upstatecreative

Freelancer Feature: Kristoph DiMaria of Will Kempe’s Players Cooperative

February 14, 2020 By upstatecreative

“I challenge you, the readers, to consider how freelancing not only satisfies the individual creative work experience, but how it can be applied to change how our society operates – think activism, public policy, and working towards intersectional experiences and real inclusivity.” Meet our second Freelancer Friday highlight: Kristoph DiMaria. Many call him Rags, short for “Ragliacci,” his clown-performer-artists identity name. Will Kempe’s Players (Cooperative) is the name of his other business.

Where are you from? Where do you live now? I was born in Troy, NY and grew up in Clifton Park. I moved out at 18 years old to explore the Capital Region, living and working in each of the four cities. From there it was inter/national travel then back home to Troy, NY where I have lived consistently since 2014. I am currently in South Troy.
In what year did you start freelancing? I suppose my freelancing practice started as early as an open guitar case on the streets of Saratoga at 16 years old. I’ve been a notary for three years, officiating weddings for the last four years, divining with runes and tarot for the last 6 years or so, and performing professionally as a musician and actor since 2010. I incorporated Ragliacci LLC and Will Kempe’s Players Cooperative in 2017 and am actively working to consolidate and organize my diverse portfolio into a centralized container.
What inspired you to start? This is a great question. I have always respected the independence and flexibility of freelancing. The opportunity to work with a diversity of people, media, and venues allows for exploration and a natural evolution of one’s art forms. It allows those experiences to affect us and bring us back to ourselves with new awareness. It also allows us to have an effect on those who experience our work, whether audience or collaborator, that deepens relationships and understanding. My biggest push came from the recognition that this failure of late-stage capitalism chooses not to sustainably support artists. The burned-out, crumbling shell of corporate mentality from generations past feels obsolete and oppressive to me. We have to choose ourselves, find our own way, and trust in our impact to do and change, rather than to solely talk about it or trust in a larger system.
What’s your favorite thing about freelancing? My absolute favorite thing about freelancing is the liberty of the work. I am getting to change things up, constantly, and by choice. I follow my inspirations. I set my own schedule. I work with whoever I choose and with those who choose me. At the end of the day, I am accountable only to myself and my loved ones, and that’s what matters.
What’s the most difficult part about freelancing? Consistency is definitely a challenge. A freelancer responds more to the will of the market (or their audience), more than the other way around. Setting boundaries that include a narrative of self-care, such as creating just to create, making quality time for oneself and loved ones, or resting from work entirely can be a tricky balancing act.
What’s your advice to a freelancer just starting out? Finding a rhythm takes time. So does building an audience and context for your work to operate it. Do not despair at hearing “no” or when things seem to take a long time to manifest. Be flexible. Think broadly. Try all the things and be conscious of the responses you get.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started? I wish that I had known how important time and resource management is. I would have greatly benefitted from already having a routine, schedule, and budgeting practice. The learning curve is starting to taper off, however, and I am grateful for the in-flight lessons thus far.
Your most exciting project to date? The most exciting project is still in its primordial form and involves opening and facilitating a multidisciplinary arts and community space in the Capital Region that serves collaborators and the neighborhood it will exist in.
Any helpful “freelancer-friendly” resources you recommend using? Digital: Asana, Instagram, Google Suite. In-person: Power Breakfast Club, Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy, and attending other freelancers’ events / supporting their work.
Why is it great to be a freelancer in the Capital Region? There is such a diverse wealth of creators and ideas here. We’re in a unique position to shape the culture of this area with our work. It’s a fairly affordable area to live/work in and there is a lot of access to outdoor spaces like parks, rivers, and mountains that keep us healthy and sane.

Stay tuned for our third Freelancer Friday highlight next week!

Contact:

Email: Ragliacci@gmail.com

Facebook: @ragliaccirags

Instagram: @ragliacci

www.willkempesplayers.com

Corey Aldrich : Top Picks in Downtown Troy

February 12, 2020 By upstatecreative

One of the things that attracts me to Troy the most is the diversity of culture, thought, gender and generally, the open-minded vibe I get hanging out downtown. The diversity spans socio-economic and age demographics. This is seen in many of the downtown residents and also the city government. Downtown Troy is a great combination of small and medium independent, entrepreneurial businesses and has strong arts and creative destinations. Troy arguably has the most robust farmers market in the region, having been in operation for over 20 years, it attracts tens of thousands of attendees per year to the downtown area. Many of the downtown businesses also have strong identities, not just programmatically and aesthetically but also in the groups of people that they attract, kind of like mini cultural micro-climates to borrow a landscape architecture term. Speaking of architecture, the architecture and rich industrial and cultural history of Troy are a significant player in the experience you have here.

