Thriving through change to CREATE with art museum director Alison Byrne

Jeff Tarkenton of Mirth Inkorporated on Leading a PUNK Life in the 757

Real, energetic and unapologetically unfiltered, Jeff Tarnkenton stood in front of several original artworks as he kicked off our June Creative Morning gathering in The Garage, needing very little introduction. The artist, curator and filmmaker – a dynamic force and facilitator – within the local arts scene was greeted by cheers and enthusiasm as he kicked off his talk and took us on a journey through his proudly PUNK life.

Jeff’s rebellious journey began not long after losing his father, a satirical cartoonist for The Virginian-Pilot, when he was just nine years old. Unchecked grief, he explained, snowballed into anger, which he channeled in skating and surfing. While these activities were primarily solitary, their punk-music soundtracks provided both company and comfort. In the no-rules-apply environment of the skateboarding scene, Jeff found unlimited freedom.

With an eagerness to break away and with nothing to lose, Jeff followed friends down to St. Augustine, Fla., in his early 20s. There, they transformed the empty pool in an abandoned house in the woods into their own skate park, spray-painting and graffiti-bombing any available surface they could find. Jeff’s handiwork even landed them in several niche skateboarding magazines, cementing his punk “street cred.”

“What could be more punk rock than jumping off a flight of stairs on a piece of wood with wheels?”

Ultimately, it was this “do it yourself” attitude of the punk ethos that would influence Jeff well beyond his younger years. By his early 30s, tired of being tired and determined to nurture his artistic talents, Jeff quit alcohol and drugs and began focusing on art as a serious endeavor.

His sobriety changed everything, Jeff vulnerably shared with the group. Graffiti and street-art projects soon paved the way for commissioned murals at local restaurants, cafés and even the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). As of a year ago, Jeff is officially a full-time professional artist, lending his talents around Coastal Virginia in a variety of mediums.

What began as a pop-up art show 10 years ago is now the area’s well-established Artist’s Block. Imagined and led by Jeff, he refers to the beloved event as a “carnival of which I am the ringleader; it’s like microdosing a circus!” Dozens of local artists and creators have benefited from Jeff’s spirited efforts, which now extend far beyond a block.

In the DIY spirit that has inspired him from the beginning, Jeff pursued filmmaking. In 2020, he produced and directed “The Shadowlawn Creeper,” an homage to his favorite 80s b-horror movies.

“I want my art to show others that they can do whatever they believe they can do.”

Jeff’s Mirth Inkorporated brand was inspired by a sense of “joyful mischief” and the ethos of the punk subculture. Rebelling against the status quo, carving out his own path and remaining authentically himself, Jeff says, is the only way he wants to live. In this way, he plans to be “punk” for the rest of his life – and everyone in attendance can agree, Virginia Beach is the better for it.

“Virginia Beach is punk. Here, it’s not about where you’re from but about where you are. Just be a decent human!”

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Written by CMVB volunteer blogger Valeria L. Palmertree

Join us every third Friday in 2025 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Recent themes have included Cycle, Layers, Revival, Punk and Parallel. July’s theme is MENTOR, and our featured speaker will be Deirdre Love, founder of Teens with a Purpose.

CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.

Architect Alec Yuzhbabenko Shares His Vision for the Upcoming REVIVAL of the former Virginia Beach Dome Site

Just weeks after The Dome’s long-anticipated opening, over 60 guests gathered in The Garage VB to hear from Alec Yuzhbabenko, the visionary design architect whose vision for the REVIVAL of the storied venue’s former site is coming to life in the heart of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

To help introduce his vision for the future of Virginia Beach, Alec took us to his past in Odessa, Ukraine, where he found comfort on the beach, drew inspiration from the port city’s courtyard apartment blocks, Art Nouveau architecture, and nurtured his worldly outlook through travel.

When Alec’s father, a marine electrical engineer, accepted a job in Mobile, Ala., Alec was catapulted to a very different landscape from the one he’d been used to. Surrounded by American suburbia, Alec took up skateboarding and, eventually, surfing, wading into the emerald-green waters of Northwest Florida. By the time the family moved again – this time to Virginia Beach – Alec had come to recognize water as a throughline in his life.

Alec flourished in Virginia Beach, thanks largely to the city’s lively skateboarding and surfing scene and discovered a passion for the arts and for creating things with his hands, which ultimately led him to pursue a career in architecture. Internships at HBA Architecture & Design, Clark Nexsen and, notably, SOM in Chicago cemented Alec’s belief in the impact that architecture could have on urban planning and the future of cities across the world.

