Name:
Bart Sasso

Aka: 
Barty (properly pronounced with some New Englandy nasal action, Bahhty); Squat; Big Flower (for the old homies)  

Website: 
www.esperanza-atl.com 

Where are you from?
Atlanta via Newington, CT

Who do you work for?
ESPERANZA ATL 

What are your Current Project(s)?
Spankin’ new CINCO DE MAYO collabo with our major homies THE PROCESS; our increasingly infamous ATL HOLD IT DOWN Foam Hand; a collabo with our Chattanooga affiliate Randy Wallin of FRESH NEWS; new ESPERANZA products every week all summer long; WORLD CUP headquarters; and some big, big plans that should start to unfold very soon……

Who would you love to work with?
Danny Jones from YASLY.com; Clark Orr; the guys at MORNING BREATH; the guys at BURLESQUE OF NORTH AMERICA; Methane Studios; Mike Giant; Jessica Hische; Simon Page. These are artists who fascinate and inspire me. I’d love to just observe them over the course of a couple days (if y’all are listening!).

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep?
They’re all pretty beat up, so if they want em, they can have em all. I’ll just go snag a new pair of CHUCKS tomorrow.  

What’s on your iPod right now?
Aggrolites, Bad Religion, Delroy Wilson, Evil Stig, Gallows, Ghostface Killah, Glasvegas, H2O, Jamie T, Joe Gibbs, Low Anthem, Madlib’s Medicine Shows, Mariachi el Bronx, Menahan Street Band, Minor Threat, Ocha la Rocha, Old Canes, Operation Ivy, PAC DIV, panama!3, Partisan, Phosphorescent, Rancid, RATATAT, Raekwon, Rolling Stones, Sick of it All, Sizzla, The Streets, Van Morrison, The Walkmen, When Rhythm was King Comp. Just scrolled through my nano, got a REBEL8 sticker on the back if it counts.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Pork Belly Torta @ HOLY TACO - that thing is a religious experience. 

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
The Local, Bookhouse Pub, Star Bar & EK’s house when his lady Lauren is cookin,

What are your Pet Peeves?
People who say NO. People who settle for mediocrity. And just bitchassness in general.

Shout outs?
My Moms, Pops, & sis Becks who support me endlessly and whom I will never take for granted. The rest of ESP, Danny & EK, who crush it with me. Neboner, our estranged 4th. Karlo Vicente, Lee Starnes, Hunter Weeks, & Ali Faiz, true believers. Our GaTech fam, the Saints. Annie Znosko and her impeccable opinion. Ed and the boys at DANGER. Fadia Kader. Jack, Talley, & Esteban from CJ’s, TIN ROOF & STAR BAR. Malissa from 4THE WARD HEROES. Matty @ the SPIRIT. Mike & Blake from SMKA. Philip @ GRAVEYARD. THE VAGINAS rock ‘n roll crew, esp. Adam & James. Randy Wallin. Dres tha Beatnik. Wax @ MINDZAI. GregMike who’s just doin’ it right now. And last, but certainly not least, THE PROCESS crew who we’ve got mad love for.

Name:
Eric Kelly

Aka:
EK, E to the K, Big E, Eazy E, EEEEKKKK

Website:
www.esperanza-atl.com 

Where are you from?
Atlanta via Stone Mountain

Who do you work for?
Esperanza Atlanta

What are your Current Project(s)?
Workin on several projects at the moment. As always, trying to keep things fresh with new threads from Esperanza. Our insane section at Hawks playoffs games. We just put a massive showcase on at SXSW in Austin with Fadia Kader and SMKA and can’t wait to plan for next year. Ocha La Rocha has some new music coming out with Esperanza artwork adorning their wax. Got some things in the works with Aleon Craft…..and the list goes on. Let’s just say it’s about to get “multimedia.”

Who would you love to work with? 
The way it’s going, I just love to work with anyone and everyone who works with us because they realize our talent and respect what we do and how hard we work to get it done…or The Beastie Boys.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
The Adidas Campus sneaks that I have had since 2002…love those things. I don’t even remember what the original color was, haha.

What’s on your iPod right now? 
Mumford & Sons, Broken Bells, Mos Def, Avett Brothers, Handsome Furs, Johnathan Boulet, Collective Efforts, Jamie T , Madlib, Animal Collective, K’naan, Murs, Felt, Michael Jackson, King Tubby, I-Roy, Outkast, Beach Boys, Rancid, Junior Murvin, M. Ward, Sam Cooke, Rhymefest, The Slackers, James Brown, Fleet Foxes, Diplo, Vampire Weekend, The Smiths, Hall and Oates….yes that’s right.  The Very Best, Phaseone, K-OS, Blakroc, Bullion, Wu Tang, Local Natives, 808 Experiment, Ella Fitzgerald….I feel like that is enough to tell…

What’s your Favorite ATL food? 
The Varsity

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout? 
Depends on my mood, The Local, The Clermont, Leon’s, The Brickstore, The Star Bar, Bart’s Condo

What are your Pet Peeves?
People who win on a scratch off ticket and think that means that they don’t have to go to the back of the line, people who walk around with their bluetooth on and don’t realize that nobody gives a shit about their conversation. Why you gotta talk so loud?

