Dear Readers, Hello! I have created this magazine to show more insight into the minds of photographers, as well as other artists and people. This will not be solely for photographers, so keep an eye out for anyone. And I really hope you enjoy this magazine as much as I loved making it. :) xx Sarah
Index Joe Curtin Valeria Cherchi Carlin Brannon Ingrid Endel Rausie Photo spotlights
Joe Curtin Joe Curtin is a 14 year old from Los Angeles, loves photography, track, and has very long lists in favorite kinds of bands (like Bon Iver and Manchester Orchestra, etcetera) and movies (500 Days of Summer, Stranger Than Fiction, The Breakfast Club, etcetera).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/c_joe32/
When did you start photography? I got my Nikon D40x on my birthday in July of 2009, but I wouldn't say I really started photography until early August! What do you think really got you into photography? I know you said you got a camera July of 2009, but what made you start getting creative? Well, I took a family trip to Cape Cod in late July and of course brought my shiny, new camera along. We rented out a house that was somewhat secluded from the other houses, and there were so many beautiful plants that I started taking pictures of (see, we all started off by taking pictures of plants and the sky!). Anyway, I got back home and signed on to my flickr that I had never used before, and uploaded all of my plant pictures (they're deleted now). I searched around, found a few streams and saw this 365 thing that many people were doing. So I decided to start one myself, and it just went from there! What are your opinions of the idea of a 365 project and of your own project? I feel like the 365 is meant for some people, and it's not meant for others. Even though I'm passed day two hundred, I'm still not sure if this was meant for me! I will admit though that it had definitely enhanced my photography. If I had not started this project I would probably not be a very good photographer at all. I think the project is wonderful, but very time-consuming. I would not recommend it for people with hectic lifestyles... That would just be too much. I would encourage anyone who wants to start a 365 to do it! It will definitely enhance your photography skills. Some people say that just because you have a camera doesn’t mean that you are a photographer. What would you say to that? I do agree with that statement. Just because you have a nice, fancy camera doesn't mean you can take decent pictures with it. I am always envious of my friends that have never taken a picture in their life and they get a Nikon D90 or some high-end camera for Christmas and don't even know how to use it. I wouldn't even consider myself a photographer. I'm just a picture-taker! Why wouldnt you say youre a photographer? Because I just take pictures. Photography is a profession, something people do for a living. I want photography to stay in my life, but at this point I do not make a living off of it so I wouldn't consider myself a photographer. How do you want photography to stay in your life? Well, I've never taken a photography class in my life. I'm completely self-taught. But next year I am planning to take film photography at my school and develop things in the darkroom. I also want to grow in digital photography and maybe go to art school and become a fashion photographer. If I chose not to do photography, I would love to go to USC or NYU film school and be a cinematographer. Do you think your photography has taken on a specific style? No, I do not. Yes, I take pictures of my friends and film pictures and such, but I'm still working on finding a style that will show off my individuality.
