“She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water.
She belonged to no man and to no city.” – Roman Payne
Arsenic Magazine Feature
Photographed: Ev Marquee
Hair/MUA: Daisy Palos
Elysian Park, Los Angeles. January 2014
As snow falls in New York, it seems as if Summer has arrived in Los Angeles. I arrive in Elysian Park as the sun shines over the City of Angeles. Palm trees line the left side of the dirt path that I drive along, windows down and the sunroof peeled back. My face greets the cooling breeze. As I draw in a dose of sunshine and a breath of fresh air I couldn’t imagine a more perfect moment-That’s when I caught a quick yet distant glimpse of the Hollywood sign as I turned the corner. I marveled at the sight of the infamous letters that lay staggered in the hillside. I had never seen them at eye level. |That’a the thing about corners, you’re guaranteed a few surprises|.
The park was so grand that I got lost a few times before finding the set location; Whether that was by choice or default I will not say. The views were spectacular and characteristically different from the next. In one instance I felt as though I was in Palm Springs and just around the bend I was promised a sight similar to that of Northern California. I wanted to see where the road would lead next, but I was already lost and 15 minutes late so I refrained.
I pulled up to the location where I found Ev and Daisy awaiting my arrival under the shade of a tree. We made our way to a park bench to set up for todays transformation which was that of a woodsy, hunter wanderess. Daisy got situated and propped open her make-up case which effortlessly unfolded into two levels like a London double decker. I likewise proceed to get comfortable, situating myself in my usual cross-legged ‘Indian Style’ fashion facing Ev. I noticed in those moments sitting with Ev there was a peacefulness. A comfortable silence washed over allowing me to focus on the present moment of the atmosphere. I gently closed my eyes as Daisy began to work on my makeup and my senses sharpened. I listened to the natural music made by the birds who sang lightly from the same relative direction of the sun above that kissed my skin.
About 30 minutes had passed before I was handed a mirror. The usual tinge of excitement mixed with fear rushed through my veins as I pick up the mirror to reflect on who I had just become. A few auburn wisps fell beside my face and danced playfully in the afternoon breeze. I slipped into a burgundy one piece and draped a faux-fur jacket over one shoulder.
“Wow,” an onlooker mumbled under his breath and then proceeded to stumble over his own two feet. All three of us looked at one another and giggled like young teenage girls at the affect I seemed to have over the stranger. With the tone set, we were ready to shoot. We jumped in Ev’s Jeep Wrangler and headed off into the winding streets of our next adventure.
Be sure to check out the full submission: http://arsenicthemagazine.com/submissions/2014/2/4/ev-marquee-evmarquee
And heart it while you’re at it (if your feeling fancy).
