Interview by CYNTHIA ALTORISO
photography by DAVID CARLO

CYNTHIA ALTORISO: What you do professionally?

CATOR SPARKS: I am the Editor in Chief of TheManual.com

How did you discover your talent?

The solitude of being a closeted gay kid; I would write about experiences in my life, places I traveled, oh if there were only blogs in the 80s!

What were your early influences?

My grandmother would take me to horse shows and doll shows and my mother would take me to the theater- basically I cover culture and it stemmed from these roots.

What was one of your first works?

It was a diary entry about my first visit to Notre Dame in Paris and there was a boys choir singing and it sent me over the edge of wonder and excitement.

Who do you admire?

Anyone who is truly themselves from the young black queen sashaying down the street not giving a rats ass what anyone thinks to the Southern Grand Dame who says exactly what is on her mind.

What is your favorite color?

Purple, every shade.

Do you listen to particular music while in your workplace?

Pandora from Snatam Kaur to Eartha Kitt and Bebel Gilberto.

Do you have rules at your workplace?

Stare out the window every 30 minutes so I don’t damage my eyes on this computer screen.

If you could choose anyone from history to do a project for or with, who would it be?

Marie Antoinette.

What places on earth call to you?

The South.

Is there a particular fragrance that you love?

Anything Vetiver.

In a fire, what would you grab to save?

My dawg.

What do you do to relax?

Work in my garden.

If you had to change careers, what would you do?

Work for a variety of my favorite organizations such as The Harvey Milk School, Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House and LEARN Horse Rescue.

When u first came to town who did you work for or with?

I moved to NYC with Jeffrey Kalinsky to open his flagship in the then unknown Meat Packing District in August of 1999.