LIVE

Colorful mural in the Raleigh warehouse district

Yup, I skip down sidewalks

Downtown never fails to surprise in all their unexpected locations to shoot. While i'm not a native Raleighian, if that's even a word, I do take a certain amount of pride in my city and all it has to offer. The city has so many random locations that I believe have been rejected, overlooked and of course not well taken care of but there is so much beauty in the things people throw away. My mom and I just walked the city streets being inspired block by block. I was like a kid in a candy store.

I saw so many abandoned buildings and wanted to get into a time machine and go back for a second and see what these buildings once were. Seeing the street art drew my imagination to places it hasn't been in years. And clearly, from the pictures, you see I was inspired to bring out my inner child. I suggest everyone skip around the city streets randomly for no apparent reason at all. LOL, it's freeing. While the signs of most of the abandon buildings read DANGER! NO TRESPASSING! I often wonder what these buildings were. Old factories? Clothing stores? Old space for art galleries? Businesses that tanked? There are so many untold stories about this city that I want to dig a little deeper to investigate and figure it out. I want to know all about colored walls, the broken glass windows, the graffiti, the buildings, everything!

I want to revisit this area and explore some more when I'm not held down by the parking meter and all it's evil ticketers pacing the city streets for violators. Yes, I know, after 5 parking is free, but by then the sun would have clocked out for the day and I would not be able to capture the light that beams down on these mysterious buildings and broken windows. Call me hyperbolic but being in these locations I become apart, immersed in all it's attractions and my justification; I was an English major so I have a unique appreciation for beauty and my emotions take over from there. I propose you walk your city streets, explore, feel, be inspired, inspire, be apart, put your phone down and connect and most of all, LIVE!

Till next time.

Sincerely,

Deidra Marie