Interviewee:
Joey Phoenix (they/them)
In your words… Tell us about your organization, business, initiative.
~Cinematic Product and Portrait Photography celebrating the weird, the wild, and the creative.~
I am a storyteller who helps entrepreneurial wayfinders and creative dreamers portray themselves and their professional work through highly imagined photography that creates an intentional visual identity.
Tell us a bit about you and why you do what you do? Share your passions for your business, initiative, organization.
My team and I love helping makers, doers, artists, and oddballs explore the unknown and tap into their creative energy.
I build containers for cinematic storytelling that push the boundaries of typical commercial photography, offering my clients space to dream.
My ideal clients are business owners feeling pulled in a new direction and inspired individuals in the midst of a transformational experience.
What role do you think your business plays in supporting a more creative community? OR your community in general. (Bonus! Why do you think a more creative community is important?)
As a transgender, queer, disabled, neurodivergent small business owner I live at the intersection of creativity and social progress. In both my personal and professional life I have sought out pathways for myself and other historically underrepresented communities to be recognized and respected as valid members of the regional economy. Photography is a medium I use for this work, but it’s only one tool at my disposal.
By joining the Collective I aim to increase the visibility of trans and queer artists in the local sphere and make use of the Collective’s advocacy arm to boost that signal. The partnerships I create will forge new thresholds for small business owners with similarly or greater underrepresented identities, thereby reducing barriers to access for all involved.
Creative community is essential because artists and creators have their finger on the pulse of what matters in any community. We see it first and translate it into easily understood mediums.
What was the last book you read OR What was the last video you watched that made an impact on you?
I’m currently deeply entrenched in Dr. Jessica B. Harris’s High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America. It chronicles the history of African cuisine from the continent throughout the diaspora. This lens is essential and, spoilers, most of the food we claim as “American” did not come from pan European white people.
What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you our your business?
The word “Fae” is an honorific like “Mr.” or “Mrs.”
What is Creative Collective?
Creative Collective is a group of economic development strategists, small business supporters, activation specialists, and believers in the importance of the creative workforce. We foster growth, sustainability, and scalability for small businesses, creative thinkers, organizations, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Learn more and join Creative Collective at www.creativecollectivema.com/join
Moonrise Fae & Court of Cryptids
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Magic & Character-themed Entertainment for Wildlings of All Ages. Moonrise Fae and Court Cryptids are two sides of the same coin: a performance troupe serving all those who want their world to be a little more magical and otherworldly. Moonrise Fae serves families and children, often in daytime spaces. Court of Cryptids serves tricksters and adults of the “out late”
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