individual – Ensemble of Elan

Less is More, More or Less

What does ‘less is more’ mean to you?

The definition of this phrase is: “the view that a minimalist approach to artistic or aesthetic matters is more effective,” but people extrapolate and transfer this definition to fit a variety of ideals. Some see ‘less is more’ as a reason to limit the power of various authority figures, like law enforcement or the government. Others use it as grounds to write a one-page Lean Canvas instead of a full-fledged business plan.

Many still see it as a lifestyle choice where they learn to live with fewer possessions or a smaller social circle,so they can fully appreciate the value of each of those possessions or individuals. We can easily say that this last one is something that we aspire to, but also frequently struggle with on a day-to-day basis.

We’ve grown accustomed to the fast-paced life that comes with fashion photography, where we typically select the 8-10 photos for a blog post from about three hundred raw images. It’s time consuming to edit and narrow down all of those photos, but we love it because it gives us more than enough options to choose from.

As we were collaborating on this photo shoot with the Green brothers, we kept thinking to ourselves, “We need more photos than this!” when we noticed that they snapped far fewer than we were used to. We were worried that we would not be able to do our meticulously crafted outfits justice in only a couple photos at each location.

Yet, as we began looking through them, we realized that we really only need one or two killer photos in each spot, and we actually did have enough. (And it was kind of nice to only spend about a quarter of the time as usual editing them!)

I used to feel remorseful for simplifying my circle of friends so significantly when I started attending UCA. I felt an obligation towards people that meant so much to me in the past, but the reality is that if they are not improving your present or your future, they have no business being in your life.

Life is too short to constantly preoccupy yourself with this kind of guilt. People will always come and go; that’s just the way life works! At one point in your life, a friend will be exactly who you need, but as you grow and change as a person, that friend may no longer serve in your best interest (or you in their best interest).Simplifying your circle causes less frustration and less stress, more freedom lessens anxiety and lessens worry, and more meaning in your life allows you to focus far less on life’s excess in favor of what’s truly important.

When I started to focus on the people who added more value to my life and inspired me to chase after my passions, I began to become more successful in my aspirations. Now I have professional photographers and videographers as my close friends, and computer scientists and incredible artists. Allowing more time to connect with them truly helped me see the value in having less.

-H

I remember ‘less is more’ as one of my dad’s key phrases when I was growing up. As a teenager, I wholeheartedly opposed this idea, especially when it came to clothing. My dad even used to joke that I could go an entire year without doing a single load of laundry! That was a stretch…but not by much, I’m afraid.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve moved towards higher-quality, staple pieces, and I’ve (begrudgingly, I’ll admit) begun to see the value in having fewer, better pieces in rotation.

There’s nothing I love more than giving my wardrobe a refresher every season, but I do find myself turning to many of the same pieces when I’m looking for something to wear. I didn’t used to, but now I do see the value in having less. When I’m limited to only ten or so pieces to create outfits from (like on a vacation), I tend to create better outfits than when I have an entire walk-in closet at my disposal.

An art teacher once told me that creativity is best expressed within limits, and for me, that is inescapably true.

-S

Like anyone else, we would love to have lots of people, places, and things in our lives, but if we spread ourselves too thin, we won’t be able to see the true value of any of them.

We love the fast-paced world of fashion, but it’s also nice to step away every once in a while and get back to the simple artistry of taking photographs. We’ve seen that minimalism isn’t any better or worse than other styles of living your life, choosing your friends, or partaking in artistic adventures; it’s just different.

And who better than us understands the value of being different?

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Leonardo da Vinci

Hannah’s Outfit Details

Top: TJ Maxx

Jeans: Target

Loafers: Forever 21

Hat: Target

Earrings: Earthbound Trading Co.

Sunglasses: Eyeglass Direct

Sabrina’s Outfit Details

Top: Impressions Boutique

Jeans: Impressions Boutique

Cardigan: Impressions Boutique

Heeled Sandals: Impressions Boutique

Purse: BCBG

Necklace: Amazon

Earrings: Fred Meyers

Photos by: the Green Brothers

Science Not Silence

Today is Earth Day, and this Earth Day is probably the most important in recent history.