In 2015, Alec earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Virginia Tech, with a thesis that would have implications beyond his wildest dreams. At the heart of his project was a vision for the revitalization of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Titled “Hybrid Typology,” the design proposal envisioned a surf park on the site of what had once been Virginia Beach’s storied entertainment venue, The Dome. Flanked by housing, lush natural elements and gathering spaces inspired by Odessa’s tree-lined cobble-stone streets and courtyard housing, the surf park would serve as the community’s heartbeat.

“I knew right then that I wanted to help create a place that I would want to come home to. I was serious about being able to make a difference through architecture.”

In 2017, Alec, was asked to present his thesis project at a meeting that would change his career and the landscape of Virginia Beach forever. Venture Realty Group was interested in responding to the City’s request for proposals for the revitalization of The Dome’s former site with a surf park as the development’s centerpiece.

Fast forward nearly a decade, and Atlantic Park – a first-of-its-kind mixed-use development in the heart of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront – has begun opening its doors. At the center of it all is a Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon – the country’s first and the first in the world to be integrated into an urban environment. With 46 wave modules, the lagoon will make it possible for surfers of all levels to catch a wave, just steps from the Atlantic Ocean. And picking up where it left off more than three decades ago, The Dome opened its doors on May 4 as a state-of-the-art indoor-outdoor live entertainment venue operated by Live Nation.

“Every aspect of the space has been thoughtfully considered and designed. It was important for there to be a linear throughway to Virginia Beach’s culture. From carved motifs and natural landscapes to Pharrell’s musical imprint – quite literally – and nods to our history as a military town, everything has been sculpted with this community in mind.”

Now a Design Principal at Hanbury, Alec has worked with more than 40 consulting firms and 250+ individuals who have been involved in Atlantic Park’s planning, design, permitting and final execution. Components of the project will continue to open this summer and into the fall.

“It is humbling to be up here today to talk about this. I thought my thesis would be gathering dust on a bookshelf, but thanks to this community, we have been able to turn a dream into an evolving perpetual reality.”

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Written by CMVB volunteer blogger Valeria L. Palmertree

Join us every third Friday in 2025 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Past themes have included Cycle, Rhythm, Endurance, Ritual and Parallel. June’s theme is PUNK, and our speaker will be Jeff Tarkenton of The Artist’s Block.

CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.

May 16, 2025 • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EDT • The Garage VB

About the speaker

As a visionary Design Principal at hanbury.design, Alec pursues ambitious projects with a deep commitment to enhancing the human experience through design. His work spans diverse typologies, collaborating with a creative collective that pushes the boundaries of traditional architectural practice. Passionate about design thinking and creative experimentation beyond any single discipline, Alec takes a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to tackling a wide range of projects across an equally diverse range of media.

Local arts advocate and champion, Michael Berlucchi of the Arts Alliance shares insight on how best to support. SHOW UP!

Find the FLICKR photo album from April’s event here: CMVB Apr 2025 | Flickr

“Geometry tells us that parallel lines never meet, but I’d like to argue that they can be bridged. My own life has taught me that,” opened communications consultant and writer Valeria Palmertree on Friday, March 16. As she began her talk, Valeria encouraged the crowd of 75 listeners to consider how PARALLELS may surface in their own respective mediums of creative expression. Valeria has set the stage for her talk with her writing desk from home, adorned with her vintage typewriter, a small bud vase with fresh flowers and a selection of treasured books.

It should come as no surprise that an eloquent writer and storyteller can transfer her gifts from the page to public speaking, even regarding sensitive personal topics. Val, as her friends call her, understands the assignment at hand. She is one of the volunteer members of CreativeMornings VB who has worked for the past year to find engaging and appropriate speakers for every monthly theme. When Valeria expressed interest in being a speaker herself, CreativeMornings VB host, Kate Pittman, encouraged her to consider Parallel, as she had some insight into Val’s recent health and motherhood experiences.

Upon reflection, Valeria creatively organized her talk into relatable reflections of how she has lived in a Parallel life experience since her family first immigrated to America from Argentina when she was just 8 years old. Settling in Miami Beach long before her neighborhood became known as “Little Buenos Aires,“ Valeria shared, the move was filled with both excitement and fear. Her family moved to a place with no known friends or family to offer support.

Valeria, a young, talkative girl who had always been the kid who excelled in reading and writing, suddenly felt voiceless with a new language and no friends. She couldn’t read or write in English, yet, and spoke and dreamed in Spanish at home. Struggling to find her new identity in English, she faltered.  Those first months of school were excruciatingly alienating, she said. Even her name became unintelligible as it was constantly mispronounced by kids at her school. With glistening eyes, Valeria held up a small red journal. "My sweet mom bought me a red, faux leather-bound journal, and she also encouraged me to write letters to my huge extended family back home. So, I did,” said Valeria. She had once devoured books and also pretended to write them in her home country. Writing once again became her outlet and source of creativity throughout her life.