Shout outs?
The Process of course, SMKA, 4th Ward Heroes, Studio Crispo, Danger, Bart, Daniel

Name:
Daniel Barbalho 

Aka: 
DBAR, Yutti,  

Website: 
www.esperanza-atl.com 

Where are you from?
ATL, where else? 

Who do you work for?
ESPERANZA ATL 

What are your Current Project(s)?
Various new designs for ESPERANZA, the ATL HOLD IT DOWN FOAM HAND, art direction for A.LEON CRAFT and other various Atlanta artists, and I have to mention the SXSW showcase we just put on in Austin Texas, Branding and Promoting the hell out of Esperanza in Atlanta and beyond. 

Who would you love to work with?
Already work with the guys I want to work with, Bart and Eric.  As for Collaboration work, anyone who is fiercely and overly passionate about what they do.  I don’t want to work with anyone who doesn’t sacrifice for their craft. 

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep?
Grey and Green Puma Speeders  

What’s on your iPod right now?
Unfinished ALEON CRAFT ALBUM, Ocha La Rocha, and BlacRoc 

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
The Ridiculous Holeman and Finch hamburger alongside some of the best bartenders/mixologist in the city 

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Pink Pony 

What are your Pet Peeves?
People who are overly emotional about people they have never met. 

Shout outs?
All those who have helped Esperanza in the past. Ed Jewell and the crew at DANGERPRESS, Jack, Talley, and Stephen from STAR BAR, TIN ROOF and the ol’ CJ’s LANDING, Ocha La Rocha, Fadia Kadar, Greg Mike, Matty at the Hawks, Hunter Weeks, Karlo Vicente, Lee Starnes, the Saints, Meri, Lauren, Ryan Nerone, Annie Znosko, Patrick Clingan and the Esperanza crews’ parents, friends and loyal fans.

Name:
Skylar Morgan

Aka:  
doc.

Website:
www.smf-d.com
www.docbuilt.com

Where are you from?
Miles City, Montana

Who do you work for? 
I own two furniture companies, Skylar Morgan Furniture + Design (SMFD) and doc.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
New West Egg, White Provision, Ormsby’s Pub, Office Furniture for Armchair Media, Dining Table and Chairs, and Product Additions for doc.

Who would you love to work with?
e15 and Hans Wagner

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
My hunter green Toms.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
JCT and Serpas True Food

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Ormsby’s Pub

What are your Pet Peeves?
Butterfly patches and air guitar.

Shout outs?
Shea at Intrinsic Architecture, Stephanie at State Design Co., Rob at Coalition Society, and Jesse at SMFD

Name:
Michelle Consuegra

Aka:  
Juez

Website:
www.michellemariephotography.com

Where are you from?
Good ol Woodstock, GA. But growing up I lived a few other places and traveled a bit. I always said I would move back to ATL. Right now I live on one of many Peachtree streets in Atlanta

Who do you work for? 
Founding partner and photographer at Michelle Marie Photography

What are your Current Project(s)? 
1. Enjoying life
2. Drawing, painting, taping, felting and super imposing as many mustaches & red lips, as possible on poor unknowing victims!
3. Stalking newly engaged couples… because they are so cute to photograph.
4. Scavenger Saturdays (this needs more time to explain, but loads of fun)
5. Hoo La La: the love project, set to launch in 2010
6. Baking cupcakes and giving them away before I eat them ALL!

Who would you love to work with?
Steven Lambert, oh wait I do!  On top of being incredibly sexy he is one very talented and creative dude.
A creative marketing group for non-profits.  My sister Heather, she never ceases to amazing me with her off the wall and amazing costume designs!  

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
my payless converse knock-offs.  I have had them for ages, I bought them before I had enough money for real ones.  I really like that they have a red stripe on them, other than that I am not totally sure why I love them so, but they are faves for sure.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Randomness…Bob Marley, M83 all the way to The Buena Vista Social Club, The Deadlines and The Juan MacLean.  I really love Pandora though. Fav station right now is Empire of the Sun.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Hot Wings at the Local… aaaaa so good!

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Piedmont park, right in the middle of the field where dogs and people run around playing games.

What are your Pet Peeves?
When people have too many pet peeves.

Shout outs?
Sister corner, my beautiful family and hot fiance, the 50’s, person who invented the bicycle.

Name:
Farbod Kokabi

Aka:  
Farzad Moghaddam

Website:
www.letsgetboring.com
www.geographic-north.com
www.armchairmedia.com

Where are you from?
The upper West Side?

Who do you work for? 
I’m a senior designer at Armchair, co-owner of Geographic North. 

What are your Current Project(s)? 
Wrapping up work on an upwardly human expose of pedantry and sophistication for the College Board. 

Furthermore, Geographic North in 2010 is Windy & Carl, Mountains, Paul Duncan, Charles Atlas, Au Revoir Simone, Christopher Willits, The Papercuts, Rameses III and perhaps more. The plot thickens as our wallets do.

Lastly, I am heavily invested in recording an album with some men of talent. 

Who would you love to work with?
The people who are the best at what they do are all dicks.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
It’s less that I own a pair of sneakers and more that I wouldn’t give anything to charity. 

What’s on your iPod right now?
I have two ipods. One I keep for myself and one filled with Bon Jovi that’s meant to be stolen.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
$12 sandwiches from Star Provisions

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Trader Vic’s. My fondest memories of Atlanta reside there.