Today, scientists and science enthusiasts march on Washington to declare their support for evidence-based decision-making, scientific research and education, and more. There are entire groups dedicated to putting scientists in office in an effort to ensure that the policies we set as a country align with what would be best for future generations and our planet.

It should not have to come to this, but it has.

Our country’s leaders have made it clear that they rebuff science in favor of alternative facts, so the fate of our planet has been put in the hands of the people.

One of our favorite quotes concerning this rejection of facts is by Neil DeGrasse Tyson:

“The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.”

We don’t know if ‘good’ is the word we would use because in this case, the truth is terrifying, but this statement is accurate. You can ignore science and pretend that climate change doesn’t exist and that vaccines cause autism for a little while, but you cannot ignore it for long.

Science is not a belief system, so no matter what you believe, the truth will eventually prevail.

I was fortunate enough to grow up with two scientists for parents who taught me from a young age to think rationally and look to the facts. Not everyone was so fortunate, but in the age of information, there is no excuse for ignorance.

The fashion industry, which is the second-most polluting on the planet, is slowly trying to become more sustainable through ‘eco-friendly’ clothing companies that only use organic materials and the like. Yet, most people do not realize that a single organic cotton t-shirt still requires a staggering 2,700 gallons of water to produce. At least, these companies are not using harmful chemicals that seep into farmland and waterways and are using coal alternatives to fuel their production, but they are still consuming our quickly depleting supply of fresh water.

This is why we are pushing the importance of secondhand clothing. It takes exactly zero gallons of water to revitalize a secondhand t-shirt. And, by keeping that shirt out of a landfill, it is effectively a negative-waste piece of clothing. We are not delusional, so we do not think that just wearing a secondhand t-shirt is going to save the planet. But, if everyone does something small, like forgoing plastic grocery bags, drinking out of reusable water bottles–or yes, wearing secondhand clothing– all of those little deeds will add up to make a big difference.

-S

In the 21st century, technological advances have become a daily regularity. I get in my Prius each day, and I use less than half the amount of gas the average American car does, which would not have been possible even a couple decades ago. A lot of people do not realize the impact that the science of today has on the technology of tomorrow.

Without funding scientific research and thinking about ways to make products better and more energy-efficient, we would never be able to enjoy things like smartphones or hybrid cars.

I am not a scientist, but I understand the importance of science in our society. Without it, we would understand almost nothing about ourselves or the world around us. It is because of science that I am able to use those ideas and discoveries and transform them into artistic expressions.

One of my favorite quotes is, “Science is the poetry of reality.” Science and art are more intermingled than you might think, with concepts like the Golden Ratio (which is found everywhere in nature) guiding artistry and design aesthetic, and the science of light to making photography a possibility.

Beyond that, science is what keeps us alive. If scientists from the past hadn’t dedicated their entire lives to research, we would still be dying from infections due to minor cuts and scratches and diseases like smallpox because we never would have developed a vaccine. I don’t know about you, but I kind of like being alive and being able to engage in the activities that I love.

Use your dollar to vote for companies that are advancing this type of technology and use your ballot to vote for elect officials who recognize that science is the only way of thinking that will propel us into a better, more sustainable future.

-H

If we ignore the facts for much longer and keep silent on issues that matter, it will be too late for us. Every year is consecutively becoming the hottest year on record, and it’s getting to the point that it is noticeable on a daily basis. This year in Arkansas, we wearing short sleeves in February, and now, the temperature outside in April feels how it used to in June.

This is one of the most irritating consequences of climate change (particularly as aficionados of cold weather fashion), but it’s not even the biggest. Ocean levels are rising, which will lead to several of our coastal cities slowly drowning under water, conflict and potential terrorism is brewing in countries that are most affected by rising temperatures, and entire species of plants and animals are going extinct because their habitats are becoming uninhabitable.

As humans, we sometimes mistakenly think we are above the ecosystem because we live in air-conditioned houses and drive fancy cars. We cannot forget that the Earth is our home, and it’s the only one we’ve got. Whether we like it or not, we are dependent on our ecosystem to stay alive, and if we continue to ignore the disastrous effect we are having on it, not only will the environment suffer, but the human species will too.

If we do nothing, in the future we will only exist as a chapter in the history book of the Earth.

