Arline Malakian - International Fashion Photographer

http://www.factoryfoto.com/Raquel/arline-2.html

http://www.armeniandiaspora.com/archive/36523.html


Beautiful dreamer: Date With Arline Malakian July 30, 2005 22:04:39National Post (Canada)July 30, 2005 Saturday Toronto EditionBeautiful dreamer: Date With Arline MalakianSusanne Hiller, Weekend PostArline Malakian thinks about beauty all the time. Over the past twodecades, the elfin fashion photographer has taken thousands of photosfor glossy magazines and high-end retail clients such as Alfred Sung,Nygard and Holt Renfrew."I live and create beauty but I fight it, too," said Malakian, 45,over lunch this week at the Pure Spirits Oyster House and Grill inToronto's funky Distillery District. "For me, there is always thatbattle to fight what beauty can become, that idea that beauty has tobe perfect." Despite a power outage downtown, the restaurant is one of the few inthe area that has remained open. They have produced a hastilyimprovised barbeque menu. For Malakian, who is pretty much a healthfreak, it is just good karma."That means the calamari will be grilled, right?" Malakian asks thewaitress. "Oh good, that is exactly the way I like it. You have torespect your body."Malakian chose this spot to meet not only because she loves seafoodbut also because she frequents the nearby photo lab. And even thoughshe works at the other end of town, she likes hanging out here,poking around the art studios and galleries. She knows the districtwell: She had lots of suggestions for the National Post photographerabout pleasing corners with decent lighting.She is slightly nervous because after our lunch she is attending thefirst screening of Beauty Quest, a documentary in which she is thesubject. The film focuses on her attempts to shoot "the definingpicture of beauty" over the course of two months on the streets ofToronto, an interesting assignment for a woman who is used to workingwith models, beauty teams, elaborate sets and big budgets."And also I was not used to being filmed," says Malakian, who lookslike a model herself in her skinny jeans and huge wedge heels. "I hadto learn to forget and allow the moment to be. I was surrounded byfilm crew and I had to learn to let myself become one body witheveryone around me."This is how Malakian talks. She is all about "true essences" and"windows to the soul" and watching educational TV. But she is sosweet and friendly that her earnestness doesn't come across ascontrived or annoying.Born in Beirut of Armenian descent, she moved to Toronto with herfamily and went to the Ontario College of Art and Design. She tooktwo photography courses and opened her own studio when she was 25.She moved to Paris soon after to find her "own language and freeherself of constraints." It was only then that she could return tothe commercial world with some peace of mind."The responsibility," she sighs, sipping on her sparkling water andpicking at her organic greens, "it weighs on my shoulders. I do notwant women to be inspired by a beauty that is unachievable.Hopefully, I am not imposing. In that glossy world, my pictures arefantasies, not norms."For this doc, however, she photographed ordinary women of all agesand backgrounds, everyone from veteran journalist June Callwood tocard-playing seniors. Malakian eventually decided she needed to do aself-portrait."I felt in order to undress others I had to undress myself. I had tothink 'what glasses do I wear when looking at myself.' At the end, Ihad to ask the question: 'Can I be completely detached from my ownreflection?' I found that even if we do believe that beauty is aninner thing, it is difficult not to judge yourself. So, for me,personally, the beauty quest continues."And what photo did she choose as defining beauty?After much deliberation, she selected an image of a 22-year-old womanwearing a hooded sweatshirt on a streetcar. The photo will befeatured in the Dove Real Beauty Photography Exhibit, which istouring Canada in August. It features the work of other well-knownfemale photographers such as Annie Leibovitz."I don't know much about that girl I met on the streetcar. She wasunemployed and she was worried she hadn't washed her hair. But wemade a real connection. She allowed me to see her beauty and Iallowed her to feel beautiful. She skipped her stop so I couldphotograph her and we had this magical moment."Malakian asked the women she photographed to share their thoughts onself-image and beauty. A design assistant who sews for the Comragsclothing line, for example, defined beauty as the ability to "jugglereal life and not look like a hobo." An 84-year-old woman toldMalakian she didn't consider herself beautiful, but felt she was "nothard to look at.""One person said 'God made me the way I am and I have to honour it,'" she says. "That was beautiful. It was refreshing. I thought therewould be more stereotypes."GRAPHIC: Black & White Photo: Yvonne Berg for National Post; Accustomed to being behind thecamera lens, Arline Malakian found herself the subject of adocumentary about finding beauty.

