KF
PORTRAIT ISSUE
EDITOR’S NOTE
SPRING 2014 PORTRAIT ISSUE
Dear Reader, We’ve been through many ups and downs, delays and surprises in our six year run with Kiss-Fist Magazine. Throughout it all, you have been supportive, encouraging, and an enormous source of delight. We began this project unsure of what we might find. We first imagined sending this magazine out into the signing community as a kind of beacon meant to attract and showcase the talent, remarkable people, and memorable stories we knew were there. And while changing diapers, working full time jobs, and managing all of life’s pleasant and unpleasant disasters, we’ve successfully put out twelve issues simply because it inspired us. For this experiment, you have rewarded us tenfold. It is with some sadness but mostly gratitude that we must announce now that this twelfth issue will be our last. While I hope we can return one day to publish a thirteenth issue, we’re in no position to promise when or that it would be any time soon. I hope that this will only be a long hiatus, and that we might return with fresh eyes, and even more excitement for the art and talent to come. But for now, with fond memories, we say goodbye. As a thank you for how inspiring you have been to us over the years, the theme of this portrait issue is inspiration. What inspires and excites you? What enriches and deepens your life or, in another sense, what do you live for? We asked you to send us a portrait of yourself that would reflect this passion of yours and as always, you’ve responded with a wonderful array of creative and surprising images. As you look through these pages of what amounts to a diverse vignette of our signing community, we hope you’ll go on to connect (or reconnect) yourself with what inspires you. It’s been an honor and a pleasure. Thank you! Frank Gallimore Editor In Chief
ABOUT THE COVER
TYRESHA COLLINS SELF PORTRAIT DEAF MODEL FROM FLORIDA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
06 10 14 18 22 26
Dickie Hearts Photo by Zilvis Paludnevicius Jonathan Hall Kovacs Photo by Malihe Ghazanfari Marco Sotelo Self Portrait Simone Moïse Photo by Melanie von Bitter Teresa Pichardo Photo by Scott Davis Andres Wilson Velez III Photo by Chanel Gleicher
08 12 16 20 24
Kaori Vazquez Photo by Sarah C. Wilson sarahcwilson.com Bellamie Bachleda Photo by Andres Otalora Heather Cronin-Smith Self-Portrait Aaron Wolfe-Maxwell Photo by Samreen Aziz Elizabeth “Lizzie” Sorkin Photo by Mich Gerson
performing arts Rosa Lee Timm Managing Editor
28 32 36 40 44 48
Lauren Abbott Maucere Photo by John Maucere Nazish Yaqub Photo by Hajra Yaqub Marisol Castelazo Barriga Self Portrait Tyresha Collins Self Portrait Elvira Livchits Photo by Dima Pavlov Zahna Moss Photo by Alisha McGraw
30 34 38 42 46
RM Photo by Norma Morรกn Jubil Khan Photo by Jade Bryan Tami Lee Santimyer Self Portrait Erika Shoemaker Photo by Sahsha Jones Sherylynn Summer Self Portrait
acting
Dickie Hearts Deaf Actor/Artist California
dance
Kaori Vazquez Deaf Artist Virginia
ASL
Jonathan Hall Kovacs Deaf Artist Washington, DC
storytelling
Bellamie Bachleda Deaf Artist California
film
Marco Sotelo Deaf Artist Massachusetts
individuality
Heather Cronin-Smith Deaf Artist Indiana
soccer
Simone Mo誰se GODA Athlete Massachusetts
theatre
Aaron Wolfe-Maxwell Deaf Artist/Student Canada
deaf-blind
Teresa Pichardo Deaf International Volunteer New York
ubuntu
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Sorkin Deaf Artist Washington, DC
Wilson Velez III Deaf Student/Traveler Washington, DC
explore
Lauren Abbott Maucere Deaf Artist California
creativity
cartwheeling
RM KODA Artist Washington, DC
style
Nazish Yaqub Deaf Artist New York
life
Jubil Khan Deaf Model/Actress/Artist New York
Marisol Castelazo Barriga Deaf Photographer/Model/Artist Mexico
photography
directing
Tami Lee Santimyer Deaf Artist/Actress/Director/Traveler Washington, DC
modeling
Tyresha Collins Deaf Model/Artist Florida
Erika Shoemaker Deaf Athlete Indiana
kickboxing
joy
Elvira Livchits Deaf Finance Director Massachusetts/Russia
music
Sherylynn Summer Deaf Artist/Model/Performer Hawaii
dance
Zahna Moss Deaf Dancer/Chemist California
KF info@kiss-fist.com
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!
KISSFIST