What are your Pet Peeves?
The ever judgmental eye of old people.

Shout outs?
Armchair brethren and parents.

photo by Mark Adams

Name:
Will Scruggs

Aka:  
CC Booker III

Website:
www.willscruggs.com

Where are you from?
Born in ATL - raised in Raleigh, NC

Who do you work for? 
Myself… I’m a saxophonist, singer, and band leader. I also freelance as a hired gun sax man, teach some private lessons, and I’m sponsored by Jupiter Saxophones.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
I have two projects of my own - Will Scruggs Jazz Fellowship and CC Booker III feat. Will Scruggs. You can find me around town with KINGSIZED, Cadillac Jones, Lloyd’s Rocksteady Review, and the Soulphonics w/Ruby Velle. I also play in a horn section called the FunderHorns… we’ve recorded with Natalie Cole, Dallas Austin, Cee-Lo and Jermaine Dupri, among others. 

Who would you love to work with?
Wow… although I’m a jazz specialist I love many different kinds of music, and I’d love to get outside my genre a bit. Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon are a couple of my biggest musical heroes who are still active. I’d also love to collaborate with someone like Bela Fleck, just from a standpoint of pure creativity of sound. When I was a kid my favorite band was The New Grass Revival (Bela Fleck, John Cowan, Sam Bush). I got to play and record with Cowan this year (he’s appearing on my next CD) but I’ve never met Sam or Bela. 

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
Wow, that’s tough. I ran a PR in the ING Georga Marathon last year in a pair of brown on brown New Balance ZIPs. Definitely the most stylish running shoes I’ve ever owned, plus there’s the sentimental value. 

What’s on your iPod right now?
I’m listening to the soundtrack from Rosemary’s Baby… some crazy stuff. Also, Random Abstract by Branford Marsalis and American Song by Andy Bey.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Miss Anne’s World Famous Ghetto Burger. Or the smoked wings at Fox Bros. And my really guilty pleasure is Wing and Philly on the corner of Moreland and Memorial (I’ve gotta eat greasy after a long run).

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Blue Frog Cantina dollar tacos - Mon/Tues in East ATL.  Or Churchill Grounds on weekends.

What are your Pet Peeves?
Ankle Tendonitis. The BCS. Glenn Beck, Hannity, Rush, and similar haters. Unexpected traffic (it’s not so bad if you’re ready for it, like at rush hour).

Shout outs?
CC Booker CD release party Friday Feb. 26th at Eddie’s Attic. Book it! 

Photo by: Oh Snap Kid

Name:
Anthony Rotella

Aka:  
Mayhem / Rrrump

Website:
http://shadowlawrecordings.com
http://myspace.com/mayhemslr

Where are you from?
Atlanta, GA born in Knoxville, TN. Gentlemen by choice, Southern by the Grace of God.

Who do you work for? 
Me, myself and I. Always Never, Ram Records, Atlanta Dubstep, and 404 Audio.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
I run two Drum + Bass record labels. My main one is Shadow-Law Recordings (SLR) and I’ve started a second one, Aesthetics, for rising international talent. I run two monthly nights at El Bar. One is Drum + Bass, entitled Tambor Y Bajo, every 1st Wednesday and the second is Dubstep, entitled Sub.Traction, that I promote with Atlanta Dubstep every 3rd Wednesday. I also am a resident at Fuck Yesss every 1st Thursday of the month with Le Castle Vania and Oh Snap Kid at the Drunken Unicorn. Outside of promoting parties, I try to stay as busy as possible in the studio recording Drum + Bass, Dubstep, and Electro tracks for several national and international labels. My largest project at the moment is an album entitled “Into Oblivion” which will be released on my own label, SLR, hopefully sooner than later.

Who would you love to work with?
Big Boi, Andre 3000, Ludachris, Killer Mike, Joker, Rusko, Scuba, Maynard James Keenan, Gravious, 2562, Pill, Hollyweerd, Ed Rush + Optical, Matrix, Optiv, Apex, Spor, Nike SB, 10 Deep, and Kaws.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
That’s like only choosing one family member to keep! I’d say it would have to be my Tiffs.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Joker, Rusko, Outkast, Ludacris, Scuba, Helmet, and Tool amongst others.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Favorite restaurants are Nan, JCT Kitchen, Eugene, JR Crickets, Marco’s Pitas, and Graveyard Tavern where you can find a hoagie named after me.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
El Bar and Graveyard easily. It’s like Cheers for me.

What are your Pet Peeves?
I can’t really think of any besides sleeping in too late.

Shout outs?
My son Giovanni, Moms, Dads, my sister Kathy, 404 Audio crew, Atlanta Dubstep crew, Evol Intent boys, Ewun/Kill The Noise, Le Castle Vania, Oh Snap Kid, Phace, Misanthrop, Noisia, The Upbeats, Bulletproof, Cern, 12th Planet, Gridlok, Dieselboy, Skapezilla/The Hydrilla, Rob and Rosa Wonder, Philip and Tara Christensen, All the Graveyard staff, All El Bar staff, Justin Bright, Drew Van Atten, Ron and Christina Madison, Adam and the soon to be Cristen Darby, Josh Clark, the Atlanta Hawks, Inca Kola, summers in Jersey, my Grandmothers and Grandfathers RIP!, Birdalupe, Aireon Himes, Eric Martin Burgos, Chris Houston, and of course my homies at Process!

