By Maggie Miles | Outer Banks Voice on February 6, 2023
As he has talked with friends about the issue of diversity on the Outer Banks, Treveon Govan began to realize how diverse his friends and family here are.
âIt wasn’t so much about the land or food, but more so about the peopleâthe art on the walls, the many faces I would walk past every day, and the conversations I would have with all kinds of people and how that inspired me in so many ways,â he told the Voice.
Govan, 29, was born and raised in Manteo and graduated from Manteo High School. His late father, Edgar âPoor Boyâ Govan, was a mentor to many in the community through coaching sports. His brother Isaiah Govan is the cofounder of Garage Boys Racing, a local non-profit that engages kids through cars and racing. Govanâs mission is to inspire Outer Banks youth through art, something he feels like isnât as readily available to kids in the area as sports.
This sparked the idea for his latest project, âColours,â a series of portraits in photograph and film format, set in different locations around the community celebrating diversity on the Outer Banks.
âI thought, âwhat better way to celebrate the ones I love than through my own lensââpainting a picture of what makes home such a beautifully vibrant place and giving it so much color aside from extraordinary landscapes,â he recounted.
For the first shoot, Govan could think of no place better than the historic Pioneer Theater in downtown Manteo, which closed last year after more than a century of service to the community. The mini-series, titled âCinematic Youth,â pays homage to the welcoming, accepting community the theater helped build on the Outer Banks. Buddy Creef, the theater owner and a family friend of Govan, allowed the photographer and subjects access to the theater to do the photo shoot.
âWhen I think of the cinema experience, I think of fun for all ages, families both young and old. This aligned with the idea for the full series seamlessly,â said Govan. âI’ve had so many fun experiences at the Pioneer Theater growing up, it seemed like the perfect stage to portray self-expression and uniqueness with a diverse group of beautiful friends ranging in age, ethnicity, and sexuality.â
As for choosing the subjects of the photos, Govan said that was the easiest part. âI just reached out to some friends,â he explained. âI’m blessed with such a great group of peers that I admire because of their raw uniqueness. All I asked of them was to be completely themselves and that’s what made this shoot so special.â
Photos from âCinematic Youthâ will be on exhibit as part of the larger âColoursâ series in a collaborative gallery style showcase in the summer of 2023.
This series is the latest artistic project for Govanâs production company, Long Way Home Productions, which includes his Long Way Home clothing label and Homegrown, a fashion event that features local artists, musicians and clothing designers with a goal of getting local youth excited about art.
âLong Way Home, the brand, is centered around a metaphor for finding that place of contentment through purpose.
We all are on this path, whether we’ve already found our âhomeâ or are still on that journey,â said Govan. âI look at it like a creative tool belt in which I’m equipped with all the tools necessary to build the foundation of my future, my ‘homeâ where I inspire and positively influence through art and creativity, whether it be fashion, writing, or photography.â
Notice of Public Auction
The public will take notice that the Dare County Tourism Board, at its meeting of October 20, 2022, adopted Resolution 2022-5 authorizing the sale of surplus personal property by public auction.
Saturday, April 1, 2023.
6708 S. Croatan Highway
Nags Head, NC 27959
10am: Back of the House Auction – Complete Commercial Kitchen
Partial List: True refrigerators and coolers, Hatco drawer warmers, Hobart mixer, Vulcan, 6 & 10 burner gas ovens/stoves, Vulcan 2 basket gas fryer, Vulcan 2-door oven, stainless prep tables, DCS 6 burner LPAS range & oven, Hobart dishwasher, pots & pans & more.
2pm: Front of the House Auction â Selling Everything in the Building + Architectural Salvage by room
Partial List: Antique ships wheel chandelier, Nautical & pirate decor, sword & pistol displays, polyword tables & chairs, ship models, nautical lanterns, art, commercial bar equipment, tables and chairs, NC decoys, fish mounts, signal cannon, architectural salvage, Several bars, pirate bar & more.
Preview 3/31: 11 AM – 5 PM & Auction Day starting @ 9am
Online Absentee Bidding Catalog Closes: 3/31 @ 8pm
Catalog + Thousands of photos @ SSAOBX.HIBID.COM
Island Auction Co. (252)489-5513 – Jason P. Humphries, Auctioneer NCAL #8423
Visa / MC / Cash / Good Check – NC Sales Tax, 15% Buyers Premium
See what people are saying:
Joan Collins
This is wonderful to see! Congratulations Treveon on this accomplishment. Bringing awareness of diversity is so important. I applaud you for your vision and your voice through photography.