Where do you hope to find yourself in 10 years? 20? In all honesty, I just want to be happy. Who is your greatest inspiration, photography or otherwise? I'd have to say my friends Hayley and Dominique... I hope it's alright if I do 2 people. I like it because they are artistic people as well as me, and being friends with them is an escape from the whole conservative catholic school life. Don't get me wrong, I love my school to death... I just need time where I can be myself without being judged, and they allow me and push me to be myself. Every time we get together, we find something new to do and some funny new inside joke, and it makes me feel accepted. They both inspire me very much in so many ways. And of course my parents, other friends from school, the guys on my track team, people on flickr, photographers not on flickr, etc. inspire me as well! How would you define photography? I would define photography as taking pictures that display some sort of emotion that speaks to the viewer of the photograph. But just because you take pictures does not mean you are a photographer. Whats your favorite concept to portray in a photograph? Any type of emotion. I used to take really depressed pictures in my room all the time, but now I really enjoy candid film photos that show love and happiness and things we should be feeling the most. I’ve noticed you use a lot of film. Why do you like using film so much? I like the flaws in film; the imperfections. I like grain, dust spots, light leaks, and everything else about it. Film seems more real than digital, and I'd rather shoot with a crappy old film camera than a hightech digital camera. Film is just so intriguing. Do you have a favorite photograph that you have taken? Oh goodness... Well my favorite photo on my stream would probably have to be this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/c_joe32/4301815937/ But the photo that means the most to me is this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/c_joe32/4097150138/. I remember how hard that day was, and just that one picture of me putting my face in my hands means so much to me. What do you find most challenging when taking a photo? I challenge myself to have fun with it, not to worry about having the best light or contrast or composition. What does your ideal photograph look like? A grainy film picture of a young woman on top of a hill with her hair and her dress blowing in the wind while she is either smoking a cigarette or holding a cigarette in her hand. If I took a picture that looked exactly like that I would be so happy. What is your favorite word? Well my FAVORITE word is explicit, so I can't say it here... My other favorite word is either gurgle or poppycock!
What’s your favorite dream that you’ve had? I usually don't remember my dreams, but my favorite (actually, most memorable sounds better) dream happened about a month ago. I guess it started out normal.... With weird things that happen in dreams, things you can't control, animals, lights, interesting phenomenons. But as the dream went on, it got weirder and weirder. I guess it felt like Alice in Wonderland. I entered a strange new land, but it was dark and gloomy and it was pouring rain, and everything was gray, like stone. There was no one on the streets, they were all swimming in a gray river next to the street. They all had gray skin. Weird, I know. But there were women and children and men and dogs and cats and lions and bears and koalas all swimming in the same, gray river. So I started running, and I found a shopping cart and hopped in it. It spun around and headed straight toward the river, and I went in. I was in a shopping cart in a river with all of the gray people, and as I looked around I noticed they all didn't ave eyes. It freaked me out. My shopping cart started going really fast, and I sped down the river at full speed and down a water fall that went on and on and on and on, and I when I finally hit the bottom, it startled me and halfway woke up and fell out of my bed. It was the weirdest experience ever. Whats one word you would use to describe yourself? naïve. How much do you think your photography – and you – has evolved since you started? Oh goodness, my photography has evolved so much! I don't know what I was thinking when I started my 365 without a DSLR. The mirror on my D40x was broken and it was in repair, so I started my 365 using paint.net on my old computer and a Nikon Coolpix s60. I do believe in the statement "it's the photographer, not the camera".... But that camera is God-awful. I do feel like I have evolved as well as my photography. I used to just take 10 minutes in my backyard taking really crappy pictures and getting mad when I didn't get comments, but now I actually care about photography, and I don't think it's worth spending 10 minutes taking pictures and uploading a sucky photo. I hope that makes sense. I don't want to be super serious and not have fun with it, but I don't want to constantly upload bad photo after bad photo after bad photo. Photography has definitely opened my eyes to different views and ideas in this world. There are so many things and people that I see and wish I could take a picture of. The people I've made friends with on flickr have showed me their music, their views on life, etc. and I'm so happy I started taking pictures because I obviously wouldn't be here if I didn't :) What do you think has been your greatest achievement, in photography or in life? I would say my greatest achievement was learning to love myself, and I must say it's paid off! Things are so much easier when you accept yourself for who you are.
