Pacific Northwestern band Object Heavy performs at Whirled Pies restaurant located on 199 W 8th Ave, Eugene, Oregon. Band members Leo Plummer, Pete Ciotti, Jonny Woods, Brian Swislow, and Ian Taylor are based out of Arcata, California. Object Heavy’s music genre consists of Soul, Rock, Funk, Blues, R&B, and Hip Hop.
Object Heavy member Jonny Woods is the group’s primary vocalist, but every member contributes their own backup singing. The group mainly performs out of California, but will travel out of state to play at several different locations.
Keyboardist Brian Swislow came to California from Chicago in 1997 where he started his musical career. Swislow has played for a number of different bands in addition to Object Heavy, and works to produce/compose a variety of music genres.
Whirled Pies, located in Eugene, Oregon, is a restaurant and events venue based in the downtown area. Live music is a main attraction for Whirled Pies, and artists perform at the venue roughly three to four times a week throughout the year. For Object Heavy, it was the band’s first time performing at the Whirled Pies venue.
Brian Luptun, left, and Kris Cunningham, right, attend the Object Heavy performance at Whirled Pies in Eugene, Oregon. Cunningham, currently living in North Bend, was at the performance with her five other family members. Cunningham said Object Heavy is one of her family’s favorite bands, and they drove from Bend specifically to see the band’s performance.
The following photos were taken for a written article which was published in Ethos Magazine. The article, written by Renata S. Geraldo, can be read online here.
Melanee Ellis reaches to open the cage of one of her many ferrets. Ellis runs a ferret shelter out of her home in Eugene, Oregon, and cares for over 40 ferrets that are rescues or being temporarily housed for their owners.
Ellis refills the food dish for two of her ferrets. The food Ellis provides contains ingredients and nutrients specific to the sensitive diet of ferrets.
Ellis scruffs one of her ill ferrets to administer its medicine. Not all of the ferrets that Ellis rescues come in perfect health. Several of the ferrets have unique, costly-to-treat illnesses that Ellis tends to every day. Scruffing a ferret, similarly to cats and dogs, is neither harmful nor painful for the animal.
One of Ellis’s ferrets rests its nose through its cage bars. Ferrets have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and hearing.
Ellis clips the nails of one of her ferrets while a shelter volunteer holds its rump. Ferrets are energetic animals and getting one to hold still can require an extra set of hands.
Ellis holds one of her ferrets for a portrait. Ellis loves and cares for her ferrets but her connection with them goes beyond their cute appearance. Ellis says the pet ferrets she had as a teenager acted as emotional support after her mom passed away. “If it wasn’t for ferrets, I probably wouldn’t be here today,” Ellis says.
The Ring, founded by former Jordan heavyweight national champion Mohammad Ibrahim, is one of the few gyms in Amman, Jordan, that is solely dedicated to boxing. Boxers at the gym range from youth just starting out to veterans who compete in Jordan’s annual national tournament The Kingdom Boxing Championship. The Ring is a sanctuary for boxing culture in Amman and serves as a breeding ground for Jordan's national boxing competitors.
The Ring boxing coaches watch as boxers go through a jump rope routine at the beginning of practice. Jump rope is routinely used in boxing training as it helps build cardio and improve footwork.
Fifteen-year-old Jaber al-Qaissi wraps his hands at the start of boxing practice at The Ring. Hand wraps in boxing are a necessity as they add support to the wrist and padding over the knuckles, helping to prevent injury.
Boxers Othman Qatishat, left, and Waleed Marzouq, right, facing each other during a sparring round at The Ring. Sparring refers to live rounds with deliberately lowered intensity so boxers can practice fighting without the fear of injury or knockout.
Boxers al-Qaissi, left, and Raad Mesmar, right, sparring at The Ring. Al-Qaissi competes in Jordan's national youth boxing tournament that takes place every year. Behind al-Qaissi a poster hangs depicting Muhammad Ali and his famous quote “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
Boxer al-Qaissi watching his opponent during a sparring round. Al-Qaissi is wearing boxing headgear, which is worn less to reduce the impact of punches and more to prevent serious cuts and protect from accidental headbutts.
The Ring founder and head boxing coach Mohammad Ibrahim watches as al-Qaissi, left, and Mesmar, right, spar. According to Ibrahim, the Arabic calligraphy above The Ring entrance in the background translates to “my success is only by Allah.”
Sixteen-year-old Mesmar taking a low-guard stance (one hand covering the chin with the other covering the ribs) during a sparring round with al-Qaissi.
The Ring head coach Mohammad Ibrahim leading his boxers through an ab and cardio routine. The posters reflected in the mirror behind Ibrahim depict quotes from famous boxers like Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali and Manny Pacquiao.
Boxing coach Ibrahim showing a new boxer where to hold his hands in a proper boxing stance. Ibrahim coaches everyone from national competitors to kids and adults who have never boxed before.
The Ring, located north of Khilda Circle in Amman, offers boxing classes six days a week in the evening. Boxers at The Ring all have busy personal lives whether it's from work or classes, but regardless of their schedules many attend every class even if it means ending their day at 9 p.m.
