12 Faces of Christmas: a Joplin portrait series
Local photographer Curtis Almeter decided to take on a very hearty project; take ONE WEEK to photograph TWELVE PORTRAITS, just in time for Christmas.
Please enjoy this set of environmental portraits of a diverse set of awesome Joplin citizens.
Crystal Hope: Musician
Interesting Facts: Crystal is a single mom, a musician and vocalist. She’s been performing live music locally for three years. In addition, Crystal travels each year to South Africa to do mission work. She makes jewelry to sell at her shows to raise money for the cause. Crystal also enjoys a tall cup of cinnamon dolce brew and has a dog named Uhtred from the series ‘The Last Kingdom’.
Christmas Wish: “I’m wishing for a vaccine for Covid so that I’m able to travel again.”
James Garoutte, Man experiencing homelessness at Rangeline and 15th st.
Interesting Facts: He plays the guitar.
Christmas wish: "Right now? I wish I had some coveralls!"
David Lopez: Owner of Mat Club Jiu Jitsu.
Interesting Facts: David is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. He began training in Jiu Jitsu in 2010 and went on to earn his black belt in 2018. He hopes to be training Jiu Jitsu until he’s 90.
Christmas Wish: “… to be training in Jiu Jitsu until I’m 90.”
Kelsey Johnson: Hair stylist at Indie Salon.
Interesting Facts: Kelsey writes with her left hand but does hair with her right. She named her dog “Penny” after the character in the movie ‘Almost Famous’. Her bucket list includes traveling to all fifty states. So far, she has visited twenty.
Christmas Wish: “I want a Pomeranian puppy”
Alivia Coleman: 3rd Grader at Carterville Elementary
Interesting Facts: Alivia loves playing basketball and softball. She also likes reading and math for some reason.
Christmas Wish: “It’s really obvious. I’d like this thing going around [Covid] to just swoosh away. Wearing a mask is really kind of annoying.”
Miles Calvin: Tattoo Artist
Interesting Facts: Miles is a tattoo artist originally from Oakland, California. Much of his body is covered. He’s also into cars and owns several.
Christmas Wish: “I’m just happy to be here and spend Christmas with my family and kids. That’s all I could really wish for.”
Melodee Colbert-Kean: Former Joplin City Mayor and Owner of MEs Place restaurant.
Interesting Facts: Melodee served as the 55 mayor of Joplin and is a former Joplin city council member. She currently cooks up soul food at MEs Place and hosts the Colbert Connection podcast. Melodee loves music and has been know to DJ the occasional event. She also enjoys a good puzzle.
Christmas Wish: “If someone were to send me on a trip to Greece I’d be okay with that. Seriously though, I wish for my son and family to come home and for a safe delivery of my granddaughter”.
Ben Fowler: co-owner of Main Street Axe Company.
Interesting Facts: Ben is a family man and throws axes for a living. He throws axes 6-7 days a week.
Christmas Wish: “.... a new hatchet. I can never have enough hatchets.”
Chuck: Guest at the Joplin Humane Society
Interesting Facts: Chuck enjoys long walks, tennis shoes and awkwardly posing for photos.
Christmas Wish: [Declined to comment]
Daniel Valentine: Bartender at Chaos Brewing Company.
Interesting Facts: Daniel likes to build vintage motorcycles, train dogs, make cocktails, and he’s learning how to brew beer on a larger scale.
Christmas Wish: “I just want this pandemic to be over and everything to go back to normal.”
Willie Brown: Retired Joplinite
Interesting Facts: Willie was a machinist for 30 years and has been a photographer for another 20 years. At the age of 73, he now spends his time enjoying retirement and playing with bicycles in his garage.
Christmas Wish: “When things get better [in regard to Covid-19], I’d like to go down to Crystal Bridges and see the Ansel Adams exhibit.”
Olivia Schoeber: Neonatal nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Mercy Hospital
Interesting Facts: Olivia never truly loved coffee until I became a night shift nurse. She became a mom this year to wonderful boy named, Calihan Ace. She was 7th in the state in bowling when she was in middle school. Olivia can’t whistle to save her life.
Christmas Wish: “That my family can make lasting memories and start new traditions for my son.”
curtis almeter
(photographer and interviewer for this feature)
There are many big things to say about Curtis. For starters, Curtis Almeter is an award winning taxidermist. He is best known for his lamps. Curtis’ hobbies include kicking and chopping. It’s hard to mention Curtis without mentioning his worried obsession with trees. In a parallel universe Curtis can be found ducking along a sandwich somewhere in Chicago. Curtis favorite quote is, “a marshmallow in hand is worth two in the magnet.”
…Curtis also enjoys forcing others to do mad libs.
@eigref