Valeria Cherchi Valeria Cherchi is 24, from a small Sardinian city but is now studying Industrial Design at La Sapienza University in Rome. She’s going to graduate soon and is planning on moving to London to study fashion photography. When she has free time, she likes to walk in the city and the woods, or just stay in bed listening to music and watching movies. http://www.flickr.com/photos/poveralice/
When did you start photography? It was very difficult for me to find my own way. I have always been into photography; also the good influence of my aunt, my sister, my room-mate - some of the most important people around me (they are keen on photography as well) - helped me to make up my mind. (At first I thought I would be a lamp designer so I started attending a School of Industrial Design; then I discovered fashion photography and realized that I could not be just a designer! Now I have my own vision of things and I have understood that photography is more than a passion.) What inspired you to pick up a camera and begin taking pictures? What continues to inspire you? I am constantly inspired by my surroundings, lights and new places. My dreams inspire me. I often dream of taking pictures in strange but beautiful places - just like large and empty rooms with stunning natural lights - and sometimes I look for them in real life too. The music, movies and art that I love indirectly inspire me as well. My favorite director is David Lynch; Ryan McGinley, Mads Teglers and Lauren Dukoff are ones of my favorite photographers - anyway the work of emerging photographers tends to impress me much. If you could have a photoshoot with anyone, who would it be and why? At the moment Kate Moss, with no doubts! She represents my ideal aesthetical proportion in a woman. I dreamt of shooting her a few months ago, it was really cool and funny even if I was pretty embarrassed :) Lily Cole is another dream-model for me, but honestly I meet almost everyday girls I wish to shoot with. In the bus, by the way, at some live concert... Unfortunately I am too lazy to stop and start a chat with stranger girls in the street or maybe I think that just not worth doing it :) What would the perfect photoshoot be like for you? Location, concept, etcetera? I really don't believe in a perfect photoshoot ever. I watch often at very different pictures that I consider perfect, everyone for various reasons. I don't think a perfect concept exists, but I believe in the right aesthetics of things/people, that not necessarily coincedes with beauty :) In spite of I believe in the perfect Lights, I search for them continuously. I would find the natural light that will make me cry when I will see it. I know how she looks like but unfortunately I saw her only on the big screen, at the moment ;) Some people say that just because you have a camera and take pictures doesn’t mean that you are a photographer. What would you say to that? This is pretty obvious in every single field, the tool can't make a trade. The problem with photography and in general with creative disciplines, is that people very often forget the technique approach, the cultural one, and sometimes to do the planning step too. I think this happens with both, talented people and less talented. How do you think your life would be different if you had not discovered photography? Sincerely, I have no idea!! Sometimes I asked myself about this but my mind refuses to find a possible alternative :) I really can't imagine my life without photography, as it was born with me. Is there one element that you think is important for every photograph?
Maybe obvious but absolutely it is the light. I think that every element in an image should be headed by light, natural or not! It builds everything :) What is your favorite concept to portray in a photograph? I really don't mind about concept. I try to capture a mood through aesthetics, so elements are only pretexts. I love fashion but also nude portraits, I love to portrait girl, myself, nature with light. During a shooting a try to rebuild a personal feeling, so maybe my concepts are my emotions. What do you find most challenging when taking a photograph? To explain the model what I would do and in wich mood I want the shots to be on. For me these are really personal feelings and I am not good to share them with other people. Who is your greatest inspiration, photography or otherwise? I am constanly inspired by great photographers, artists, musicians, both professional and emergent. At the same time I change very often my inspirations, I tend to get bored very easily. My last