The P ublisher Po stulates
ART, FASHION & ME
I have always claimed to be an artist,
since no one can prove I am not. To me,
art is seeing things as I would like them to
be, even if they are not so in reality. It is a
form of self-delusion that somehow gives
me inner pleasure through the creativity
of others. Likewise, fashion allows me to
project to others what I would like to be,
or at least appear to be. Like so many other
things, my fashions continue to evolve as
styles change from year to year. I believe
fashion is art in a living form. I also think
that even if you cannot tell a book by its
cover, a good cover helps. In this world, we
find people often become what they started
34 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
out pretending to be.
Art and fashion have
become such important
elements of my life. They
give me joy and comfort,
filling my perception of
life with colorful images
and forms that transform
reality into the universe
I personally wish to
experience. They draw me
away from the harsh truths
I prefer not to focus on and
allow me to wallow in a
beautiful world of ideas,
thoughts and illusions.
I use them to escape from
what I prefer not to see or
think about. They have
become selfish indulgences
that bring me happiness
on a very superficial level.
Fortunately, being somewhat shallow, they
help keep me happy in the bubble I call
my world. So if I seem strange to you, it is
because I am. So if you think you might be
a little strange, too, rejoice in the thought.
Strange is fine and for those like myself,
even desirable. 9
Igrew up surrounded
by art and fashion in a
home filled with fun,
food and good fortune.
It was the only world I
knew, and therefore, I
believed it was the norm
for all. I eventually was
surprised to learn I was
beyond fortunate to have
been exposed to that
lifestyle and to be brought
up in that environment.
Our home and our
friends’ homes were filled
with art. My parents were
the epitome of style and
encouraged me to dress
colorfully and uniquely.
They indulged me. When
I went out into the world
on my own after law school,
I immediately began to acquire art and
purchased custom-made clothing and
other accessories to cultivate my own
look and presence. I was admired by some
and laughed at by others, but I tended
to do “my own thing.” Needless to say,
changes were constant. Nehru jackets and
bell-bottom trousers came and went, in
addition to the design, colors and width
of my ties. However, my taste in art has
varied little over the passing years. Our
walls still display my early acquisitions,
which find themselves among many added
newer finds to indulge my concepts of
beauty, thought and meaning.
Publisher / Editor
By Aaron R. Fodiman
This is what I see when I look into a mirror.
LOUIS MARKOYA