behind every good man is a wench in the trench. Wenches Weekend celebrates the women of the Renaissance with hourglass curves and fiery attitudes who can go toe-to-toe with their male counterparts.

Swashbucklers and Sirens – March 9th – 10th

All hands hoay! Don’t get lost at sea as this themed weekend sees our village stormed by the deadliest pirates, buccaneers, and scallywags in all the seven seas. Raise your Jolly Roger and gather a crew to help in unearthing the mysteries and treasures the vast and deadly sea holds. However, anyone not prepared for a “salty” good time will be sent to walk the plank into Davey Jones’ Locker.

Celts and Highlanders  – March 16th & 17th

Sing, dance and be merry in your finest kilt whilst bagpipes blare throughout the Shire. Celebrate the Celtic traditions of the Irish, Scots, Cornish and Welsh during this uniquely themed weekend that honors this group of European tribes that existed during the Iron Age through Medieval Times!

Harry Potter’s A Magical Finale – March 23rd and 24th 

Expecto Patronum! Bring on your baddest Patronus and chase away pesky dementors during this final themed weekend! Only the most magical witches and wizards in the village can conquer, he who should not be mentioned! Wingardium Leviosa your butt off the couch as you won’t want to miss out on the most magical weekend. Muggles are welcome!

The 2019 season also includes a variety of fan-favorite acts and performances with an invigorating entertainment lineup that includes something for everyone.

 

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Photo Credit: Q Imagery

 

 

The Florida Renaissance Festival 2019 Acts & Performances include:

The Mis-Adventurers – Comedy Sword Fighting

This comedy-adventure show is filled with thrills, chills and heroic hijinks. Meet the dynamic sword fighting duo, and join in on the fun as they are looking for new heroes to make it to one of their Guild Recruitment meetings! Or at least helping them settle some Dueling Disagreements! Adventure onward!

Kamikaze Fireflies

Comedy wrapped in lunacy wrapped in foolishness. This show is a combination of strength, physical agility and amazingly well-crafted routines, balancing classical theatrical training with disciplined circus physicality. It is a constantly changing series of routines, patter, physical impossibilities, unbelievable situations, and audience interactions. They are difficult to describe and impossible to forget.

Music the Gathering

Music The Gathering has a vast repertoire of original arrangements across multiple genres, from traditional Celtic to contemporary world and original parodies. In addition to mixed vocal harmonization, all three musicians play various folk and classical string, woodwind, and percussion instruments, which allows them to take familiar traditional songs and arrange them in unique ways. All members are actors with a strong background in comedy and improvisation, and they take pride in performing with all the energy and passion they can muster.

The Jackdaws

The Jackdaws deliver original, contemporary, and traditional Irish Rock to audiences across the land. This trailblazing trio will excite and have you coming back for more with their driving melodies and relentlessly aggressive lyrics. More Irish than a drunken roar, and a damned sight messier.

Lady Ophelia’s Dance Party & Maypole Dance

Lady Ophelia invites you to flirt… the old fashioned way as she is well versed and most skilled in all the current dances and royal entertainments. However, don’t forget to join in on the wonderful opportunity of going round the Maypole as you decorate the pole in spring colors.  Watch, dance, and frolic as you become entwined in the history, the joy and the traditions of court and country dance.

DeBracy Productions – Joust

Come witness this heart pounding medieval live action stunt show. Debracey Productions combines trick riding, vaulting, chariot racing, death-defying stunts, full contact jousting, and a gladiator style spectacle. Experience a spectacle where the winner takes all, princess, kingdom, and treasure, but is it all worth it?

The Florida Renaissance Festival is produced by the nationally acclaimed Bobby Rodriguez Productions and strives to create an entertaining and cultural experience for adults and children alike. The sponsors of the 2019 Florida Renaissance Festival include Comcast, Pepsi-Cola, Funky Buddha Brewery, Burger King, Sapporo, Barrel of Monks, Unibroue, Xtreme Action Park, Sunbelt and Pelican’s View.

 

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Photo Credit: Q Imagery

 

Prices range from $25 for adults and $12 for children ages 6 to 11 years of age. Children 5 and younger are free.  Special seasonal passes are available for $106 (adults), $59 (children) and group ticket rates are also offered.

 

While costumes are not necessary for admittance, thousands of people each year enhance their experience by donning garb from the Renaissance era or participating in one of the festival’s special themed weekends.

 

For tickets and more information visit: www.ren-fest.com; Find us on Facebook or follow @FlaRenFest on Twitter and Instagram. Download our festival mobile app by searching Florida Renaissance Festival in the Apple iTunes store or Android market. If you prefer the historical method, call 954-776-1642.

Elle ClarkeLeave a comment

Bahamian Dancer Lenelle Michelle reminds us of God’s​ love through Dance

As a creative, I have been dealing with cycles of depression usually at the beginning of the year and around my birthday in summer. These are the times when we reflect on our progression through life. At the end of 2018, I decided to take measures to end the cycle and get the help I needed in order to prevent my mind & emotions from spiraling down that path again. During that time, God revealed that I need to stop looking to the left and right and Look Up. He reminded me to shift my focus from circumstances and back to him. To get back to the place of being consumed by him.

The result: A broken cycle and a restored passion and zeal for living life purposefully.

This video is for those who are stuck in unhealthy cycles, remember to Look Up. Know that God is with you and He loves you deeply. He will bring you through.

 

Song: Look Up by Lauren Daigle
Videographer: Stermon Rolle

Elle ClarkeLeave a comment