project is very Francesca Woodman inspired. I think that the only one that never had made me tired is David Lynch's work. Even if I saw some of his work really a lot of times. So might my greatest inspiration is Him! How would you define photography? The best way to fix a feeling in the space with light. The best way to fix a feeling of the past in the present. (oh wow am I a poet????ihihihihi;) Do you have a favorite photograph that you have taken? No, also my photographs make me bored very quickly. But inspite of this I am really endeared to two B/W portraits of my sisters. I took them a few years ago, great moments :) Maybe it was my second roll ever! http://www.flickr.com/photos/poveralice/2517809125/in/set-72157621653375093/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/poveralice/3189777634/in/set-72157621653375093/ What’s one word you would use to describe yourself? anxious :| What is your biggest hope or dream? one? mmmmh... I really hope of never lost my reference points. People I can trust on and thinghs I believe on. What are three things you cant go a day without? water, my camera, internet How much do you think your photography – and you – has evolved since you started? Very very much. It took me a lot of time to understand what I really like to do. But finally some things of the past, still remain. They just are getting better with technique and a more mature vision. What do you think has been your greatest achievement, in photography or in life? Ask me in a couple of months please :)
Carlin Brannon Carlin Leigh Brannon is a 16 – soon to be 17 – year old girl from Atlanta. She loves photography, any type of art, gymnastics, and hanging out with her boyfriend. http://www.flickr.com/photos/greencrush280/
How and when did you start photography? I started taking photos three years ago, in 2007. I avoid looking back at those photos because I have grown so much since then (as most people do). I started with a point and shoot, upgraded to a Nikon D40 in 2008, and then received my Canon AE-1 this past December. I'm not really sure why I started, it just happened and I stuck to it. What inspired you to pick up a camera and start shooting? It really just happened. I asked for a camera for my 13th or 14th birthday, and I just started there. Now my inspiration comes from fellow flickr'ers and tumblr'ers. haha. that and just being outside, and random events that occur throughout the day. Have you always been artistic or did you just start with photography? My life has always involved some kind of art, ever since I was little. I used to visit my grandma frequently when I was younger and every time I visited we would do a new art project. I like to think it's because of her I came to love it. Do you think you have a specific photographic style? Not really. When I first started I was really into surrealistic stuff and over- editing, then I switched to more of a realistic style but still used heavy editing, now I'm stuck on film portraits with almost no editing. Film is my favorite by far. Some people say that just because you have a camera doesn’t mean that you are a photographer. What would you say to that? I completely agree with that statement. There are millions of people out there who own a camera and just do whatever. I don't even feel comfortable calling myself a photographer. I guess I am a person who photographs, but I generally think of professionals as photographers, if that makes sense. Its like saying that you put a paintbrush in someones hand and called them a painter. Where do you hope to find yourself in 10 years? 20? In 10 years I would like to be successful in some kind of art related career, possibly graphic design, and starting to settle down in a sense. In 20 years I'll be 37.. so.. I guess just a more successful version of my 27-year-old self with a family and more free time. Who is your greatest inspiration, photography or otherwise? I don't really have a specific photographer I look to for inspiration, they come in groups. Some of my favorites are Kalie Garrett, Jill Willcott, Maryclaire Roman, and Anna Szczekutowicz. Most of my inspiration comes from photos I find on tumblr and just daily thoughts and events. How would you define photography? Photography is simply the art of capturing a moment. Whats your favorite concept to portray in a photograph? I am in love with photographing people. Portraits are so beautiful and honest, and not one is exactly like another. I think it's important to capture emotion or just to capture the moment. Whats one word you would use to describe yourself? short.