Name:
Julia LeRoy

Aka:  
Twin Dagger Turkey (God of Cookery reference)

Website:
julialeroy.com

Where are you from?
Detroit

Who do you work for? 
The Bookhouse Pub - 736 Ponce de Leon

What are your Current Project(s)? 
Localvore Mondays - a chance to feast on local food prepared by loving hands. Every Monday at the Bookhouse from 5-10pm

Who would you love to work with?
10 clones of me. nobody works as hard for me as i do.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
I’m no sneaker head, but I have a pair of low-top composition notebook Air Jordans that I’m in love with.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Reigning Sound, Dan Sartain, Francois Hardy, Celebration (The band, not the disco song), En Vogue , Purple Rain, all Nirvana.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
The octopus carpaccio and the pork belly at Repast are the best dishes in Atlanta right now.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Carter Center lawn. it’s my secret spot…oops. Not anymore.

What are your Pet Peeves?
When labels don’t all face the same direction; having enough time for a bike ride, but it’s raining; or it’s a beautiful day and not having enough time for a bike ride.

Shout outs?
My fam, my friends; present, past and future.

Name:
Jenifer Vandagriff

Aka:
Futurista - that technosexual, sentimental, futurist girl who’s into digital media, human computer interaction, computer science, design, and new media theory; also known as the awkward one; aka most likely to succeed; aka the quintessential leo; aka mixed baby, kim kardashian/anne frank lookin’ ass; aka wild thing you make my heart sing; aka harajuku mouse.

Website:
fem-fATL.com
jenifervandagriff.com
twitter.com/jeniferv

Where are you from?
I’m a military brat. Born in Charleston, SC; grew up in San Antonio, TX; moved to Germany for 2 years; and landed in Atlanta when I was a sophomore in high school. I’ve been in Atlanta for the last 7-8 years.

Who do you work for?
I work as an interaction designer for an Atlanta based interactive marketing agency IQ Interactive and as a graduate research assistant in the Wesley New Media center at Georgia Tech. I also co-run a female perspective blog on Atlanta nightlife, entertainment, fashion, sex, technology, etc called fem-fATL.com.

What are your Current Project(s)?
My current focus is on my master’s project; which is a mobile activist campaign whose interaction model draws heavily from performance art practices from the 60s and 70s.

With fem-fATL.com we are currently gearing up to launch a campaign against domestic violence. We’d like to use our influence as female leaders as a way to generate empathy and aid towards social injustices that particularly affect women. As a woman, I empathize and feel compelled towards the struggles of other women.

I guess you could say I have an activist vein pulsating right now.

Who would you love to work with?
I’d love to work with Yoko Ono! She’s an art figure I’ve always admired and have become particularly fond of as my research interests have turned towards performance art.

These are instructions from her project ‘100 Acorns: 100 days of conceptual instructions by Yoko Ono’:

Walk in the footsteps of the person in front of you.

1. on the pavement.
2. in the mud.
3. on ice.
4. in the snow
5. on fire
6. on water

I think it’s brilliant; I think these Fluxus like instructions resonate with procedural code; and I’d like to make a movie documenting myself enacting them all!

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep?
Sneakers? I’d be sure to hang on to my Jeffrey Cambell wedge gladiator heels! But if I had to choose, I’d probably have to hang on to my pair of black converse sneaker boots; with without I could not complete my nerdy bomber chic look.

What’s on your iPod right now?
My iPod is embarrassing because I hardly use it and I don’t have a robust iTunes collection. My favorite album on my iPod is the Fugees. I also work out to Linkin Park’s old school album Hybrid Theory. I don’t think I have anything on my iPod after 1999! I’m more a proponent of cloud computing and internet radio. I’m an avid Pandora Radio listener and my favorite stations are ‘Wild Thing Radio’, ‘Mono Radio’, ‘Massive Attack Radio’, ‘Krwing Radio’, ‘File Under Futurism Radio’, ‘Dubstep Radio’, ‘DJ Shadow Radio’, and ‘Bitter:Sweet Radio’.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
My favorite Atlanta restaurant is Two Urban Licks. The other ladies of Fem-fATL.com and I are trying to find the best calamari in the ATL and think they are the winner thus far. We haven’t found a spot that beats them yet. They have this amazing sauce that is sort of sweet and the calamari isn’t too soggy or too fried… it’s just right! It’s a really great ATL restaurant because they serve up southern style soul food, play live jazz, and serve vino out of a keg! They also have amazing high ceilings and a beautiful patio. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I get off on their bistro steak! I want Two Urban Licks now!

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
I’m a regular at Tilt Coffee Shop in the Castleberry Hills neighborhood where I live. I love this spot so much that I say I have regular office hours there. I also host along with my fem-fATL crew a weekly film series every friday night. We are finishing up a Hitchcock series now and starting a French New Wave series for the rest of November and December. I’m fond of Octane also, but in my opinion, Tilt’s got the quirks that make you fall in love. The place is chill enough that you can start a conversation with the guys who work there, who are all super cool and down to earth. They do their job right when it comes to coffee and they can also serve up some mean sandwiches. The golden child of Tilt, however, is their banana split. It’s amazing… amazing. It comes with green kiwi lime syrup! Another thing that makes this my favorite spot is it sports a permanent collection of artwork by scrap metal sculpture artist Grant Spafford. There are all these cool metal, robotic looking animals and lamps all over the place.

