Musico Roots (Photography)

About me:

Musico Roots: Image Storyteller > Photography. Spoken Word. Artist.

Cher ang pangalan ko: My name is Cher. (Sometimes known as Musico Roots.)
I'm a mestiza: Filipina/American
www.musicoroots.com * www.musicoroots.exposuremanager.com

Musico Roots Photography
"...cultivating community expression..."

In expressing the embodiment of my visual artistry, I am an image storyteller: photographer, 1st; painter, 2nd; spoken word artist, 3rd, although, these interchange. To me, capturing images that create visual memories and a representation of life cultivate a community expression that even if it references one person, its still a collective. There are broader pictures, even in the details.

With Musico Roots (Photography), my primary focus has been spoken word poets, urban fashion shows, the nightlife, drag kings and queens, live performances and musicians. Being a performing artist, I believe it helps me understand what to anticipate when capturing images with photography. Also, understanding how to read body language becomes imperative in trying to capture movement in any candid situation or performance. My images are about finding people in intense and raw moments of emotions that reflect as close to honest representations of reactions instead of staged imagery. My job is to find people in a moment of purity and reflect depth over surface…no masks.

With painting, I try to reflect the same emotions I find in photography, using a graphic and impressionistic infused style with acrylic on either canvas or paper. I generally will references a lot of my photography for paintings. I like strong contrasts, showing movement with the paint, and deep colors while also utilizing the white of canvas.

With spoken word, I’ve never been one to write sugar-coated poetry and am more about performing intensity instead of romanticism. There are contrasting spectrums people are so afraid to divulge into and I feel I have a responsibility to speak when others don’t want to talk. I try to grasp this concept in any artistic expression I divulge into.

I dove into spoken word poetry in 2007 and became a part of the 2008 Ft Worth (Poetry) Slam team. I'm a musician w/ a Filipino Folk dance group. Managed a drag king troupe, the Dukes of Dallas in 2007 til mid 2008. Documented imagery of local hip hop group, PPT's performances, as well as several local spoken word poets (Ft. Worth Slam team, Dallas Poetry Grind). Been documenting/a sponsor of Gaybingo Dallas & the performance group, Something Fabulous since July 2008. Have captured independent artists/musicians thru the Neo Soul Cafe and the nightlife for Party Chasers & the Akita Group in 2006-2007. Overall, I like to just stay active in the community & help promote collaborations among different groups. I encourage to continue to “sow seeds” in someone else’s life.

I've named my camera Oscar...cuz..we..spend a lot of time together..&..artists..are suppose to be...a lil odd...My job...is to capture life.....
See you around the metroplex.....