Do you have a favorite photograph that you have taken? www.flickr.com/photos/greencrush280/3765133797/ There are several others, but I automatically thought of this one. I feel that its really difficult to capture emotion when you're doing a shot far away, but her expression is perfect. I also love the texture of the door behind her. I'm not too fond of black and white photographs most of the time, but I think it works for this. What do you find most challenging when taking a photo? I feel its really hard to direct models sometimes and get them to "pose" the way I want them to, or convey a certain emotion. Fortunately all of my models have been patient and don't mind if we stop for 10 minutes to figure out how to do a shot. What does your ideal photograph look like? My ideal photograph has beautiful colors, lighting, and content. Something that I look back on and smile. Where is your favorite place to go? I'm not sure if this is photography related, but I'll assume it isn't. My favorite place to go is the beach. My favorite season is summer, and I love absolutely everything about the ocean. I would live there if I could. This summer will be the first trip with my film camera and I'm really looking forward to getting some shots. Why is photography important to you? Photography is just one way of expressing myself and having fun. Art has always been a part of my life, and I feel photography is the perfect combination of art and reality. As the quote goes "A photo is worth a thousand words," and I agree with that, if not a million words. What kind of process do you have in taking/producing a photograph, from start to finish? It depends if I'm using digital or film. When I shoot digital I usually get 200-300 shots and I organize them and edit them immediately. Film on the other hand is limited to 24 shots and I have to wait to get them processed, and I avoid editing. From the actual process of taking a photograph, I usually ask my model to do a certain "pose" and direct him/her to adjust certain things. Then I look through the lens and see if I like it, and from there I either shoot and move on, or perfect the photo even further and then check it out. What are three things you can’t go a day without? I would say my camera, but I tend to go days and sometimes weeks without it, as much as I hate to admit it. Daily, I need to check tumblr, see my boyfriend, and have something to look forward to. haha. How much do you think your photography – and you – has evolved since you started? I have changed so much since I've started photography. As I said earlier, I started out with a surrealistic focus and now it's purely realistic. I feel like my photography has matured with me, and shows much more emotion now, as do I. haha. It's almost embarrassing to look through my old photos, but I like being able to see the change over the past few years, and because of that I try not to delete anything. What do you think has been your greatest achievement, in photography or in life? My greatest achievement in photography is probably teaching myself how to use film. In life... I guess that hasn't really happened yet. And I'm saying that in a completely optimistic sense.
Ingrid Endel Ingrid Endel is a 20 year old from Brisbane, Australia. She has almost completed her teaching degree, danced for 12 years (ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and modern) but quit due to a reoccurring knee injury. However, she misses the “complete freedom of expression whilst dancing” and that’s where her photography journey began. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lepetitdanseur/
How and when did you start photography? I started photography in early May of 2009. At the beginning of the year, I made a New Year's resolution to start going to dance classes again. However after a couple of classes I dislocated my knee for the upteenth time and was advised to not dance for a long time. So I was 'stuck' both physically and creatively. Then one day I came across Flickr and self-portrait artists who were creating some unbelievable works of art. A whole new world of possibilities opened up before me so I decided on a whim to give photography a try. And now here I am. Do you think that if you had never found Flickr you wouldn’t have picked up a camera yourself and started taking pictures the way you have? Now that's a tough question! I've always taken photos of friends, family and the odd snapshot of objects and places but I never considered those photos to be "photography." I don't know any photographers and I'm not surrounded by photographic art. If I never stumbled upon Flickr, I would not be taking the kinds of pictures I do now. I'm inundated daily with inspiring works on Flickr; I feel like the way I think has completely changed in the space of a few months. So I'm so grateful for technology and the internet because without them, I would have no creative outlet or a means of expressing myself. How do you think your life would be different without photography? Photography has cluttered my mind in the best way possible. Before I began shooting, I was quite set on my career path as an educator and had no other major interests or hobbies that took up a lot of my time. Without photography, I feel that my life would be static and boring, and my perspective on the world around me would remain unchanged. I would be fixated in a constant loop of habitual living. I believe everyone needs a mode of emotional release. I'm the kind of person who tends to bottle up emotions, so a life completely void of photography would be an emotionally unhealthy one. What do you think the perfect photograph would look like? It is difficult to say what a 'perfect' photograph would look like as it is not the aesthetic qualities alone that would constitute perfection. Perfection is subjective and it all depends on the type of photograph. My kind of perfect photograph would be one which looks fairly simple, but with further examination has a multitude of hidden layers of meaning. Not only this, but its perfection is largely dependent on its ability to affect me emotionally even after I stop viewing it. And of course it would have a certain level of technical quality such as decent lighting to create a mood and a good composition that would lead the eye to the subject of interest. What is your greatest fear? My greatest fear is fear itself. It is only fear that can get in the way of one's hopes and dreams. Its effects can go either way - to be constantly running from the life you desire, or to be slowed down by shackles almost to the point of paralysis. How would you define photography? Photography is a powerful medium of expression that represents a captured moment of the present. It is an evolving language with many interpretations. Who is your greatest inspiration, photography or otherwise? I have a few major inspirations, most of them being dance choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Dana Metz, Wade Robson, Travis Wall and Natasha Louis. Their visions portrayed in their dance pieces are absolutely breathtaking; I love the way they manipulate the body to create such abstract, strange and beautiful pictures.