I wrote about Tilt and put some pictures up on fem-fATL.com

What are your Pet Peeves?
I absolutely can not stand when people are late to meetings, appointments, dates, anything because I’m always early; which means I’m wasting more time when people aren’t on time!

Also I have a problem with other people using my computer. I literally feel anxiety. I probably should not feel this way, but I seriously have a relationship with my computer and it just feels so awkward. It almost feels like my privacy is being invaded. Or I’m obsessive and feel jealous. Either way, that’s a bit of an awkward pet peeve.

Another pet peeve when it comes to computers is when things take way to slow to load. I always default to ‘Preview’ or a basic ‘Text’ program than opening up some bulkier application when it isn’t necessary. I feel agitated sometimes waiting for programs to load. hahahaha

Shout outs?
The rest of my fem-fATL.com crew Brittany aka justB and Kristen aka the UrbanSocialite, our fem-fATL readers, my Twitter followers (@jeniferv), Cobra Corps, WhiteLight ATL, Joy Tolentino, Fres Co Society, Justin Huff, freshiam.net, Tilt Coffee Shop, Halo, Graveyard, Sutra, Luckie Lounge, and all my Georgia Tech larping, video game playing, self righteous nerds!

Name:
Christopher Mosier

Aka:  
Mosier, Beardo

Website:
EpidemikCoalition.com
WeAreTheProcess.com

Where are you from?
Atlanta, Georgia 

Who do you work for? 
Epidemik Coalition, Patton’s Meat Market, and Myself

What are your Current Project(s)? 
Doing freelance paintings, work for EC, and getting ready for the new PROCESS gear coming out very soon!!!

Who would you love to work with?
Anyone with an open mind for artwork. Two heads are always better than one, but I would really love to do some album work for Outkast, design sneakers for Reebok or Nike, or be on the design team for the Atlanta Braves, Hawks, or Thrashers.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
Reebok Pump Omni Lite - Pink/Elephant Print

What’s on your iPod right now?
MSTRKRFT, Cristo Disco, Big Boi, DJ A-HUF, Rob Wonder, Goodie Mob, Kill The Noise, Treasure Fingers, KLEVER, The Twelves, SMILES, Chromeo

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Its a tie between Sushi House or El Myr

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
El Beezy (El Bar)

What are your Pet Peeves?
Dudes that wear beanies during summertime (Hipsters), No Smoking Signs, and new school Hip Hop that shit sucks!

Shout outs?
My brother Trey for never giving up on me, Kelley, Heather, Joe, Ross, Stephen, Nick, Mike, Joey, Brian, Esperanza Crew, StreetLocal, STANDARD,  anyone thats owns one of my paintings, thanks for the support. Finally Larry Luk and Georgios Saliaris for taking a chance and giving me the opportunity to work with them. Thanks Guys!

Name:
Jeff Shinabarger

Aka:  
Shinny

Website:
www.giftcardgiver.com
www.plywoodpeople.com
www.jeffshinabarger.com

Where are you from?
From Lansing, Michigan
Now live in East Atlanta Village

Who do you work for? 
I hope I tell the stories of people in great need (often in poverty) and
find simple ways to connect that need with people of privilege.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
Launching a more-than-profit business called Plywood People – An innovative
community addressing social need. Creating a new campaign for an incredible
service organization in urban neighborhoods across the nation named Mission
Year. Creative Directing for a leadership experience
called Catalyst. Launching a viral microfinance
campaign called Never Ending Hope. Always collecting unused gift cards.

Who would you love to work with?
Excited to work on a small project with Chuck Anderson. Andre 3000. Shepherd
Fairey. The Peeps at All Day Buffet.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
TOMS.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Zach Williams. Anathallo. Jay Z. Ryan Adams. Radiohead. Wild Sweet Orange.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Anything from Agave

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
The Midway in East Atlanta Village.

What are your Pet Peeves?
Talking and not doing. Cracking gum while chewing. Not clearing the
microwave and leaving 2 seconds on the little screen.

Shout outs?
My wife, Andre – she does the hard work of serving at Grady everyday.
Max. My dog – he is cool in every way.

Photo by Kevin Byrd

Name:
Travis Ekmark

Aka:  
My first car was a humble 1989 Mazda 626. My friends called it “The Crappy Travis.” Eventually, the nickname for the car became interchangeable as a nickname for me. 16-year-old me was not pleased.

Website:
travisekmark.com
travisekmark.tumblr.com

Where are you from?
Atlanta, y’all. Please.

Who do you work for? 
Myself, Armchair, and People of Resource.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
At Armchair: writing, design, and production of content for the College Board take up most of my time these days. I have to say, our team is killing it lately.

For People of Resource, I’ve been doing some writing for DEX Studios and some internal strategy and design.

Just finished some work through Quo Vadis for lighting designer Christopher Moulder.

I’m designing a short publication for some of my favorite furniture designers, Rich Brilliant Willing. Also: doing a new tour poster for a very talented old friend, Sean Renner.

