Just Hilly

One of the pros to having a healthy and active social life is being more motivated to take part in festivities and making plans. Armed with a solid group of friends, some old and new, taking part in things has been a lot less difficult to do. I was actually able to attend quite a few Halloween themed activities this year, both on and off campus. I ended up having three looks this season, and I'm super happy with how they all turned out.  First up is Pokemon Trainer. As an avid Pokemon Go player, especially during the school year, I felt it was fitting to get out this old backpack and throw a look together. I won that backpack back in high school at a costume competition my local library was having - I was dressed as Fiona (Finn's official gender bend) from 'Adventure Time'. I had both a fem and masc fit planned out, I like having options that express my identity - not knowing how I'd feel the morning of the party. Decided on a masc look due to how I was feeling that...

There is a general respect for the arts among Long Islanders, and there are quite a few spaces in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. In my town, or hamlet really, Bay Shore has been renowned as the place to go for things like festivals, parades and free outdoor activities for the community. The Westfield Mall, roughly a mile or two from main street, serves one of the main commercial hubs in the community. The Islip Arts Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to the showcasing of work by Long Island artists and authors, is located in this commercial hub right next to the Dick’s Sporting Goods.  The IAC focuses on hosting exhibits to uplift different communities within the LI greater community as well as offering a myriad of art classes year round.(Dekoning, par. 5) Like most places, the IAC suffered a huge hit during the height of the covid pandemic- their former residence closed down; the manager of the Westfield Mall in Bay Shore invited them to relocate to an open space avai...

In its most simple definition, a name is an identifier. Names are often one of the first pieces of information you can learn about another, a label to match a face- another conscious being. Historically, names carried weight depending on things like your family’s prestige or class, any trades passed on from father to son, one great ancestor who did something revolutionary or tied to a certain ethnic group/region of people. In recent history and modern society, a name can still be tied to prestige as well as socioeconomic status, ethnicity and gender identity (or lack thereof). Both historically and in present times, a name has been closely tied with different aspects of one’s life journey that influence the paths they take; and while it may not be the only factor molding a person into who they are- a name plays a role in who they become.  Traditionally, names (specifically last names) held the purpose of identifying a group of people, whether a clan, a royal lineage, tradesman etc....

Hello everyone 👋 The fall semester started for me this past Monday and almost all my classes are writing intensive. I'm considering posting my essays, responses to certain prompts and research I end up doing throughout the next few months. Not sure if I'll make a separate page for longer pieces or just post them on my regular feed. I know the mobile version of this blog allows viewing the feed by selecting individual posts instead of the desktop version's continuous layout. Lmk/comment what you think would be the best approach based off your experience going through my blog. The insight would be helpful with making that decision. I'm also hoping all the writing this semester will encourage some new ideas and motivation towards the poetry and stories/books I'm writing. Some personal and some published on a different platform anonymously but all needing work. Thanks for stopping by :)

Last Thursday night, I went out on another date with my partner at the same little bar I mentioned a few posts ago. It's called Nostalgia and is a very cute 90's themed bar in Bethpage, NY. We went for what we found out is going to be a new monthly drag show hosted by some of my friends who are drag queens along with performances by other local queens as well.  (Video shows a quick vid I took of one of the sets done by my very talented friend Gemma Tolstoy  ) The bar is very queer friendly and definitely in my opinion a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks looking to go out and have a fun time. Definitely a mixed crowd bar depending on the night, when I go tends to be more folks in their 20's with just a  sprinkling of those in their 30's and 40's. The place is totally decked out throughout with everything 90's from movie memorabilia, autographed headshots of 90's celebs, fun colored lighting, Pokemon decor around the bar, CD and comic book themed bathrooms and the r...

So I FINALLY got to see Barbie yesterday and it was so much more than I expected. With all the snippets and posts I had seen these past 2 weeks online about the movie, I had prepared myself for a more girl power, tween-ish feel for the movie. Instead, I was surprised by ever changing metaphors for womanhood, navigating society through the lenses of male and female, mother-daughter relationship woes, the importance setting boundaries along with insurrection and patriarchy. It felt like half a fun kids movie half eighth grade English class with all the symbolism, juxtaposition and satire. The colors, dance numbers, fun outfits and the vast array of Barbies (and Kens) in the movie made for a fun visual experience. I ended up being one of many movie goer's who left singing 'I'm Just Ken' by Ryan Gosling (stereotypical Ken) when leaving the theater. I felt the movie was well casted and everyone played their parts very well. I would say whoever thought to make Will Ferrell pl...

