CThru.com Presents Tony Ward

Artwork By Mikel Elam

Posted By Mikel Elam

I am getting sick and tired of the blatant attempt to undermine Barack Obama’s intelligence and leadership abilities. Basically he walked into a problem created by the previous administration. Everyone now expects him to solve every problem within one and a half years. I think it’s unfair and I know many will not be able to understand this next statement. Some of it is racially motivated. Probably coming from many who don’t think they are racist. It’s like the comment ,”I am not a racist, some of my best friends are black or latino etc, and yet these “friends” really aren’t so much in their lives.
The art represents Obama in a box. The box is getting smaller and smaller trying to squeeze the life out of him. People are taking shots at him. In this case it’s the splatter from paint balls.(I hope nothing worse ever happens) They take shots at him like comparing him to Hitler and calling him a communist, socialist……the list goes on.

Invisible One

So many forget he is a black and white president and he represents the face of real America in the 21st century. Not the confederate flag waving, wishing it would go back to the old days of whites getting to sit and Blacks standing in the back of the bus mentality.
Yes this country is in financial trouble. I am in financial trouble. So in fact I represent someone who should be angry with the status quo. However I recognize where the problems started and no one seems to be holding that person and their administration accountable for past actions.
Its an unfair practice. A selfish act of aggression without thought. Again this reminds me of the times when a person of color opened their mouth only to have a gun placed there to shut them up. Make them disappear.

Invisible Two

Recently I created a series of portraits .Men of color from around the world. I have entitled the series “Invisible” based somewhat on Ralph Ellison’s great novel,”The Invisible Man” who writes about living in a society where we co-exist with others who want us to stay away unless they need us for servitude.
Obama is a reminder to everyone we are not going back to the days of the settling fathers. And thankfully he is very visible.

Self Portrait With Handlebar Mustache

TW: When did you first realize you had a distinct eye for mens fashion?

KS: It began In High school, I was an Art Major, painter and sculptor. I wore black clothing covered in Gesso on purpose, very Jackson Pollock.

TW: Did the way your father dress for work and casual time impact your early view as to how men should approach the way they attire themselves?

KS: Yes my father dressed very well, he was a white collar man. This was the 70’s you had to look fly even for work. He also dressed for evening, Tux all the way. He is a 33 degree Mason so he had to come correct. He wore a wide variety of hats and cologne that made my eyes water, but he was always well groomed. He’s still a fly cat. Smooth like china silk. I love him for that.

Mississippi At the Crossroads: Photo By Kwaku Alston

TW: Who is your favorite menswear designer today?

KS: I like a bit of every one. I take designer sport coats and cut them below the pockets to crop the front of the jacket. I’ve just finished a Paul Smith sport coat. I’ll rock that today with Pink shoes. I’d also like to add, I only wear ROGER CHARLES NEW YORK, the shirt company I started with a partner in 2007.

TW: We met during the glory days at VIBE during the early 90’s…. How did your tenure there impact your approach to mens fashion as you moved forward with your career as fashion director for several other popular culture magazines, including DETAILS and GEAR?

KS: VIBE was my first real taste of artistic freedom. I could choose my calibrator’s like you my friend. We could test the boundaries of traditional American publishing, go on location and show beautiful nudes. The work was seamless in the context of VIBE. It allowed me to dream and make pictures I wanted to see in a magazine.

Mississippi: Photo By Kwaku Alston

TW: We have both shared the experience of working for the famous Guccione family. I for the father Bob senior. and you for the son Bob junior. What was it like to work for the son of the founder and publisher of Penthouse magazine?

KS: Bob junior is a true original thinker and thoughtful man. A great human being. I was lucky to be in his company and at all times I love him very much. When he writes his memoirs I’ll be first in line to buy the book. He has his place in the American history of publishing. SPIN Magazine stood alone as the voice of the late 70’s and early 80’s. It covered bands that couldn’t get arrested at the time. I could go on forever about Bob. I learned how to bring a product to market, communicate the vision and sell it to marketers. He had a great deal to do with who I am today.

TW: You are currently fashion director for ESPN the magazine. What is the most interesting fashion editorial you have published thus far?

KS: Every year we do a shoot called Kings For a Day. It features up and coming NFL Draft players. Young guys who enjoy the work I do. The other amazing shoot was with the Washington Capital Police posing as Secret Service agents protecting the President. It involved blue screen and great gray suits.

Photo By Albert Watson

Photo By Jody Ake

TW: What is your favorite mens fragrance?
KS: Tough one I have a very bad nose, due to years of allergies. I have worn Calvin Klein Obsession. I think I drained the bottle and never got a refill.
I may start to wear ODIN 04 as it is clean, light and natural.