Mariska Hargitay - Joyful Heart Foundation

http://www.mariska.com/about/

http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/

Mariska Hargitay headlines the NBC crime drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," now in its seventh season, as the unit's veteran detective Olivia Benson. Her portrayal of Detective Benson won her the 2005 Golden Globe for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, as well as nominations for an Emmy and a SAG Award in 2004 and 2005. Mariska's many other honors include nominations in the show's freshman season (1999-2000) for Best Actress by the Viewers of Quality Television, for Favorite Actress in a New Series by the TV Guide Awards, and for Best Performance by an Actress in a Drama Series by the International Press Academy. She is also the recipient of the 2004 Gracie Allen Award for Individual Achievement for Best Female Lead Actress in a Drama Series on behalf of American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT)."As a woman," says Mariska, "it's gratifying to play a part that's a multi-layered challenge. Olivia is not only a competent, street-smart cop, she's an empathetic woman who can respond compassionately to victims of terrible crimes without compromising her professionalism."Mariska's work on SVU has prompted her to help real-life survivors of sexual assault. In 2002, she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, which is dedicated to introducing dolphin-human therapy to survivors of sexual assault. Working hand in hand with rape-crisis centers and counselors, the Joyful Heart Foundation synthesizes all of the components of the healing process (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental) into one therapeutic experience.Mariska sits on the board of the Mount Sinai SAVI (Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention) program and has done public service announcements for NBC's "The More You Know" campaign, as well as for Safe Horizons, a national advocacy program for victims of crime and abuse. She has also lent her time and resources to many other worthy organizations, such as the Santa Monica Rape Crisis Treatment Center; Project ALS; the Girl Scouts of America, for whom she gave talks for young women; and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness (JRI), for which she hosted the 2003 event "An Evening of Music, Laughter, Inspiration and Awareness" in Los Angeles.Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mariska is the youngest daughter of screen legend Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay. Mariska is married to actor Peter Hermann and lives in New York City. She and Peter are expecting their first child in the Summer of 2006.

Ingrid Achtymichuk - Creative Strategist

http://www.upwardboom.com/about.html

Ingrid Achtymichuk, President, and Creative Strategist of UpwardBoom, has over 10 years' experience in the marketing and graphic design industry. She has worked for both small design firms and worldwide advertising agencies servicing independent business owners, start-ups, non-profits, national and international corporations. Committed to the future of the industry, she has taught Graphic Design at both George Brown College and Seneca@York.
Ingrid is a graduate of York University and is an accredited member of the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (R.G.D.), the professional body of practicing designers. Ingrid also facilitates educational seminars, develops and manages client and associate relationships, and oversees all design and marketing under the UpwardBoom umbrella.

Anita Ryan: Goddess Chronicler from Australia

http://www.goddess.com.au/

http://www.goddess.com.au/Writer/

Anita Ryan is a freelance writer based in Western Australia. She gets her inspiration from sunsets, dolphins and the fear of starvation. She believes in belief, and loves love.

Anita Ryan is a young-thirties (excluding GST) ineligible bachelor, motivational speaker and freelance writer. She enjoys writing things that raise eyebrows, tickle the funny bone and knock socks off. In her spare time (only joking, there is no spare time!) she is writing her unauthorised autobiography and reading rejection letters from Mills and Boon.

Shari Darling: Harmony on the Palate

http://www.sophisticatedwino.com/

THE HOST
Shari Darling is the syndicated radio and newspaper columnist, The Sophisticated Wino. She has written several books on food and wine, with the latest one called Harmony On The Palate. Harmony celebrates breakthrough principles in pairing wine with food, along with simple recipes and matching wine notes. Shari is the creator of the Icewine Flavour Wheel and The Canadian Wine Wheel, learning tools used to educate food and wine lovers about Canadian wine.
Shari Darling, The Sophisticated Wino

Both Harmony On The Palate and the Canadian Wine Wheel are available for sale in her E-SHOP. Click the E-SHOP icon above to enter the shop.As a feature writer, Shari writes articles for several magazines, including Canada's national one called TIDINGS.

Shari Darling was co-host of the national TV series, ‘Simply Wine and Cheese’ with the late Al Waxman. She was also the regular ‘resident wine expert’ on the national daily TV show, ‘Homestyle’ with Anne Kennedy. Author, co-author and ghostwriter, Shari has written eight books, one of which was a bestseller. Five of these books celebrate food and wine pairing. For her books, Shari has been interviewed on news and lifestyle programs throughout Canada, such as Dini Petty, Breakfast TV, WTN Weekday, Canadian Living Magazine TV, Global News, CFTO News, CTV News and many more.

A standing member of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada, Shari Darling is presently designing and implementing the first ‘Wine Certificate Program’ at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. She is also co-author of the ‘The Wine Manual’, which has served as the most sought after manual for sommelier and wine training in colleges and universities across Canada for the past seven years.

Shari Darling has written countless articles for newspapers and magazines and served as a regular wine columnist for the national trade magazines, ‘Wine Tidings’ and ‘Enoteca’ and a hip-cool rag called ‘Scene’ for gen-Xers living in London, Ontario. She has also served as a wine judge in places such as New York and Beijing.