“The radical novelty of modern science lies precisely in the rejection of the belief that the forces which move the stars and atoms are contingent upon the preferences of the human heart.”

-Walter Lippman

Hannah’s Outfit Details

Dress: Goodwill (refashioned by Awaken Atelier)

Boots: Zara

Necklaces: Amazon

Earrings: Amazon

Sunglasses: TJ Maxx

Sabrina’s Outfit Details

Top: TJ Maxx

Pants: Goodwill (refashioned by Awaken Atelier)

Heels: Impressions Boutique

Sunglasses: TJ Maxx

Necklace: Amazon

Watch: Plato’s Closet

Photos by: the Green Brothers

Collaboration is the New Competition

In competition, people are always at each other’s throats, constantly trying to undermine each other in order to gain an edge. In a lot of cutthroat industries, this is seen as the only way to get ahead.

We disagree.

Particularly in the creative world, joining forces to create a work of art typically yields better results than everyone separately attempting to produce the best work themselves. Collaboration is the new competition because everyone involved benefits individually and collectively.

We personally love collaborating with other creatives in our area, and here are some of their and our thoughts on the value and importance of collaboration:

“For me, collaboration is a necessary and very beautiful part of creating art. You push boundaries, experiment, and experience the unknown.

By laterally sharing ideas, you create something special. Some of my favorite art was created through collaboration.”

-Durrell Green, local photographer specializing in the art of film photography.

For ten years, I was on a Destination Imagination team, a program designed to foster innovation and creativity and build teamwork skills. In third grade, I was placed on a team of seven others, and we had to work together to solve challenges. Seven distinct minds produce different solutions, so we had to find a way to use our unique skills to work together.

It was difficult at times because our team was ever changing, but in the end we always found a way to work together. Without this team, we would never have achieved second place on a national level, but more importantly I would never have had the opportunity to create with such talented individuals.

That’s when I learned the power of collaboration.

When we bring our skills together, it is incredible how much we can succeed.

-H

“Collaboration for me has always been about the visual goal of both sides.

As a model, you are given a product to showcase, however you are given the freedom to express yourself through the clothing or product.

Collaborations are important to me because they allow me to give my spin on the product, be completely unique, and take control of my vision while still sharing ideas and thoughts with others, which is extremely beautiful to experience.”

-Deon, model and style influencer.

“Collaboration is everything in the creative world. Louis Vuitton and Supreme; Kygo and Selena Gomez; even Victoria Beckham and Target. Putting two or more minds together to create one tour de force will inevitably be better than anything one mind could do alone.

I personally would have never been able to get into the fashion world if it hadn’t been for collaboration. I did not have a camera growing up (and I actually still don’t), so if I had not worked with other photographers, I would have been limited to only the selfies on my phone (shudder).Coming together allows you to take full advantage of individual strengths while neutralizing individual weaknesses.

The highest form of art is being able to create and be apart of something that is greater than yourself.

– S

“Collaboration gives creatives a stress-free thinking process because they are not the only ones doing the thinking. It allows for expression amongst artists because it brings the best out of you.

It gives whatever you are creating a different tone, a different emotion because it is not your own.

It is a collective something that one creative would never be able to do alone because everyone is different.”

-Demetrius McCullough, Central Arkansas photographer focusing in portraiture and fashion.

We live in a highly individualistic society, and in a lot of ways, that is a good thing.

Paving your own way through life is one of the core principles that makes America, America. But we need to start seeing the value of the collective because no one can achieve their full potential on their own.

The creative world has long seen the merit of collaboration, and if we truly want to make America great again, it’s about damn time the rest of us did as well.

“In the long history of humankind, those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.”

Charles Darwin

Sabrina’s Outfit Details

Top: Goodwill

Pants: Goodwill (refashioned by Awaken Atelier)

Shoes: Steve Madden

Earrings: HipSway

Sunglasses: Aldo

Purse: BCBG

Watch: Plato’s Closet

Hannah’s Outfit Details

Top: H&M

Overalls: Forever 21

Shoes: Vince Camuto

Earrings: Express

Sunglasses: TJ Maxx

Clutch: Gift

Photos by: the Green Brothers