As a creative freelance professional, this environment is supportive and stimulating. In a simple trip for morning coffee its possible to run into musicians, PHD students, architects, film people, gaming programmers, coders, makers, fashion designers, stylists, photographers, engineers, lawyers, poets, philosophers, producers, urban farmers, historic preservation professionals, professors and retirees…the list goes on. It’s not uncommon for us to have film crews from independent and major studios location scouting here from all over the country (HBO is currently working on a series here called ‘The Gilded Age‘). Troy is a current darling in that way and is increasingly providing quality freelance work for people in our region. Additionally, we have 2 important campuses in downtown including RPI and SAGE College which help contribute to an intellectually stimulating scene.

What also makes the downtown great is the scale. Like many well designed older cities, it’s walkable. It’s best to just park your car and enjoy strolling the various blocks to get to all the rich opportunities there are to experience. For the long term, my fear is that we will jump the shark and allow development that will gentrify our city overmuch. I am hoping however that we can hold the beautiful balance we currently have and spread new development interest out from the city center into contiguous neighborhoods, keeping the rich diversity that we hold so dear downtown while spreading investment dollars further out from the city center. This would create a positive impact on a greater number of citizens, thereby increasing the value of the city as a relocation destination. So much to say but suffice it to say, here are a few of my top pics for a day in the life of a downtown Trojan.

FAVORITE ENTERTAINMENT

EMPAC’s ongoing FREE lecture series.

EMPAC : The Experimental and Performing Arts Center

FAVORITE COFFEE SPOT(S)

Little Pecks with Superior Merchandise a close second!

BEST DATE SPOT

The Charles Lucas Confectionary

BEST ART HANGOUT

Troy Night Out Exhibition Openings at the Arts Center of the Capital Region (Shameless plug: ARTS BAR!)

FAVORITE BARTENDERS

Amanda at Nighthawks | Scott at The Berlin Lounge

BEST PLACE TO BE OVERSTIMULATED

Franklin Alley Social Club (Shuffle Board league and old school arcade games in an old basement bowling alley!)

MOST INTERACTIVE SOCIAL SPACES

Troy Kitchen an ethnic food court | Bard and Baker over 750 board games!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Ryan’s Wake (Locals Happy Hour Hang), Sunhees Farm and Kitchen,
Troy Music Hall and Rare Form Brewing.

The Hill at Muza, not downtown but walkable in the summer and worth the trip!

Corey Aldrich currently lives and works out of Troy New York where he has an experiential design and events company called 2440 Design Studio.

Freelance Feature: Jayana LaFountaine of Jayana LaFotos

February 7, 2020 By upstatecreative

There are over 16,000 freelancers in the Capital Region’s Creative Economy. In celebration of “Freelancer February,” for the next four Fridays, we will be highlighting four talented individuals from different backgrounds, with different stories, and different visions. We hope you will take inspiration from their stories and use this as a potential opportunity to collaborate and support the freelancers in our communities.

First up: Jayana LaFountaine of Jayana LaFotos

Where are you from? Where do you live now?: I am from Springfield Massachusetts and I currently live in Troy, NY.
In what year did you start freelancing? I began freelancing in 2010.
What inspired you to start? Losing my foster mother at 13 years old painfully reminded me that I didn’t have many photos with her. It has since been my mission to never miss a moment again.
What’s your favorite thing about freelancing? I am my own boss. My success is not about climbing someone else’s corporate ladder but about building my own. I’m in control of how successful I can be.
What’s the most difficult part about freelancing? Money. People don’t always want to pay you what you’re worth.
What’s your advice to a freelancer just starting out? Ask for help and drop your ego. Know that you don’t know sh*t, so ask for help and be a student. The worst thing you can do is be unteachable.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started freelancing? The backend aspect of running a business. I dove in head first and didn’t know about insurance, bank accounts, pricing etc.
Your most exciting project to date? My most exciting project to date is my book. Book of Jayana has been in the works for about four years now and I’m finally working towards releasing it in 2020.
Any helpful “freelancer friendly” resources you recommend using? I would say Collectiveffort and Power Breakfast. Without those two resources I wouldn’t be where I am. They have all helped me in my venture as an entrepreneur by giving me tools such as space to shoot in, marketing and media tips, lessons in life, one on one mentoring, and SO much more. If they can’t supply something I need, 9/10 times they know someone else that can. They’re both for the betterment of our professional and creative community.
Why is it great to be a freelancer in the Capital Region? For me it’s seeing people that look like me and feeling supported by them. They genuinely want to see you succeed and will always lend a helping hand to make sure you do. It’s all love.