What is something that no one knows about you? When I listen to music, I usually visualise someone dancing. It's always quite detailed but once the song ends I can't remember the dance. And that is why I put the song on repeat just so I can picture it all over again. Do you have a favorite photograph that you have taken? I don’t necessarily have a favourite photograph, but there are a few that I favour over the rest. However, thinking back, this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lepetitdanseur/3887249674/) is one of my favourites for two reasons: the concept, and feeling of satisfaction after editing. I was honestly surprised with the result. Where is your favorite place to go? My favourite place to go would have to be Borders. Sometimes I would just go there, pick up a book, find a comfy spot in a corner and immerse myself in a fictitious reality. I love the feeling of being surrounded by knowledge and stories; I could easily spend hours in that store. Do you think your photography has taken on a specific style? I don’t think I’m quite there yet in terms of a specific style. I’m still in the exploration phase of trying out different styles until I find a voice that I feel comfortable with; one that is definitive and unique. Besides photography, what other things do you enjoy doing? I really enjoy baking, or making any type of dessert. I have accumulated a large pile of recipes that I intend to cook one day when I have the time. It would be a dream to become a pastry chef based in Paris. Besides baking, I also like working with kids. I used to volunteer at a local primary school where I'd help 5/6 year olds with reading and writing. I do hope to go back there sometime soon. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? The superpower I would most like to have is telekinesis, which is the ability to move objects with one's mind in ways not usually seen by the naked eye. I think having some sort of telekinetic ability would be personally convenient, but could also help others in dire need. As they say, with power comes responsibility. How much do you think your photography – and you – has evolved since you started? I think my photography has grown a bit, though not as much as I was hoping for when I first started shooting. It's a little disappointing but I have only actually been using the camera for two out of the eleven or so months since I started. However, I do think the way I view the world around me has evolved. Nearly everything I see, I somehow relate it back to how I could use or portray it in a photo. I used to look over what I thought were the little, simplistic things that didn't seem so important. Now they are significant and no longer inconspicuous. What do you think has been your greatest achievement, in photography or in life? I haven't had any photography related achievements, but my greatest life achievement so far was when I got accepted two years in a row for a Queensland Ballet children's production. I was around 9 years old and from a very small dance studio; it was all so unexpected when my number was called during the final stages of the audition.
Rausie Rausie – who wanted to point out that its pronounced Ra-C – is a 16 year old girl who lives in New York though her (large) family is originally from Iran. She is extremely talkative and likes to travel, spend time with her friends, and watch foreign things like Italian news in her spare time. She loves learning new things and incorporating it into her art. http://www.flickr.com/photos/17362586@N05/
How did you get into art? I've love love love love loved drawing and painting and art ever since I was little. I would draw almost all day, everyday from my imagination, and I adored it. I think it was a combination of the small town and constant exposure to art that got me to automatically draw whenever I was bored. Do you think your art has a specific style to it? I definitely think so, I love to involve realism and expressionism, but then again, I don’t really define myself as an expressionist or realist, my style is sort of undefined, but definitely recognizable. What is your favorite thing to draw/paint? I love to draw everything, but my favorite thing to draw is definitely spheres and circles on things, I don’t thing I’ve drawn anything without obnoxious colorful huge circles running through it. What kind of things do you want people to feel when they look at your work? I think the greatest thing an artist can do through their work is to cause people to feel anything, and get them to think and interpret and introduce things they may have never ever experienced if they’d never seen it. Where do you wish to go with this? I definitely plan on keeping art in my life no matter what, but whether or not I’m an artist as a living is definitely debatable because there are so many things I want to experience, learn about and be. