The RAW Artist Collective is back with its September edition of the collaborative monthly showcase this Thursday, September 12, this time entitled “Translations.” Taking place once again at the Eiffel Society on St. Charles Avenue, RAW will present two dozen New Orleans artists in a myriad of mediums from painting and textiles to photography, music and dance.

Walter "Wolfman" Washington by Willow Haley

RAW:natural born artists (www.rawartists.org) is an international, independent arts organization that  presents underground talent to the public through art showcases. In New Orleans every month, the collective’s curators hand-select and feature about 25 local, up-and-coming artists in the categories of fashion, accessories, hair, makeup, film, visual art, photography, performing art, and music. Each collaborative event includes music performances, fashion shows, performing artists, a giant visual art gallery, a DJ, a host, and lots more. The monthly showcases take place simultaneously in multiple cities across the country often on the same day. Each featured artist is profiled on RAW’s international website as well.

This month, the RAW crew selected one of OffBeat‘s own contributing photographers, Willow Haley, as a featured rising lens maven. Haley will present selected works as “Willow’s World” on Thursday evening. A preview of her work samplings can be viewed on the RAW Artists website here.

Of being selected by RAW:NOLA to show this month and on her inspirations as a photographer in New Orleans, Willow says:

“Though I only moved here a few years ago,  New Orleans became home the first time I discovered marble statues in the cramped alley three blocks from my apartment; they stand a very dignified guard over nothing at all. New Orleans is terrifying and exhilarating, dangerous and delicate by turns. It smells like fish and garbage and sugar and history, and I wouldn’t dare imagine it any other way. There’s pretty much nothing I enjoy more than wandering around NOLA with my camera – I could spend a lifetime chronicling this city.  With any luck, that’s exactly what I’ll do.

I came across OffBeat Magazine in a hotel lobby within days of moving here, and it quickly became an invaluable guide.  I started shooting for OffBeat a little over a year ago, and I love how it gives me the opportunity to cover events and musicians that I already enjoy, but – much more importantly – it continues to introduce me to aspects of the city that I would probably never have discovered on my own.

New Orleans' "Tambourine Lady" by Willow Haley

Honestly speaking, my website (www.willowsworldphoto.com) is a little bipolar – I have been a wedding and event photographer for many years, and though I absolutely love what I do, my Louisiana photos are starting to overrun the site.  My contribution to RAW primarily focuses on New Orleans (though it incorporates some of my wanderings into southern wildlife preserves) – the specific contributions are available at www.willowsworldphoto.com/Other/RawNewOrleans.“

Willow will share the walls of the unique music, cuisine and art house that is Eiffel Society with 24 other local artists starting at 7 p.m. tonight, where tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Live performances from Chard Gonzalez, Luxley, Kr3wcial and DJ Dxxxy are the musical highlights, hosted by Matthew Irimpen.