Figuring out systems, strategy, and social movements with Ted, Sri, and Melissa at Entry Level Big Thinkers. Trying to understand where young, upstart designers and thinkers fit into that space.

Gluzman and I are attempting to gain some footing as to where our collaborative relationship will go next as Mingle (eager to get more 3-D). Ted and I have begun a new art and design project, but it’s kinda hush hush for now. 

My wife and I keep a food blog of low-res iPhone photos of things we eat or make (and articles we like) called How to Eat Food.

Who would you love to work with?
I learn so much from all the people I’m working with now. Being in demanding, open, collaborative environments like Armchair and Resource is probably my favorite thing in the world. I’m psyched to go to work everyday and I feel pretty fortunate in that regard. Otherwise, I’d love to collaborate with some more outside-of-ATL friends: in particular, Foda Studio in Austin, Craig Berman in Chicago, and American Design Club in New York. Other dream teams: Charles and Ray Eames, Daniel Eatock, Naoto Fukasawa, OMA/AMO, Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam. 

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
Real answer: Beat-up Adidas Sambas. Preferred future answer: Air Max 95s in the original colorway. Or the Jordans from around the same time that had the patent leather. Nike was on fire then.

What’s on your iPod right now?
A constantly evolving mixture of old favorites, things I read about on blogs, and things I hear Farbod play at Armchair. To be specific, I can’t get enough of: Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Animal Collective, Sigur Ros, Washed Out, Volcano Choir, Bibio, Eluvium, and The Field.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
The standard Chick-fil-a Chicken Sandwich, Nuevo Laredo, or whatever the moment dictates on Buford Highway.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Octane

What are your Pet Peeves?
Ugh, my own work habits: I love new projects and I love working hard, but I’m also incredibly easy to distract.

Shout outs?
My lady, Stacy, and my kids, Bennett and Vivian. Additionally: My brothers, Kevin and Kenny. Sibling-in-laws: Noelle, Trey, and Nick. Armchairs: Kevin, Stefan, Farbod, Nate, Aaron, Michelle, JTrav, Melissa, Ryan, Gluzman, Erica, Rebecca, Marta. Resourceful People: DVA, Sloan, SK. All Yall: Sean, Ted, Nik, Rick Julian, Chris, Shelton, Collin, Zak, Josh, James Nord, Dudes of Sid Mashburn, new friends, old friends I don’t see enough of, and, the internet.

Name:
Joe Martinez

Aka:  
Joe Focus, J-money, Joe Martinez Photography

Website:
www.joemartinezphotography.com

Where are you from?
Always an interesting question. My parents are in the Navy, so I don’t have a “hometown” per se. We moved up and down the east coast for a while before heading out to Okinawa, Japan for 8 years (our longest deployment), so I guess technically I’m from Okinawa (aka, THE ROCK!)  

Who do you work for? 
I’m a freelance photographer so it varies, but I guess my biggest clients are Atlanta Magazine, Yahoo! Music, Converse, and Decrypt Productions.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
I just finished up shooting a couple assignments for ATL Magazine which should be in the October & November issues. Before that, I was in Europe shooting some press kit images for international singer-songwriter, Ana Free, and my good friend, Blake Brandes. We shot for two weeks in the Greek Islands; white sands, crystal clear water, and amazing weather. All in a hard days work! Next up, I’m looking to continue some personal projects and get some new promotional pieces out. Gotta stay grinding!!

Who would you love to work with?
I’d love to shoot for Monocle Magazine and GOOD Magazine. Love their design and the organic look to all of their photography. I’d also like to do some collaborative documentary work with some of my fellow young shooters here in the ATL.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
My BRONZE Nike R9 soccer cleats. They’ve been all over the world with me, and even though the soles are finally starting to fall off, I’ll keep taping them up until they literally fall off my feet.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Ryan Leslie, Third Eye Blind, Phoenix, Maximo Park, Soulfire, Blueprint 3, J. Cole, Janelle Monae, Little Brother, Outkast, Kid Cudi, Common Market, Blu, Blue Scholars, Mos Def, Fabolous, Donnis, Frank Sinatra and John Mayerz, haha.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Western omelette from the Majestic for breakfast, Brick Burger from Brick Store for lunch, anything from 2 Urban Licks for dinner. Oh, and R. Thomas for a late night snack.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Every time I think I’m over El Bar, I show up and fall in love all over again.

What are your Pet Peeves?
Dook University, the Cowboys not making the playoffs, dudes in super skinny jeans, Comcast, tourists, past due invoices, bad photography from good photographers, cheap labor from bad photographers.

Shout outs?
Big shout out to THE Wake Forest University, all of my fellow Demon Deacons, Coach Buck and the LuHi Crusaders, the Huge Mules, DJ Decryption (Yo Mookie!!) , Ana Free (Greecey!), Juliet & Ed, The Soulfire fam, ALL of the A.I. JOE SUPPORTERS, Treehouse crew, EC, The Graduates, Innuendo, the Columbus crew: Swellica (and Babo!) & J-Shores, Furlough Creamery, Ross “Rossome” Martin Photography, Jamie “J-Hops” Hopper Photography, Emily “E-Drizzles” Dryden Photography, Special K (Die first, then quit!), the whole Oki crew (Which Foo??), all of my OZ/NZ friends, to my little sis who just graduated from college and is already making more money than me, and to my mom (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!!) and dad…this will all be worth it one day. Hang in there with me.

