Alyssa Rosenheck - The New Southern Style: The Interiors of a Lifestyle and Design Movement

TO THE NEW SOUTHERN COMMUNITY,

I WROTE THIS FOR YOU. AS A THANK-YOU FOR THE DAILY LOVE, ENERGY, AND WARMTH YOU SEND MY WAY. THESE PAGES ARE A REMINDER THAT WE ARE ALL STRONGER TOGETHER, RESPECTING OUR DIFFERENCES, HONORING OUR CURIOSITIES, EXPANDING INTO OUR TRUTH, AND RECLAIMING THE CREATIVE LIGHT THAT LIVES WITHIN US. THESE PAGES ARE YOURS AND SO IS A PIECE OF MY HEART.

THANK YOU

Some things in the South are constant. Come-as-you-are hospitality. The sweetest of teas served on wide front porches meant for gathering. Thick drawls and even thicker summer air. Pride in who you are and where youre from.

For a culture whose history runs deeper than its oak trees, these roots of tradition and conviction are strong and lasting.

But some things in the South are New. In a place of complicated social norms and dated perspectives, there is a powerful contemporary movement fueled by creative entrepreneurs who are following our passions and taking risks. Were using vulnerability as a catalyst for both creative and personal growth and taking whats beloved, inherent, and honored from our affiliations with the South and making it our own. We are presenting ideas in fresh ways, all the while focusing on unity and acceptance. In turn, the Souths creative entrepreneurs are the new tastemakers, bringing a unifying energy to communities who now look to artists and influencers for inspiration, rather than taking cues from societys elite. Though the American South is generally a culture that moves slowly, there is a tangible forward-moving energy. Its starting in the cities and is spreading, breaking free from its guilty past and moving toward the light through creativity, innovation, risk-taking, openness, and a genuine passion to build upon the best of Southern culture. Women for example, are no longer silent and share a voice that can be heard fighting racism and social injustice. Creatives are also opting for speaking out over silence, projecting bravery and purpose over perfection.

We dont pretend the South has reconciled itselfthis is a land that has been built by and taken from enslaved people. We are committed to having the uncomfortable discussions, telling the truth, and letting our curiosity fuel questions, in the name of moving civil liberties, gender equality, and race relations forward. I am merely a photographer and storyteller, but my goal is to shine light on the idea that art and creativity reveal that we are far more alike than different. I am committed to helping change the narrative.

Those of us who subscribe to The New Southern are using our voices as a force for kindness and oneness rather than division and judgment. We are using our craft to change the perception that emotional output is a weakness, to reveal that it is a strength. Ultimately, were paving the way for the next generation to be freer and more open than those before us, and we are shaping The New Southern minds of the future. We are saying, out with the old formalities and in with the New in our hearts, our minds, our homes, and our businesses, by embracing creative prosperity and community.

THE ORIGINSI am on a plane in my usual window seat, inspired by the clouds moving by me, on the way to photograph another home. I think about light and how without it, you and I wouldnt be here together in this very moment. Gratitude is filling my heart, and I get goosebumps as I think about all the moments that have brought me to this point in my life. Has it been easy? No. But was it all worth it? One hundred percent. I have allowed myself to become obsessed with light, both literally and figuratively. My career as an architectural and interiors photographer is spent following the light as it moves from room to room. Six years ago, I reimagined an antiquated corner of the photography world. I am not your typical photographer. Pioneering a new way of doing business within the industry, I work with clients who are designers and architects to communicate both their brand and expand their digital footprint. With the exposure I create for my clients, I have helped build many small businesses over the years. My camera is my tool, it is the way I communicate with the world, and it was my healing catharsis when I had cancer.