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? I want to be able to be able to speak every language in history, as to prefect my accent mocking abilities. What element of a painting/drawing/photograph do you notice first? Do you think there is anything specific that a piece cannot go without? (ie. good composition, lighting, etc) I think the first thing I notice in photography is definitely the focus and the lighting. Though composition is incredibly important, these are pretty much the two elements that make it for me. And in terms of art I definitely think a persons’ style is what gets me most interested. Who is your greatest artistic inspiration? Who is your greatest inspiration not related to art? I am absolutely amazed by Chuck Close, I never felt so amazed by something before in my life. I’ve seen countless works and I still can’t believe that someone has the ability to do what Chuck Close can do. And as for my greatest inspiration not related to art, I think Harvey Milk is amazing. I admire all civil rights leaders, but I’ve got a soft spot for Harvey because he started a fight that we today still haven’t one, and I think that recognizing and keeping his legacy alive is essential in helping all people being equal. I’ve also got a huge crush on Jon Stewart because he approaches everything with humor. How would you define art? Art, even though we may not like it, really truly is everything and anything someone wants it to be. Definitions of it are as different as we are, and some people definitely disagree on what it is, but it really is anything you want it to be. What is one thing you push yourself to do with your art? To be a better artist, and capture things more accurately, like my expressions and the subject.
What is something that no one knows about you? When I’m bored I like to read my history textbooks aloud in different accents. Though some of my friends probably already know this. Whats one word you would use to describe yourself? Talkative, I know this is accurate because I want to use more words. What is your favorite medium to use? I really love acrylic paints, it’s just a really chill medium, it dries quickly, its casual. I don’t know why I think that it has these characteristics, but it just does. What does your ideal piece look like? I think its going to be an enormous black and white portrait, that’s bigger than the wall of a house, and that I’m going to incorporate random little drawings and blossoms of color and things into it. Whats your favorite memory? I have so many, of running after my cousins as a little kid. Laughing with my family in Iran at two in the morning, but I think best memory I have, where I’ve felt my best, is lying next to my favorite cousin, and just venting and crying and then laughing so hard together over nothing, and then having to explain that I didn’t know whether I was crying or laughing. What do you think is your least favorite thing about your art? I think my least favorite thing is not being able to capture something the way I saw it in my head, that and starting something, losing interest in it, and then starting something else, it just creates a vicious cycle of half finished canvases. Where do you hope to find yourself in 10 years? 20? I’d love an apartment, with walls that I have painted on, lots of books, lots of people met, lots of things accomplished and lots of things learned. Do you have a favorite piece of art that you have created? I did a crazy painting of Bob Dylan the summer of the eighth grade, and I’m still head over heels for it. How much do you think your art – and you – has evolved since you started? I definitely think I’m growing and changing all the time, with everything I do and learn. And I’m sure that my art reflects that, not only because I use it as a way to express my self, but because my ability as an artist improves each time I draw or paint. What do you think has been your greatest achievement, in art or in life? I think my greatest achievement, in my life so far, is to stay optimistic, because even though my life is fantastic, there are still people around me who tell me that life is pointless, that it’s all miserable, that there’s no point in hoping, and even when I see all of these terrible horrifying things happening to people, I’ve still managed to stay pretty happy and hopeful and I still think that we as normal everyday people have an ability to improve the world, and bring about real change. That sounds cheesy and slightly stupid, but it’s true.
Untitled by lauffmad mehasic
Untitled by **meagan
left behind by alison.kirsch
Untitled by anne droid
i’m fed up with little things, with real nightmares and fake dreams by eduarda b.
21/365 by Brittany Juravich
cocoon by jason lauker
Unguarded. 8/52 by Roanne Lucy Silver
Time Flies by abigail.claire
Untitled by valerie chiang