When she was a child, Nikita Gale dreamed of becoming a paleontologist. But as she got older, she realized the field could trap her into a small corner of study, and she wanted much more room to explore.
So Gale packed her bags and moved from Georgia to Connecticut to attend Yale University (the “gay Ivy” with the motto “one in four, maybe more”) where she earned a BA in Anthropology (Archaeological Studies).
Now, Gale identifies as a conceptual artist who uses photography, text and other imagery to express herself and the world around her. She is one of myriad LGBT artists who add to the diversity and creativity of Atlanta’s artistic scene.
From the annual “Purple Dress Run” to the final night of country / western bar 3 Legged Cowboy, our photographers were on the scene all weekend snapping great shots.
On Saturday, April 30, 2011, the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus performed "Divas 2: Opera Revisited" at the Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University. (Photos by Brent Corcoran / RNZ Photography)
Annual Spring show features women painters
Our latest nightlife, community and news photo galleries
Send us your photos from this week's snow storm
Gallery Director Yu-Kai Lin first opened the contemporary Kai Lin Art in January 2009 to showcase artistic collections in the heart of Midtown Atlanta.
“I opened Kai Lin Art because I knew so many local, talented emerging and established artists who needed a platform to exhibit their works of art,” says Lin, who is gay. “The pieces offered in our gallery range from paintings to photography, sculptures to one of a kind hand-crafted art —all at affordable prices.”
A graduate of Atlanta’s Emory University, Lin gained experience at Lowe Gallery and Mason Murer Fine Art before opening his own gallery.
Atlanta's gay bars and nightclubs threw down in a big way on New Year’s Eve. Our photographers were on-hand at several LGBT watering holes and snapped shots of party-goers into the early hours of the New Year.
Check out our galleries below.
Enjoy!
Jon Arge, or Arge, has made an impact on Atlanta’s art movement for nearly 20 years, from creating flyers for the once popular parties he promoted at the now defunct Metro to unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that hang from the walls of galleries and the homes of close friends and other art lovers.
“When [my pieces] moved from the bathroom to the kitchen to over the mantle, I knew I had made my mark,” he jokes while sitting inside his bedroom, which also serves as his studio.
Arge, 42, whose real name is Randall Jonathan Baker, truly struggled to find his place in the art world. After receiving a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design (in Savannah), he learned the professors there didn’t want him to really draw in his style anymore. A battle of wits ensued as Arge refused to give up his own method and he was eventually asked to leave.
Check out our photos from the parade, Piedmont Park, the Dyke March, the Starlight Cabaret, the Georgia Aquarium and so much more
We snapped more than 2,000 pictures during the Atlanta Pride festival and its many affiliated events. Our photographers were in the park, in the bars and along Peachtree and 10th streets during the parade. Check out our galleries below.