It was a pivotal moment in 4th grade, when Valeria’s teacher, Ms. Sabrina Lowd, wrote in her notes: “You are a writer, Valeria!” It ignited a spark in Valeria, a newfound purpose and understanding of her identity– she would immediately commit to a career as a writer.

In high school, Valeria was editor of the school’s literary magazine and of her senior yearbook. As the daughter of immigrant parents who did not graduate high school and could not speak English, Valeria knew she needed to create her own stable future by going to college. After researching career paths and looking for a stable income, Valeria pursued a public relations career by acquiring a degree at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. She went on to receive a Master’s degree in Strategic Communications.

Building a career on unearthing, crafting and sharing others’ stories, Valeria went on to work at two of the largest PR agencies in the world. “While helping my clients share their stories, I have continued writing my own…” she said, “in the form of observations and reflection, mostly short essays, some of which I have consistently published on a blog and contributed to a few magazines. All of these years later, journaling continues to tether me.” Writing has been a witness to her life, Valeria shared.

“Challenging and beautiful, joyful and sad, in writing them, my experiences have become stories, not scars,” Valeria said. In 2013, while relocating with her Navy husband to Virginia Beach, her mother fell suddenly ill and in a tragic twist of fate, died just six days after Valeria and her husband settled into Virginia Beach to build their new life together. Two years later, her father passed shortly before she took her oath to become a U.S. Citizen. Neither of her parents was present, but Valeria knew they would be proud. “Grief and gratitude, I’ve learned, tend to co-exist more often than we realize,” noted Valeria.

Transitioning to a slide she called HEARTBREAK & JOY, Valeria shared that in March 2023, she learned she was finally pregnant after two miscarriages. This newfound joy was tested at 10 weeks, she discovered she had triple-positive invasive ductal carcinoma… cancer. Valeria was not yet old enough for routine mammograms, had no family history and was not even a trimester into her pregnancy. In what was supposed to be the happiest chapter in her life, expecting a baby, Valeria underwent a lumpectomy and port placement that, while successful, led to being intubated, unconscious in the ICU for three days. When she woke up, she learned that while fighting for her life, the life within her kept going. Next up, she faced 16 total rounds of chemotherapy. “I wasn’t going to let cancer take something else away from me, so I wrote… to my unborn daughter,” said Valeria.

Valeria had been keeping a journal since she’d learned she was pregnant… so she kept writing. She wrote about their chemo infusions together. She wrote about the love and support they received from family, friends and strangers. She wrote about how much empathy and joy live within the walls of an otherwise drab chemo lounge. She wrote about the care they both received from their doctors and nurses. Those terrifying months were also a lesson in duality, Valeria explained. Cancer, yes, and pregnancy, too. And why not? Accepting that both could be true was liberating for Valeria.

InOctober 2023, three days after her eighth round of chemo and six weeks ahead of her daughter’s due date, Valeria and her husband welcomed their daughter: healthy and absolutely perfect. Newborn life, postpartum life and cancer treatment life… more parallels, more gratitude. Sure, Valeria wished her experience would’ve been different, she said. But she gave herself permission to cherish it: the good, the bad, the in-between. In 2024, a year prior to this talk, Valeria rang the bell on 30 rounds of radiation and in September, Valeria officially completed all of her active cancer treatment, finishing 12 rounds of immunotherapy. “Anyone who knows anything about survivorship knows that while someone beats cancer, they never quite escape it… the battle is never ‘over’ per se, but it does feel conquered – and that’s something I’m so, so grateful for,” said Valeria.

Closing her talk with  LESSONS IN DUALITY, Valeria said,  “I now believe more than ever that two things can be true at the same time. Our lives are made up of contradictions – joy and grief, heartbreak and gratitude, and so on… My parallel experiences have taught me so much about myself. I appreciate myself so much more deeply than I ever have. I give my spirit and my body way more grace than I once thought I could muster. I look at my scars with pride. I cherish my people. I am more certain than ever about what matters. I trust my intuition. I protect my energy.”

2025 has felt like a rebirth for Valeria, who has written and shared her story publicly now for the first time. As she ended her talk, she encouraged listeners to consider how we are all living parallel stories…  and how those stories also run parallel to our creative practice. Valeria said, “I call those our bridges. I encourage you to find the bridge(s) that connect your parallel journeys. How do those bridges connect with others whose journeys are also running parallel to yours?”