Past couple of days I've been considering creating an artist tag or watermark of sorts for the art that I post online or in general. I've mostly seen lots of artists on Medibang and Instagram use their own unique stamps of ownership or credit tags on their posts and wanted to give it a go. In my most recent TikTok, a portrait of a friend of mine in one of her drag get ups ( @mizz_ranassanz on Instagram ), I designed what I call idea #1 for what will eventually be a permanent tag for myself. The final piece for the portrait is up on the timelapse page, here's the video>> Rana Ssanz Portrait Tiktok  and of course below is my little prototype. I really love how it came out but I'm not entirely sure it won't look off in some pieces. We shall see eventually, the second piece I attached this to was the latest post on my art Instagram (  @hillys_art  )

This summer I'm planning on being out and about as much as I can.  Anyone who wants to make plans with me, knows I'm down for almost anything as long as I have notice. I went out the other night to this really cute bar with my partner and some friends for a drag show. Supporting two of my friends who were queens in the show as well as three other local queens. I had so much fun but going home I wish I had taken more photos of the bar items because the themed decor was so good and the prices were hard to beat. (Here's a video I took of one of the sets done by Miss Rana Ssanz  - my friends are so cool (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) lol) There's another show next month my friend is hosting at the same bar and I'm thinking of making one of my adventure/out&about posts, pinning the location and posting lots of pictures/videos. May or may not make that into a series once the semester starts if I'm able to continue being outside once classes start lol.  

I saw that a couple of my friends and mutuals have joined the new Meta platform called Threads. I'm not sure if I'm ready to join a new social media platform but from what I've seen it looks similar to Tumbler and Twitter. Maybe it's supposed to be the Elon Musk free version.The Meta monopoly is growing and isn't slowing down. Formerly known as Facebook. Inc., Meta now owns and controls its old namesake and sister apps Facebook and Facebook Messenger along with the acquisition of WhatsApp, Instagram and the newly dropped Threads. Reminds me of the old high school U.S. history picture of the octopus gobbling up companies, representing the monopolies that took over during the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries. Anyway heres a post I saw on my friends insta story she made on there that I related to.  Thanks for checking out my blog :) Post by @fallinginsociety View on Threads

This was my first time going to the Pride parade in NYC and I had a blast. I definitely baked in the subway but survived (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧.I was so happy seeing all the self expression, creativity, and most of all diverse representation at NYC Pride this year. The different flags, fans, signs, aesthetics and open acceptance of different gender identities and sexualities was refreshing. There was a little bit of craziness involving a fountain in Washington square park that I did not part take in (fear of ringworm and hepatitis lol). Mr Softee and McDonald's served as safe havens from the heat. Definitely got my steps in, I need to remember to wear sneakers next year. Here are some photos I took throughout the day. Thanks for stopping by on my blog :) P.S. Look it's me, Hilly! I got my photo taken by the lovely @irawilderphoto on Instagram. Definitely a highlight of the day.

I'm planning on making a tab for pieces I post time lapses for on TikTok. I've been trying to get more traffic to my page but not much luck. Trying not to be discouraged and continue to use free time this summer towards my art.╮⁠(⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)⁠╭ Please feel free to check out my page and leave feedback.  Hilly's TikTok Account  (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)⁠❤ I'm attaching the preliminary sketch of my latest piece 'Tinder pfp" hopefully you'll check out the video and see how it turns out. ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧ Also going to be selling stuff on depop ( Hilly's Depop Store ) to try and help my mom out, not much posted atm but a boatload more to come.

 Lol so it's about to be summer and I haven't posted a damn thing. Why you may ask? Well life has been kicking my ass. This past spring was a rough semester (ya girl passed everything tho (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧ ), family issues, health issues, quit my job, got a new job, relationship struggles etc etc etc Things are somewhat looking up however and I've been more active with my art. I've been even doing commissions... Who'd a thunk? Lml but just taking it one day at a time and with that trying to revive my little blog here.  So Happy New Year, Valentines, EID, Easter, and HAPPY PRIDE to all my fellow queers 🌈🌈🌈🌈 P.S. new gender identity just dropped so I made a meme (Debby Ryan hair tuck) same pronouns as before tho: she/they. But yeah demi girl... Not me having a micro label (⁠ ⁠´⁠◡⁠‿⁠ゝ⁠◡⁠`⁠)  Toodles for now loves