‘Our voices. Our Lives chronicles Atlanta’s Black and Brown creatives

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Feagins had an early interest in all kinds of arts: screen printing, film developing, graphic design and especially hip-hop. By the time he began studying at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, his world revolved around the lyrics of his favorite artists (Run DMC, Public Enemy, Outkast), and he couldn’t help but wonder what real-life experiences they had inspired.

Using his college film classes as a launching pad, Feagins began directing music videos for local rappers and DJs while dabbling in beat-making in his spare time. His first feature-length documentary, “The art of living” (2006), explored the rise to fame of Pittsburgh duo ChaRon Don and DJ Huggy, combining old concert footage and intimate interviews to capture the spirit of Pittsburgh’s early hip-hop scene.

Since then, Feagins has dedicated his career to telling the stories of other creatives from marginalized groups. His work covers everything from Atlanta murals to the local b-boy/b-girl scene to the impact of fatherhood on emerging hip-hop artists. In all of these projects, Feagans says his top priority is giving a platform to people who look like him – people whose voices might otherwise be ignored by mainstream media.

While “Our voices. Our lives” is now Feagan’s main focus, it started as a side project when he was assigned to direct two episodes as interstitials for a music-focused cable network. The collaboration with the network subsequently fell through, but Feagans decided to release the episodes on his own and continue producing them.

Each episode of the series explores the work of an Atlanta-based creator, showing how their life experiences have shaped their perspectives on creativity and business. In one episode, printmaker and podcaster Jamaal Barber describes how coming across a screen printing demonstration at a paint store completely changed his life path, inspiring him to learn the printing process himself and make some a career. In another, visual artist and animator Divine Wizz explains how a serious cycling injury led her to pursue abstract art to make sense of her experience.

Credit: Photo by Photo by W. Feagins, Jr.

Credit: Photo by Photo by W. Feagins, Jr.

Feagins even delves into food as an art form in an episode with Disha Gaitor, founder of the globally inspired catering company 2 Pieces of Toast. Gaitor speaks fondly of learning from his mother in the kitchen and turning her love of food into a thriving business and community. In all episodes of “Our Voices, Our Lives,” Feagins shows that the creativity of Atlantans is evident not only in street murals and galleries, but in all aspects of urban life.

In many cases, Feagins’ videos have helped star artists launch new businesses and expand their audiences, which he says is always the most rewarding part of the job.

“Being involved in the creative community, I feel like this is my way of giving back,” he says. “I want to contribute and not just profit from it.”

Feagins also hopes to help stop the erasure of these creative efforts from Atlanta’s history — a task that seems increasingly daunting as gentrification accelerates in the city. He worries about how artists will continue to live and thrive as rising prices continue to disrupt long-standing communities, particularly those of people of color. “Our voices, our lives” therefore became bigger than just documenting the Atlanta art scene; it’s a way to preserve and protect the heart and soul of the city.

Credit: ArtsATL

Credit: ArtsATL

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