Photo by Kevin Byrd

Name:
Michael Gluzman

Aka:
Gluz or The Gluz

Website:
www.michaelgluzman.com

Where are you from?
Riga, Latvia

Who do you work for?
Armchair Media, Quo Vadis, Christopher Moulder, and myself.

What are your Current Project(s)?
I just wrapped on a short film directed by David Bruckner called One for the Road on which I was the production designer. I’m also working on a miniature DIY video about the SAT Test at Armchair Media for the College Board.

Who would you love to work with?
Honestly, I’m already working with some of the people I’ve always wanted to. I get to work with Christopher Moulder, David Bruckner, Wesley Wingo, Travis Ekmark, the people of Quo Vadis, Armchair…that being said, I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with Teague, Frog, Formation, Ziba, or with some of the greats of cinema.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep?
My silver Diesels.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Miike Snow, Jay-Z, David Guetta, Trentmoller.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Cheese Fritters and Belgian Fries from The Porter.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Octane.

What are your Pet Peeves?
When people finish my sentences. People who say they will do something and never do. Pretention.

Shout outs?
Shout out to my wonderful lady, Ieva. Shout out to my family, friends, coworkers, and cohorts.

Name:
Zach Shuta

Aka:  
I don’t have a cool moniker, but my Grandma calls me Z.

Website:
www.zachshuta.com

Where are you from?
Upstate NY, but reside in Charlotte, NC

Who do you work for? 
I freelance and also work full time for a company designing headwear and apparel for mass and mid tier retail stores.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
Right now I am doing some identity development for a couple of NHL teams. 

Who would you love to work with?
Maybe Kidrobot or Medicom. I think it would be cool to see how my 2D work would translate to the 3D world. In general, any like minded individuals interested in putting something out there. The door is always open.

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
I doubt even a hobo would want a pair of my sneakers when I get through with them. I wear my shit. I do have a pair of Air Max 90’s that are about 5 years old that are still hanging around. I’d probably keep those.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Leonard Cohen, Ill Bill, Tomahawk, Queens of the Stone Age, DOOM

What’s your Favorite Charlotte food?
The Crab Soup at Eddie’s Place

What’s your Favorite Charlotte hangout?
The Penguin is pretty much a weekly tradition for my family. Good atmosphere, great food, AND cheap beer. 

What are your Pet Peeves?
Making excuses

Shout outs?
My little man D and little girl ZoZo.

Name:
Nico Amortegui

Aka:  
Dude

Website:
blu-magazine.com & sirevista.com

Where are you from?
Bogota, Colombia

Who do you work for? 
Blü Magazine and Sí Revista

What are your Current Project(s)? 
To launch our new Spanish magazine and finish my black and white photography book.

Who would you love to work with?
El Che Guevara

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
My 1977 Nikes

What’s on your iPod right now?
Carlos Vives, El Puma & Michael Jackson

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Bacon cheeseburgers from Flip

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
El Bar

What are your Pet Peeves?
Bitching ‘n Complaining

Shout outs?
Don’t believe the hype

Name:
Jake Tompkins

Aka:  
Jake the Snake (only to my little sister)
The Bike Polo Guy

Website:
www.atlbikepolo.com
My Flickr

Where are you from?
Born in Tennessee, lived in Las Vegas for a few years, Lived in Albuquerque for a 7 years, and I’ve been in GA for the last 12. I feel very much like I’m a product of the lower half of the US.

Who do you work for? 
At the moment I work for myself. I was working as a Cabinet maker at Thomsen Ltd. but times are bad and I got laid off last week.  

What are your Current Project(s)? 
I have a couple of community art projects I’ve been working on recently.
The first is called dividing lines. I took a canvas and painted a 10″ red stripe down the center. Then I handed it off to a friend who painted a slightly smaller beige/seasalt line down the center. It’s been through 4 friends hands so far and the changes keep getting better. I’m hoping to get the lines down to the point where the final line is a pencil line. you can check that out on my flickr page.

The second is about to start. I went around to local thrift stores and picked up about 40 LP’s. I’m going to distribute them to my more graphically inclined friends and each will be challenged to design something to be laser etched onto the LP that is an interpritation of the band name or album title. We’ll be doing an exhibition somewhere once it’s done. Pictures will go up once it’s done too.

I’m also working on a bid packet to get the North American Hard Court Bike Polo Championships in Atlanta.  Outside of making stuff, bike polo is my life.  

Who would you love to work with?
My standard answer used to be Sam Maloof, even at 90 years old he was a fantastic furniture designer and fabricator. He passed away last March and since then my aspiration has changed just to work with the people I graduated with a few months ago. All the kids I graduated with are fantastic designers. Other than that sappy answer most of the people I pine to work with are all dead. Charles Eames, Hans Wegner, Eero Saarenin, Frank Lloyd Wright, Lewis Comfort Tiffany, etc. Also I’d trade a finger to work with any bike company on Bike Polo Gear. 