Following her talk, Valeria was asked questions regarding her writing practice and challenges when facing an empty page. Valeria encouraged others to start with simple observations of wherever they are when writing, as icebreakers to tap into the flow of writing. After the short Q&A, all 75 guests posed with Valeria for a group photo and enjoyed more time asking more personal questions one-on-one.

Join us monthly, every third Friday at The Garage VB in the ViBe Creative District to connect with your local creative community! Submitted by host Kate Pittman.

The eloquent @valenptree shared her stories of Parallel life experiences at the last CreativeMorning, Creative Mornings Virginia Beach . #griefandgraditude was just one example. The complete video by Chris Lane Video is coming soon! Thanks to the 80 people who joined us at The Garage VB in the ViBe Creative District!

Check out ALL the photos from last week’s event at CMVB MAR 2025: Parallel with Valeria Palmertree | Flickr. CreativeMornings Virginia Beach at The Garage VB in the ViBe Creative District. Photos courtesy of Misty Saves the Day.

Aura Theory’s Sarah Hodge Shares How She Built a Business on LAYERS of Aura Photography and Energy Analysis

A large part of local creative entrepreneur Sarah Hodge’s business centers on leveraging energy as a means to connect, reflect and bring people together. She likens the aura, a pillar of her studies in energetic wellness, to the weather, so it’s perhaps not surprising that her Creative Mornings presentation had to be rescheduled due to a historic snowfall. A week later, Sarah and 45 of our closest friends gathered in The Garage with no snow in sight to learn more about how she LAYERS color, movement and energy as tools to inspire self-discovery and connection.

Raised in Virginia Beach, Sarah spent a large part of her young adulthood in San Diego before moving to Austin as a young adult, traveling throughout Central Texas as a nomadic artist, trailer-turned-art-store in tow! It was during her time in Austin that she discovered aura photography. Her enlightening journey began in 2017, learning from a renowned energy practitioner, an experience that allowed her to master the art of aura photography and analysis, a practice with which she fell in love.

“I fell in love with the opportunity to bring people back into their power and reflect back to them the things they may not yet see in themselves.”

In 2022, Sarah brought this passion home to Virginia Beach. Combining her background in yoga, mindfulness and creative entrepreneurship, Aura Theory was born. Since its inception, Sarah’s business has exceeded all of her expectations, having offered aura photography readings for countless individuals, corporate partners, special events and even for a handful of celebrities. Her work, she says, is all about helping people connect more deeply with themselves and with each other.

For this Creative Mornings gathering, Sarah brought in her “very Jetsons” AuraCam 6,000, which makes her aura photography possible. Impressively walking us through the biofeedback technology, science and years of research that have gone into making this practice possible, it’s clear that Sarah loves what she does – a blend of science and spirituality: her sweet spot.

After a detailed overview of all things aura photography, Sarah selected a volunteer from the audience for whom to conduct a reading within what has become Aura Theory’s iconic visual: a colorful yurt purposefully crafted to keep the experience intimate and energetically contained.

Holding up a beautifully colorful aura photograph – what she refers to as “a snapshot in time” – Sarah went on to provide a real-time reading, walking the audience through the meaning behind the colors, placements and tonalities visible in the picture. These photos, Sarah explains, are more mirror than message, sparking reflections and conversations that may not be possible without deep energetic introspection.

“Just as the human heart and the human brain both have vibrations, so too energy is physical. This is what aura photography taps into.”

Sarah sees aura photography as an extension of her ongoing exploration of the human spirit. When she’s not in her newly opened studio, Sarah can be found traveling the world over, drawing inspiration from the places and people she encounters.

Her commitment to “work in the light” and to reflect that light onto those with whom she collaborates is tangible. No doubt we all felt a little clearer-headed and energetically more open as we went about our lives that morning.

Learn more about Sarah’s work at AuraTheory.com or by following @aura.theory on Instagram. Sarah’s Aura Color Meaning Guide and Aura Color Quiz may also be found online.

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Written by CMVB volunteer blogger Valeria L. Palmertree

Join us every third Friday in 2025 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Past themes have included Cycle, Rhythm, Endurance, Ritual and Reflection. March’s theme is PARALLEL, and our speaker will be Valeria L. Palmertree of The Palm Tree Type.

CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.

Photo drop from LAYERS with Sarah Hodge of Aura Theory now on Flickr:

CMVB Feb 2025: LAYERS with Sarah Hodge | Flickr

Photography by Misty Saves the Day!