Today we’d like to introduce you to Reagan Frazier.
Reagan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Arts has always been a part of my life, beginning with music when I was only five years old. It was something that my parents required of my sister and I growing up. So at the time, it just felt like a rule but now that I’m older, I see it as my gateway into art-making. I ended up in an arts high school for music. There I became conscience of how much I liked being surrounded by artists. People who were passionate and showed me ways of thinking differently. I very much wasn’t sure of what my own passions were at the time, as at that time I realized I didn’t have the discipline or sensibilities to be a professional musician. I always had photoshoots with my sister and cousin during the summertime and used videos for artistic projects as it was more natural to me than drawing.
So I just took a leap to carry that over with me into college, knowing that if it wasn’t as fun as I imagined, I would back out. In college to my surprise, I found the visual language to be natural to my tongue. I realized how deeply and fully I felt I could express and learn about myself through it. I was in a conservatory so I slept, ate and drank it. The deeper I got the more it opened up for me. I found my passion and even deeper than that, I realized I needed it to make sense of the world around me. And in that discovery found out I was an artist. Through an incredible alumni network, I have been able to successfully move to LA and begin working in the film industry. Creating my own prints as well as starting up a small Zine company “LÜCE” that features photography from up and coming BIPOC photographers. Shooting music videos, fashion films and avante garde work. I have so much more I want to do but it will always center around uniting us as a people and illuminating our internal worlds.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The things I feel I’ve struggled with the most on this journey all are internal ones. Of course, they were reflected around me in the people or situations I encountered, but mostly how I dealt or absorbed those situations. I would say my biggest struggle and one I’m still learning is how to navigate white spaces. I am an extremely passionate person and a proclaimed truth teller. All of that being wrapped in a black woman has caused problems. As a women, white spaces ask that you not take up too much room. And as a black women they ask that you not be too passionate (ergo the angry black women stereotype). I have struggled finding a balance of staying true to my nature while refining it to make it more effective in non-confrontational spaces. I have been told “you have a strong personality, you are too fiery, you are too much” etc. in corrective ways. And I’ve had to weed out who I actually am and who others want me to be, to be more palatable. I have had to see the places in which I let my passions or truth be told without love or consideration; to visit the deep underbelly of what it means to be a woman who takes up space and isn’t afraid of being heard. So I have been just learning those lessons along the way, usually in different manifestation of struggles. But rarely does anyone find their voice without struggle.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I would consider myself a cinematographer and photographer. I am most proud of the community and environment I create in all of my artistic endeavors.f The healing and truth that is apart of every part of my process. Environment is what initially got me into art-making so it is only fitting that it’s also what keeps me in it. I’m excited to uplift photographers and artists from marginalized groups. I am super proud of the people I call peers and friends. What sets me apart is that I’m not trying to be set apart! I am trying to radiate the light that I see in others. We are mirrors to each other.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I would define success as anything that brings you closer to the truth. I like this definition because it leaves room for unexpected avenues to that (including “failures”! ) and is possible to achieve in the present moment. I think you can know you are on this path if
~ You have more questions than when you started.
~ Feel peace where you are.
~ Other peoples natural beauty illuminates in your presence (this is a sign you have brought the truth back with you).
~ Gratefulness.
~ Generosity in any form.
~ Failures that you learn from… lots of them!
~ An overarching feeling that you are enough and what you have is enough (no sense of lack).
~ Love based decision making ( as opposed to the more popular fear-based decision making).
~ A flexibility and suppleness.
Pricing:
- Prints run from $10-$70
- LÜCE photojournal zine (only avail 2021) $40-$60
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reaganjfrazier.com/purchase and https://vimeo.com/user31445492
- Instagram: @reagan_love and @lucephotojournal
Image Credit:
Reagan Frazier
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