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
My bright purple suede Puma RS-1’s, I only wear them one or twice a year so I can have them forever.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Fashion Nugget by Cake.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
This is tough but The Bone Garden Cantina has hands down the best Traditional Mexican food in town.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
The Porter, in Little 5, is becoming my new bar hangout. It’s a poor man’s Brickstore, but 15 min closer to my place than Decatur, and the food is great.

If I’m just drinking Coffee I love going to Octane for an Americola (Expresso+Coke=fantastic).

Also if you’re really into fruity drinks and fruity bartenders Joe Elvis at Papi’s is hilarious, I’ve definately spent a number of Friday nights hanging out there.

What are your Pet Peeves?
Karim Rashid… and his big ass glasses. Can’t stand that guy. Also the fonts Comic Sans, Papyrus, and Copperplate Gothic. And in Bike Polo, AGS Street Hockey Balls.

Shout outs?
Josh Tuminella, Michael Gluzman, and My friends at Resource

Name:
Matthew Senna

Aka:  
Msenna/Jamie Marx/Captain

Website:
www.JamieMarx.com 
www.Msenna.com
www.thebreaksover.com
www.propervillainscollective.com (coming soon)

Where are you from?
North Plainfield New Jersey USA

Who do you work for? 
Those who need to be educated. And my unborn child.

What are your Current Project(s)? 
Jamie Marx winter collections / Our first piece of furniture with Lars Amhoff / shooting the first season of “Good Folk”/ GLC + J Marx + Alex Goose. And some miscellaneous other developments.

Who would you love to work with?
Marc Jacobs, Stefan Sagmeister, James Victore, Spike Jonze, Michael Jordan, Banksy, Trump, Racia Oliveria, Alexa Chung and Keira Knightly (the last 3 for business of course)    

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep? 
Sneakers would have to be Jordan XI that shoe change my mindset on design and brands.. i was 11 and all my boys had them but me. momma dukes wasnt spending that on sneakers.. my friend took that box out and showed me them and it was over.. i had already liked jordan because my friends dad would take us to the bar with him to watch all the chicago games, but that pair put me on to the brand and their way of thinking… def one of my biggest influences. much respect.       

What’s on your iPod right now?
Jessica Tonder roughs, Pheonix, Mos Def, Anthony Hamilton, The Roots, GLC, YE, Bob Dylan, Outkast, Gnarls Barley,UNKLE, Rage Against the Machine and my secret listen…. juno soundtrack..   

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
Taqueria del Sol or Alfredos Italian Restaurant because it reminds me a lot of the places up north.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Georgia Dome on Sundays when the dirty birds are home.

What are your Pet Peeves?
Ignorance. And the lack of understand and appreciation for good design in the US. And logos made in Photoshop. 

Shout outs?
yo son check the fly shit son, check it, i got a new connect son.. i need yall to shout, the whole JM crew, shout my folks son, Rich i see you.. thanks for holdin it down! Kath keep makin them good meat balls! Kerry diversify yo bonds kid… Scotty keep cathin them large mouth.. JM Anglers next up….   im sorry i got a little to comfortable with these shout outs. reminded me of the old days MC’n. shouts to everyone who supports anything ive ever done.. the brands, work, sports..  everyone..  first shouts to Process, and all our accounts current and future…  shouts to Q, Jason, Lars, BFS, Raekwon, Tom Medvedich and my whole Proper Villains  crew.. shout to Jessica tonder, A Geezy and Uncle bob, shouts to Rob Mc, Dan, Will and Jada, John rusk, Julia of Neilsen, Clarkston, Woodgrain, Wilton, D and Jak, lex boogie, Big Mike, Luba Lukova, Kean University staff, Charlie, Kobe ill see you next month..im borrowing that ring!,  the handsome donkey crew ,GLC, Mike Turner, Jason Geter, Cory, D, Bill Hallman, Shoe Gallery, The Webster, BC, Timberlake i see you, Megan Huntz, freshiam, Dyrdek, Antenna, FALSE, Juli, cherokee crew, and anyone else i forgot…o yea and Jenna Rivers i love you.

Name:
David Babatunde Ogunnoiki

Aka:
Tunde

Website:
www.freshiam.net

Where are you from?
Nigeria

Who do you work for?
Staccato17, +FRESH.i.AM+

What are your Current Project(s)?
I’m currently working on connecting Atlantas culture with the rest of the world.

Who would you love to work with?
Process, Surface to Air, and IHMDJ

If you had to give all your sneakers away to charity except for one pair, which ones would you keep?
My All Black Vans.

What’s on your iPod right now?
Major Lazer, Telephoned, Illmatic, The Roots, Fela, Madvillian, and Cut/Copy.

What’s your Favorite ATL food?
All the different types of Peaches.

What’s your Favorite ATL hangout?
Barnes and Noble, Club 1610 & Wish.

What are your Pet Peeves?
Uncontrolable ignorance & hype men, everybody can’t be the future of hiphop.

Shout outs?
Onisha, Dosa Kim, Rithy, BodyPolitik.net, Michi, C.Will, Zone 3, Prince Presto, Cristo, Cobra Corps, Sofa King, King Alga, Street Local, MJQ/Book House staff, Noize Industry, Midnight Socialite, Chily-O, Hollyweird, Smiles, Niko, Dell, Wish, Dres, Caleb Gauge, fem-fatl.com and everybody I forgot who always shows me love.