Self Portrait With Beard

Emily Parker

Posted By Emily Parker

Hello my name is Emily Parker, I am new to the industry and would love to shoot more scenes! I am 23 years old, 5′9, 135 lbs, brown hair and hazel eyes. I am available to shoot b/g, b/j, g/g, b/g/g, group, fetish, solo, soft core, and solo with toys. I do not do gang bangs, DP, or IR. I have attached some photos that were taken a week ago.

Casting Photo One

……….Layla and I met at Club NL, an Amsterdam hipster lounge packed with young beautiful people who enjoy the Dutch night life.

Casting Photo Two

She apparently was already familiar with my work and asked if I would be interested in casting her for one of my shoot’s.

Casting Photo Three

She stopped by the apartment a few days later for a few candid shots………..

On Location Ibiza

……….As soon as my producer Suzaan Talib spotted her on the beach, I knew that she would approach the dark skinned brazilian beauty. Suzy never minced words when scouting for models. She just has a way with people that is very forthright, honest and convincing.

Suzy wandered over to where Cindy was set up on the beach, just yards away from our location. Within minutes she returned to introduce us, a lovely woman from South America who was visiting Ibiza on holiday.

The next day I arranged to take photos of Cindy at Bambuddha Grove, a lovely restaurant and lounge just outside the center of town.

South American Beauty

She was quite the exhibitionist, very quickly removing her clothes and accesssories one article at a time.

Portrait of Erica

……….It seemed for a while that every time Nick called the studio he had another beautiful friend that wanted me to take their picture. The shoot with Dez turned out fine, thanks to Nick. So when he called to make arrangements for me to meet Erica, I immediately asked him to bring her over to the studio for a look see. I was not at all disappointed with the introduction. Erica and I connected immediately, and we agreed to a portrait sitting at a friends house on a sunny summer afternoon.

She was fashion model thin with long legs, a shapely bottom and a very alluring facial structure with beautiful full lips.

Alluring Face

She was very comfortable with her body and enjoyed being photographed in the nude.

Erica Nude In Swimming Pool

Dez Reclining On Bed

………Nick and I drove my car to Cherry Hill, New Jersey to meet up with his friend Dez who wanted me to take pictures of her in her bedroom.

Dez In Her Bedroom

She had a charming apartment, with a particularly seductive bedroom that was set up Boudoir like.

She enjoyed standing next to her vanity partially nude, while striking the most seductive pose.

Dez was enormously charming and had the most beautiful profile I had ever seen……….

Anne

……….I was shooting for Met-Art.com for a while. The models had to be young and naturally beautiful. On one of my many sojourns to Amsterdam, Anne stopped by the apartment to be cast for a Met shoot.

As soon as she disrobed I thought for sure she was perfect for the shoot I had in mind. Test photos are very helpful for making more definitive creative decisions down the road.

Publisher: La Musardine, Paris 2010

……….TW’s most recent publication entitled “WASTELAND” is now available for sale on line. http://www.lamusardine.com/livre/%20/8784-wasteland.html

T Govens

Posted by Gunsmoke

His name is T. Not Mr. T. Not T Bone. Just T. It might as well stand for Trainer, Toned, Tight, Trim or possibly even Terrific; because that’s what makes T something special. This personal trainer looks like an advertisement for a macho muscular magazine. But he’s so much more than mere appearances. Although his appearance is amazingly that of carved chocolate…beautifully carved chocolate to be sure.

“T” Thomas Govens is a native Philadelphian who left the area for a stint in California. Working a variety of jobs and seeing the world from Sunny Cal made him crave his roots. So he’s back in town. The trainer to the stars is now helping us ordinary people here in Philly get it together. Although his pecs and abs might imply only heavy duty basic training regime, he’s really sensitive to the needs of ordinary mortals. He understands the body and he’s in tune with what works. He can be seen at 7 am on a chilly morning putting his more energetic clients through squats and punches in Washington Square Park. Or, he might be in the home of a Rittenhouse Socialite pushing 60 with light weights and an intelligent workout that makes her look her Neiman Marcus best.

T says: “I love my job. It allows me to help people and to be creative in the process.”

He understands that it is not necessary to die an early death on exercise machines in order to maximize the body’s potential. This knowledge has allowed him to tailor training routines to the needs of the individual. It might be exercising in the park or using stairs and furniture in the home as aides to a great workout. He even tailored a training schedule to a frequent traveler by creating exercises that can be done in hotel rooms and in airport waiting areas. (So if you see a woman doing pushups on the steps, you’ll know T is behind it all.)

Making his clients’ look and feel their best is a personal goal. He leads by example. That’s obvious from his photo. His fierce physique belies his soft spoken manner. This is a first class gentleman who is making his mark on the Philly scene. See an amazing body; think of T. He’s probably the brains behind the beauty.