It brings me a great deal of joy to capture families and friends of all colors, shapes and sizes because those memories are forever even if we’re not. I am also a Birth and Postpartum Doula, babysitter extraordinaire & DJ. I make it a point to do all of these jobs with love and an immense amount of intention. I thrive off of meaningful connections with people no matter how long or short they may be.

Contact:

Email: jayanaphotos@gmail.com

Facebook: @Jayana LaFotos

Instagram: @jayanalafotos

www.jayanalafotos.mypixieset.com

Photo Highlights: Creative Economy Mixer at Frog Alley Brewing

January 25, 2020 By upstatecreative

The #CreativeEconomyMixer at Frog Alley Brewing was a hit! We enjoyed food tastings by Bountiful Bread, drink tastings by Frog Alley Brewing, an espresso bar by Storied Coffee, and much more! Local vendors included Unconventional Medium, Tough Traveler Ltd., and Theresa With Intention.

Music was provided by Olivia Quillio, and we enjoyed an interesting painting activity courtesy of Create Community Studios. It was a great night for sure, with over 350 in attendance.

Our largest mixer yet!

Special thanks to our sponsors MVP Health Care and Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region, Center for Economic Growth and partners The Collaborative, Create Community Studios, CapGirls NY, Discover Schenectady, Redburn Development, Ellis Medicine, and Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery.

5 Great Places to Visit in Schenectady

January 21, 2020 By upstatecreative

Schenectady has been undergoing a renaissance over the past few years. There’s something new to explore every time you pop by. From craft breweries and distilleries to dynamic restaurants with authentic flavors, and everything in between, Schenectady has become a center for unique boutiques and retail incubators that house local talent. Go see it for yourself… Here are our top 5 favorite spots:

The Clinton Street Mercantile – 148 Clinton Street

AKA the “Merc,” is the downtown go-to spot to shop for local goods made by artisans all over the Capital Region. Its cozy atmosphere holds everything from furniture, jewelry, photography, clothing, and custom work, all creatively curated by the makers in the space. The idea is to give these artists a chance to build a brand, learn how to interact with customers, and encourages them to realize their dreams of owning their own business. They also offer workshops and classes that are led by the vendors themselves. The Merc has expanded to Lark St. in Albany.

Bluebird Home Decor – 514 State Street

When you walk into Bluebird, you walk into this peaceful, comforting, home-like space, surrounded by beautiful work from over 20 artists and businesses from around the U.S. (as well as six fair-trade companies). They sell many vintage pieces that are one-of-a-kind and in our opinions, really speak to the soul. The shop is truly an experience.

The Schenectady Trading Company – 609 Union Street

The holidays have passed, but treating yourself is always in season. That’s where The Schenectady Trading Company comes in. Schenectady native Caroline Bardwell was so inspired by the creativity of the people around her that she opened her business to showcase local goods and connect the modern consumer to the modern producer. We think she’s nailed it. With products covering almost every genre (including workshops!), you’ll walk away with a load of goodies and an appreciation for the amazing breadth of talent living and creating in Schenectady.

Villa Italia – 226 Broadway

Ain’t no sweet tooth, like a CapGirl sweet tooth, so we couldn’t be happier that Villa Italia exists in this world. When you walk in, both your eyes and your nose are treated to a heavenly array of baked goods from cannoli to rugelach to cupcakes and beyond. Seriously, give yourself a moment to take it all in. Inhale. Exhale. Ahhh… For over 50 years, Villa Italia has been treating locals to delicious sweets, but if you’re feeling something savory, they have you covered too with soup, salads, and sandwiches.

b. Inspired – 104 Mohawk Avenue (Scotia)

We love, love, love this store and its impact on its local community. b. inspired is located just outside downtown Schenectady in Scotia. The owner hopes to use this lifestyle concept store as a catalyst to spark further development of the walkable area it resides in. The goal of the shop is to “inspire” and motivate, to create a lifestyle that tells your story in new and interesting ways using handpicked items with an emphasis on a boho-chic vibe. Oh, don’t forget to stop at the terrarium bar and create your own terrarium to bring home!

There’s a flavor for everybody’s taste in Schenectady. Go explore these gems and get lost discovering Schenectady on your own! Be sure to tag us in your adventures, so we can share the love: @CapGirlsNY.