Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself… by Tatiana – In The Mix #1

December 18, 2008 Tatiana EL-Khouri 29 Comments

My name is Tatiana and I’m an artist and designer and I work with Michael Davis on a variety of projects. One of those projects has been building this site.

Putting together this site has been a fantastic experience. The blend of some of the greatest columnists and exciting new original content has made Michael Davis World (MDW) the place to be. I’m pretty net savvy and I speak from experience when I say this site is unique.  There is a lot more groundbreaking, entertaining content coming but that’s a column for another day.

However while maintaining the site, I realized Martha Thomases was the only female columnist and brought that to Michael’s attention. To which he soundly looked at me and calmly said “ So what?”  I said I wanted a spot and he looked me up and down and said; “You’re not Asian.”  I told him neither was Martha and he told me; “No, but she has magical powers and you do not.”

Well I have something better… Access! Access to the site that is- so I’m officially bogarting a spot in the great land of MOTU and declaring Thursdays as Tatiana’s In The Mix days.

What’s Michael going to do? His technical expertise ends with the ON button.

I have nothing but respect for Michael. Since being apart of Michael’s management group, my career and artwork have grown leaps and bounds. There is something to be said about a person that can secure 25 hotel rooms a week before Comic Con, set-up a meeting with Stan Lee, and get me a development meeting at a major network- with one phone call.

This is not a fluff piece about Michael Davis, I’m merely highlighting that he rolls in high circles. Above and beyond his over the top personality, he truly believes in nurturing young talent and granting access to dedicated and promising talent who have respect and are willing to do the work. I, by all accounts, am a workaholic and proud of it. As I mentioned above I’m an artist, designer and web goddess but I have a bit of juice myself.

I’ve returned some of the favor to MOTU by introducing him to some things as well. I was instrumental in getting his artwork in the African American Heritage Month Calendar for the Mayor of Los Angeles and convinced him and Mike Gold to be a judge for the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles illustration competition, of which I’m currently the Vice President/ Show Chair. I’ve been called lucky to have been granted that access.

What people fail to realize is that while access will open the door, I have to do the work. No upper management, successful person will put their reputation or work ethic on the line for a self-entitled, lazy person.  While most of my friends are out partying and traveling, I’m a driven, strong female in my mid 20s working on building an empire and fighting for artistic acceptance in the world.

I’ve done a lot but I’m still very young and there is a whole lot more for me to do and learn. I’ve finished school, I’m building my career, and I’m In The Mix of so many different things. I hope to chronicle my journey here at MDW and invite you all to come along. I also have something to prove to Michael, who told me once; “I’ve forgotten more than you will ever know.”

We shall see Mr. Davis, we shall see…

Oh BTW, it IS just Tatiana, no last name, like Prince only taller. A lot taller!